Culture of Capitalism and Consumer Society - Assignment Example

xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx Popular pleasures, studies in culture and Capitalism Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2011 Commodity fetishism is defined as the placement of monetary value on a certain item or commodity. Commodities are objects that human beings own so as to make their life more efficient, effective and reliable. The Marxism theory bases most of its arguments on the capitalistic society by defining the role of commodities and their values in the society (Storey 2003). Commodities play a significant role in shaping social aspects of the society. Human beings are develop a liking prone to become accustomed to a particular lifestyle. This is caused by the nature of demand and supply that enables individuals to buy and sell goods and services. Marxism clearly states that a capitalist society is defined by their placement of monetary value on various commodities (Bevan 2010). The focus of this paper is to derive the role that commodities play in society. The paper looks at contemporary culture in present society. The paper provides the definition of commodities and the role they play in shaping the culture. Capitalism is centered on buying and selling of commodities: the paper deals with issues such as the role of commodities in people’s personal identity, commodities as a means of self-expression for consumers and commodities as symbols of social status and distinction. What role do commodities play in contemporary culture today? Commodities play a significant role in present society. People require different sorts of commodities to get by on a daily basis. Culture is a way of life of any community. Each society has particular wants and needs that they need to fulfill. In order for this requirement to be met, people need to purchase the goods or services that they desire. For the need of consumers to be met, there needs to be manufactures and sellers of the products. This creates a market that consists of buyers and sellers (Storey 2003). The United States is one of the countries whose culture supports the principles of capitalism. Capitalism involves encouraging an open market that allows traders to maximize on their sales. This in turn, gives rise to the creation of different commodities making the society place emphasis on value for money. Commodities thus play an essential role in society (Rubin 2007). What are commodities and why are they essential in contemporary culture Commodities are goods and services that are placed in the market due to the rate of demand and supply that is caused by the needs of the society. There are more than one million commodities that are present in the contemporary society. One of the reasons for the increased emphasis of valuation of commodities is the increased globalization in the society. Globalization enhanced the invention and innovation of technological equipment. These types of commodities are essential in that they improve the day to day activities in the society. One of the commodities that contributed highly to the contemporary culture is the car (McGuican 2009). The introduction of industrialization in the country saw the increase of infrastructure in the all the communities. The car makes a significant contribution to the present society. Most of the transactions are enabled by the availability of transport both public and private. This type of commodity thus bridges the gap between different locations making communication and interaction more effective (Dyer 2002). Social role of commodities One of the social roles of commodities is to improve the lives of individuals. The society cannot do without the consumption of various commodities. It is through the commodities that people learn to interact, work, and develop as a whole. Commodities are essential in improving the social conditions of human beings. Lack of basic commodities in the society reduces the rate of growth and development of a particular community. Commodities assist in identifying the cultural aspects of the society. Different cultures prefer the use of different commodities. Culture therefore contributes highly to the inspiration of the production of new goods and services. Due to the capitalist ideologies that the society is accustomed, the sale of commodities has defined the arrangement of the society. The society as a result, has improved its economic and political standing in regard to production. Commodities not only satisfy the needs and wants of a community. They form they shape the society by following the demands that members suggest as a result (Dyer 2002). What do commodities signify to people in terms of personal identity? Commodities play an essential role in the creation of identity in the society. There are different types of commodities that range in appearance, price and quality. Different commodities attract different consumers. Some commodities are more expensive due to the quality they hold in the market. Commodities have thus been used to identify the personal preference of an individual. People have different preferences due to different personalities, wants and needs. Despite this, there are commodities that are preferred by a large number of the population (McGuican 2009). Commodities are used to establish the identity of certain individuals. Some people prefer purchasing more expensive goods due to their financial preference, taste, age and lifestyle. The advertising industry has in turn taken advantage of the consumer’s personal identity by marketing goods that suite their needs. The advertising industry has taken advantage of the society’s love of star wars by combining one of the major characters Darth Vader to market the new Volkswagen Passat. The aim of this advertisement is to identify with the star wars fans by reaching out to them through their favorite villain. This product acts as a source of identify for youth and thus indicates that commodities do play a significant role in the signifying peoples identity (Bevan 2010). Commodities as symbols of social status and distinction Commodities have for a long time been used to identify the social status of individuals in the society. The society is divided into different social classes. These classes are defined by their influence in the community in terms of economic, social and political power. Commodities are designed to suit the needs of each social class. This is owed to the different cost and preferences that the classes project to the manufacturers. An individual who is placed in the low income bracket is likely to go for goods that fit in their budget. An example that indicates this factor is the businesses such as Wal-Mart and target. These establishments feature goods and services that are designed to suite the financial needs of the ordinary man. The chain store has dedicated its marketing scheme on the observation of the cheap and affordable prizes (Rubin 2007). Some of the commodities sold in this complex are sold in large quantities at cheaper prices compared to the rest of the shopping centres. This can be seen in the sale of commodities such as toiletries and household goods. Majority of the individuals who chose to shop in such a complex symbolize their position in society. In the case of individuals who identify with the high class society, the market has designed shopping outlets that suite their demands and preferences. Examples of commodities that symbolize the social status of this type of individual are diamonds, luxurious cars and expensive cigars (Storey 2003). Such commodities cannot perform well in a low income area in that they are not essential goods. A person who belongs to the high class society will however place these goods as commodities of priority. This means that the commodities that individuals purchase signify their social status and distinction (Bevan 2010). In conclusion, a capitalist state is a state that allows for the opening up the markets amongst different countries. Open markets allow for buying and selling of goods and services amongst members of the community. The market has in place goods and services that are referred to as commodities. Commodities are essential in that they are required in the day to day lives of individuals. Commodities thus play a significant role in shaping the dynamics of the society. One of the social aspects that commodities signify is the identity, social status and distinction. Individuals as a result cannot do without commodities. This theory justifies one of the principles of Marxism that mentions the relationship between value and commodity. The role of commodities is thus ideal in the society in that they define the society in all aspects of life. Bibliography Bevan, a. (2010). Cultures of commodity branding. Walnut Creek, Calif, Left Coast Pr. Dyer, r. (2002). Only entertainment, 2nd edition, Routledge Mcguigan, Jim (2009), cool capitalism, pp.83-128(chapter 3 consumer culture), Pluto. Rubin, Isaak I. (2007). Essays on Marxs Theory of Value. Gardners Books. Storey, J. 2(003). Inventing popular culture, Blackwell. Read More