The Ways in Which Identities Are Formed through Consumption - Coursework Example

Critically examine the ways in which identities are formed through consumption Introduction The changing dynamics of the culture are attributed to alarge extent to the growth of consumption. The postmodern culture is largely dictated and influenced by the culture of consumption. (Jameson, 2003). It is the pattern of consumption, as promoted by the emerging marketing strategies and the necessities of modern life, that is changing the ways that people think about themselves. Consumption has become such an integral part of the daily life that people derive their sense of being from it – ‘I Shop, Therefore I Am’. The growing Asian market, and proliferation of Asian products, media, fashion and ideas, have led to a re-orientation and rebuilding of the identities of the western consumers. The western consumers tend to distinguish themselves as connoisseurs of the Asian products, thus again creating an identity for themselves. In the following pages, the ways in which the identities are formed through consumption are explored. This is done with a focus on how shoppers’ evolve their identities by their shopping experiences, and how the products they consume give them a sense of exclusiveness. ‘I Shop Therefore I Am’ Researchers have gone to the extent of arraying women’s liberation movement and the explosion of feminism with the proliferation of the departmental stores and shopping centers. The growth of these avenues of consumption allegedly affected the way women’s self-identity materialized as distinct from their male relatives. (Morris, 1998). Women, who were earlier tied to the domestic arena, were now able to express themselves through their consumption pattern. This appears to be a valid point in favor of the theory of the evolvement of self-identity though consumption. This is because women now possessed the physical freedom to travel and shop unaccompanied, as facilitated by the changing architecture of the shopping arcades and also by the changing sensibilities about the notions of morality and the moral woman. This assertiveness on the part of the women, which in its turn evolved from their growing involvement in the consumption movement, indirectly affected the identity of the men. The gender roles were disturbed, as now men no longer exercised ultimate control on all the decisions that were to fall in the public domain. Women, having stepped outside the house to do the shopping, were proving themselves equally adept, if not better than, their male counterparts in decision making. This has been attributed as the reason for the decrease in the influence of fathers and male members of the family. (Nava, 1997 ). It is however not to be concluded that women’s renewed identity due to her assertive consumption could have been solely responsible for sabotaging the patriarchial family system. It appears too much to assume that because the women were driving their identities through the new found freedom of shopping at will, they were able to occupy a better position in the family circle. Other factors like the growing financial freedom, the influence of modern writers and political changes could also be the factors that were influencing the change in the roles. Scholars also assert that the distinction between the respectable females, who stayed indoors to look after the household, and the city women who were characterized by loose morals, faded due to the proliferation of consumption.. This happened as shopping centers provided common arena for all class of people to meet and interact under the same roof. However, though the contention, that the class identity did indeed get faded may hold some ground, the argument that it happened due to the sharing of common space while shopping appears to be far fetched. Though respectable women did step out of their domestic premises to create a new identity for themselves, and by doing this, they no longer fuelled the morality of the stereotype that they were earlier associated with. This perhaps helped in clearing the middle ground, where a woman can exist without being burdened with the tag of domestic angel or an outright prostitute. Consumption as a reflection of personal identity is also evidenced in term of products that both male and female consumers strive to posses. (Kozinets, 2001) The reinforcement of the ‘macho man’, and of the beauty products for women, by numerous endorsements justifies the assumption that consumption plays an important role in the growth and development of identity. Consuming ‘Asia’ The advent of globalization has led to the opening of economies and free flow of products and services across country frontiers and boundaries. However, this economic interaction between different nations has made it possible for the people from diverse backgrounds and cultures to acquire and consume products and ideas originating in different regions of the world. This influx of novelties, in the form of both tangible and intangible products like music, films, video games etc., has led to the redefining, or rather adding to the prevailing consumption culture. The consumption culture is defined by the people deriving a sense of identity from what they buy and consume. (Featherstone, 1991) The power equation vis-à-vis others in terms of the capacity of others to buy dictates a substantial amount of self-esteem for individuals. In addition to the capacity to buy, it is also the ability to discern and apply labels to the quality or standard of products on the basis of their origins, that is being largely displayed as an important aspect of identity. (Thomas, 2000) This is largely elaborated in the manner the Asian products are viewed and the connotations that are attached to their consumption. It is important to note how mainstream Australians both adopt and imbibe Asian products in their projection of self-identity, and yet prefer to maintain a measurable distance from all that