Readings - Berger (Week 9)

Berger's text on “Consumer Culture” discusses the idea of consumerism and it's role in today's society. The title of the text, 'the objects of affection' immediately highlights how consumerism is seen in a negative light and as something that is simply about material goods and things that we want and do not need.

This is the overall tone of the text, as Berger begins by explaining what consumerism is. He uses the phrase “a novel identity,” otherwise explained as, “a reflection of 'lifestyles' that are closely associated with commercial brands, as well as the attitudes and behaviours linked to where we shop, how we buy, and what we eat, wear and consume.” Consumption is present in everyone's life in every society, however more so in some than in others, mainly due to income and class levels, as as Berger suggests, if often out of the hands of individuals. The text goes on to explain the DEFINITION of 'consumer cultures,' - societies in which spending from private “needs” and desires overwhelms the need for public ones (e.g. roads, schools, hospitals).

Advertising

Societies that contain mass production usually have a high proportion of mass consumption as the people buy the things that are created. Berger explains how advertising plays a crucial role in persuading people to buy things that they do not necessarily need but feel like they do due to wanting their desired lifestyles. This theory is supported by Baudrillard who explains how advertising is a connotation and is often exaggerated just to make people believe in what they are saying. Advertising offers a “leitmotiv” of needs (wants), as it has an ability to tell people of their own hidden desires. This relates to hyperreality, causing out desires ot be endless as the things we purchase are no longer evaluated in terms of their use, but more on what they signify and reveal about us as a person.

In general, all people 'need' in life is food clothing, shelter and water, however people often go in to debt to fulfil their desires which are portrayed as “needs.” These personal purchases are seen to relate to our social identity an culture, and as Weber suggests, our passion for material goods now dominates us and is reflected in our culture and national character. Weber also discusses the American crash of consumer culture is 2008, which was caused by a lack of regulation and containment, leading to social and economic dislocations.

Calvin

Other the other hand, theorist Calvin argues that having wealth and material goods is a step towards fulfilling God's desires. Psychological research suggests that we have an unconscious need for material things, therefore we constantly feel like we need more and more things. This is connected to the societies that we are born and raised in, so much that children are now taught to feel entitled to anything they want. This is led by a measure of greed that exists in everyone, and feeds our continuous desire for better possessions.

Marxism

Consumer cultures can also be explained through the theory of Marxism. Marx's views are that the ruling class strives to create new “needs” so as to maintain the class structure in society, therefore keeping social order. Workers are alienated in a capitalist society, therefore they escape to a consumer culture to avoid alienation, however this just leads to a further need to work to pay for the constant consumerism. This shows how the Marxist view is quite negative as he suggests that society determines consciousness, not the other way round.