Consumerism
Consumerism Group Discussion
This group assignment will focus on consumerism and the impact it has on us. To provide you with the tools for that, you are asked to read chapters 7 and 8 in the Storey textbook, and we have provided links to some other relevant material below, which you may read if you wish. The Kellner article, in particular, provides not just a good discussion of issues related to consumerism but a further introduction to how cultural studies analyses may work.
Anup Shah: “Consumption and Consumerism” (Links to an external site.)
Anup Shah: “Creating the Consumer” (Links to an external site.)
Anup Shah: “Effects of Consumerism” (Links to an external site.)
Task
Form discussion groups in the discussion forums we have provided. There should be 3-4 students in each group; when one discussion forum is full, join the next available one.
Think of this discussion as filling the same function as a seminar in a campus course: your goal is to explore, consider, question and otherwise examine the ideas from the reading. You may discuss anything from the reading, particularly if you want to use this opportunity to discuss questions you had with your group mates. However, you do have specific instructions for what to discuss as well. Each group member should choose 1-2 questions or topics below to respond to in your group discussion. You can begin by responding yourself, but be sure to also encourage others to respond, and respond to others’ responses, so that your group gets a discussion going. It is more important that you have an exploratory discussion about topics, and perhaps reach further questions than that you come to any conclusions (though that is also valued!). As much as possible, when you see connections to the reading please make a note of those.
Discussion Topics and Questions
Respond to the following statements. Do you agree/disagree? Why?
- Consumption now helps to define and answer who we are.
- Brands help turn perceptions into reality, thus encouraging purchases based on fashion and peer/social pressures to fit in.
- Consumerism can increase stress for various reasons
Ideas, concepts or aesthetic categories are sometimes used to help sell things. Several such categories are listed below. Look at any of the categories or concepts and consider how it is used by the producers of objects, commercials, films, etc. to make us buy their products, services, etc. You might consider not only how the concept is used, but also what the consequences are.
- Glamorousness
- Coolness
- The Romantic
- Individualism
- The Natural
Additional questions to discuss:
Which actors influence our choices of consumption?
- What is a necessity and what is a luxury? See if you can find differences between the members of the group.
- How do material values influence our relationships with other people?
- Douglas Kellner, who you may read for this task, discusses how “media conglomerates control … production and distribution of culture”. How is this visible in the cultural artefacts surrounding us (ads, films, TV-news etc., etc.)? Why is this significant?
- Do you think increasing globalisation will change the political or ideological impacts of cultural expressions? If yes – how? If no – why not?