the Asian culture stands for. Similar, though not identical, is the case with the Asian communities settled in Australia and in other western countries – who tend to draw their identity through nostalgic identification with all that is Asian, and yet distance themselves from a wholehearted embracing with the Asian popular culture. Majority of the white Australians pride themselves in their ability to discriminate between consumption that is classy and the one that is not. (Featherstone, 2000). The distinction is obvious in the manner in which the taste for Asian cuisine has become an important aspect of exhibiting one’s cosmopolitanism. This is further elucidated in the form of accepting and using the Asian images, themes and emblems in the Australian fashion designers’ and artists’ works. (Featherstone, 2000). The presence of the Asian influence in the form of motifs, pictures, color schemes of a large number of artists and fashion houses indicate that there is an open reception of all that is considered esoteric from Asia. A taste and desire for the consumption of this traditional and mystical Asian offering, is again considered as a reflection of the consumers’ ability to celebrate multi-culturalism. The Australian consumers also tend to express a selective appreciation of the entertainment media originating from Asian cultures. Some of them connect with the above media – music, films, fashions – in an attempt to explore themselves or to truly experience a transnational exchange. On the other hand, several Australians pride on their ability to sift through what is good and what is mediocre or downmarket from among the available Asian media. Such individuals do express their liking for Japanese Aneme, Japanese punk bands, and selective Chinese and Japanese martial arts movies, while they deplore the modern popular music and films as cliché and trite. Another interesting point to note here is that the Asian entertainment media and fashion that has gained tentative acceptance in Australia, is not truly reflective of the Asian present day psyche or morality. Instead, the Japanese anime, the martial arts movies etc., that are acclaimed by a large section of the Australian consumers, are stereotypical of an Asia as projected by the Australians themselves. (Norris, ?) This is interesting example of driving self identity as a connoisseur by displaying one’s ability of being able to discern, understand and appreciate other cultures. (Norris, ?). Here, consumption is used as an expression of self-identity, that an individual is capable of recognizing and relishing all that is related with Orientalism. This consumption practice is also a disclosure of the social distinctions that individuals tend to maintain. By showing a skill for discrimination of high and low culture, and by expressing a taste for the high culture, consumers attempt to create a social distinction. (Bourdgieu, 1984) On the other hand, there is also a need to express an appreciation of pluralism - by showing an open-hand acceptance of the Asian product into the mainstream Australian taste. This requires dropping the stereotyping and attributing ‘otherness’ to the Asian products and services. The acceptance of the modernity of the Asian production, to view Asia away from the mysticism and esoteric realm, to consume its products for their originality – forms another expression of identity. Conclusion Consumers seem to derive a sense of identity from what they consume. Their consumption trends help in both reinforcing the popular stereotypes (is in the case of the desirability to appear macho for men ) and demythifying some other beliefs and traditions. ‘I Shop Therefore I Am’, is considerably the way the modern day consumer identifies and expresses himself. Not only the culture of consumerism has led to a revolution in self-expression through material possessions, but also the shopping experience itself has contributed greatly to how people view themselves and their peers. The products that people consume, the places that they go to shop, the shopping experience that they have, reflect largely on their self-esteem and their self-identity. This is further evidenced in the way the Western Nations consume products from Asia. Consuming Asia has become a potent method of defining identities of a large section of the western individuals. By projecting mysticism and traditionalism on the Asian products, media and fashion, the western consumers try to extol their good taste and cosmopolitism. But by still refusing, to a large extent, to accept Asia as an open society and its goods as a product of modernism, the western consumers continue to derive their identity as distinctively progressive from their Asian counterparts. References: 1. Morris, M. 1998. Too Soon Too Late: History in Popular Culture. Indiana University Press: Bloomington & Indianapolis. 2. Nava, Mica (1997) ‘Modernity’s Disavowal: Women, the City and the Department Store’ in Pasi Falk and Colin Campbell (eds.) The Shopping Experience, London: Sage. 3. Kozinets, R. V. 2001. “Utopian Enterprise: Articulating the Meanings of Star Treks Culture of Consumption”. Journal of Consumer Research, volume 28. Bibliography 1. Jameson, F. Fear and Loathing in Globalization, New Left Review. 2003. 2. Social Change for Women and Children (Advances in Gender Research. 2000. Ed.M. T Segal and V. Demos. JAI Press, Connecticut. Consuming Asia 1. Featherstone, M., 1991. Theory Culture and Society. Sage Publications, London. 2. Thomas, Mandy (2000) ‘Fantasia: Transnational Flows and Asian Popular Culture in Australia’, in Ien Ang, Sharon Chalmers, Lisa Law and Mandy Thomas (eds) Alter/Asians: Asian-Australian identities in art, media and popular culture, Sydney: Pluto Press. 3. Norris, C., ?. Australian Fandom of Japanese Anime (Animation), ? 4. Bourdieu, P. 1984. Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. (translated by Richard Nice) Harvard University Press. Cambridge Massuchusetts. Read More