Journalism 614: Consumer Culture and Opinion

A Consumer Society  A nation of shoppers –Mass and Micro Marketing –Shopping Malls –Online Purchasing –Bargain Hunting  Yet this consumption seemingly produces unease –Americans are preoccupied with getting and spending –Losing touch with deeper values and ways of living –Withdrawing from community life

Source & Effects of the Shift  What has caused this shift to a consumer society? –Some say mass media presentations of the “good life” –Media driving consumer sentiments and opinions –Emergence of ‘competitive consumption” Used to “Keep up with the Joneses”: conspicuous consumption Now we try to emulate the lifestyles of luxury seen on TV  Yet American’s find little satisfaction in buying –Working longer hours –Less happy with life and its direction –Heavily in debt to afford purchases –Environmental degradation tied to consumption

Delivering the goods… Personal Consumption Expenditures per capita (2000$) (Schor, 2006)

The Output Bias: Rising annual hours of work, CPS, (Schor, 2006)

Income and Happiness: GDP per capita v. % very happy, US (Layard 2005)

Consumerism and ecological disaster

Per Capita Footprints

Veblen and Status Consumption Models

Features of Status Models  Social positioning produce status consumption –We look to those a rung above us to determine acceptable opinions and behaviors, fashions and purchasing  Game is played through visible consumption –Must be seen to be part of a status game - who is ahead?  Trickle down model –middle class emulate upper-middle, who emulate the rich, who emulate the ultra-rich  Consumption is social, a way to marking ones social belonging and class status - badges of belonging

Social Comparison & Rising Inequality

Bourdieu and Distinction  French sociologist who observed that class status is gained, lost, and reproduced through consumption –Our clothing, car, home, and media consumption all display our social position  Can gain or lose access to social circle by displaying appropriate taste, manners, culture –Consumption helps to maintain basic patterns of power and inequality - this is why it matters!!!

New Consumerism  Neighbors are no longer the point of comparison –Upscale emulation parallels the decline of neighborhood life  Income and wealth concentrated in top 20% –Surge of conspicuous consumption at the top –Most no longer satisfied with middle-class life  Aspiration gaps –Desires outpace incomes –Credit card debt Averages $7000 per person, with $1000 in interest & penalties –Low savings rate 8% in 80s, 4% in 90s, 0% now!!!

The Rise of Competitive Consumption  Movement of women into the workforce –Decline of neighborhood contacts –Workplace, with wider range of social classes, becomes point of upward comparison  Less time with friends and family, more at work and front of the television –Consumption cues from work and television –Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Consumer Confidence  Consumer confidence is a driver of economy  Over consumption is sanctioned, even encouraged,

Consumer Knows Best?  Assume consumers are rational  Assumes consumers are well informed  Assume consumer preferences are consistent  Assume consumer preferences are independent  Assume consumption does not reduce public goods  But consumers are no more deliberative than citizens –Neither purely rational nor deluded, duped, and manipulated  In fact, they are one and same - consumer citizens –Artificial distinction - consumption can be civic/political

A Politics of Consumption  Changing opinions driving changes in markets and society –Right to a decent standard of living Ex. Fair trade coffee –Quality of life rather than quantity of stuff Ex. Downshifting –Ecologically sustainable consumption Ex. Global warming & consumption –Democratize consumption practices Ex. Starbury - Stephon Marbury –The politics of retailing Ex. Walmart vs. mainstreeet –Consumer movements Ex. Anti-globalism

Consumer critique & activist practice Newdream.org