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Essay question/topic

Discuss the argument that a consumer society is as much about social constraint as individual choice

Introduction

Consumer society, for the purchase and sale of goods, is an essential social and economic activity. A consumer society promotes the conviction that a person’s value depends on his property. Consumer societies do not respect detailed ideals of leadership, but with their cardinal conceptions of liberalism and democracy, their popularity has increased (Don Slater, 1997).

Possible thesis statements

The argumentative essay discusses how a consumer society is as much about social constraint as individual choice

A discussion of how consumer society is perceived as a social constraint, just like personal choice in the current world.

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Paragraph 1

Topic Sentence (idea / argument)

The demand for consumable products is only increased as requirement-based consumption decreases.

 

Evidence / elaboration

For instance, corporations such as Wal-Mart are always persuading customers to buy more for less, which dictates indirectly, a consumer’s will for purchase. Such power gives corporates control over consumers, including their decision-making capabilities. They chose to externalize manufacture and create their stores in detailed zones that offer no practical value or return to the local people (Campbell, 2000). Wal-Mart and other companies always outsource production in third world countries for ridiculously low wages.

Paragraph 2

Topic Sentence (idea / argument)

Most people utilize expenses and acquisitiveness to develop a new ego. By procurement of products that sustain their self-image, individuals make efforts to recreate themselves into new persons.

Evidence / elaboration

The display of all the products accumulated contributes to the prestige and envy of the idea of visible consumption. This practice creates, unfortunately, a false, temporary sense of inner tranquility, since the market religion (a belief system) unites aspects of humanity and spirituality. Eventually, people start thinking of things being out of hand, of a mixture of priorities, of the loss of their moral center, and much more. To cover up the fear, they spend more (Smart, 2011).

 

 

 

Paragraph 3

Topic Sentence (idea / argument)

The fact that most individuals are content with how consumerist societies function distresses our capacity and inclination to act.

Evidence / elaboration

Although some remedies are harder to practice than others, it is evident that the remedies proposed by Schor are reasonable, and I’ve already seen a few happen. For example, his proposed “principle three: having voluntary constraints on competitive consumption” has been applied among many groups of people, closely or formally related, in instances, they decide to indulge in community practices (Gabriel, 2013).  

Conclusion

A consumer society is as much about social constraint as an individual choice. Consumption is Western societies’ main feature and the global response that supports our entire cultural system.  Consumption has become an aspect of social differentiation and not satisfaction. As a result, social relations objectification has been taken over by bodies and individuals. References

Barry Smart (2011), “Consumer Choice: Rhetoric and reality in Consumer Society: Critical Issues and Environmental Consequences, Los Angeles: Sage Publication, pp. 30-43. Harvey Cox, “The Market as God: Living in the new dispensation,” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1999/03/the-market-as-god/306397/

 

Colin Campbell (2000), “The Puzzle of Modern Consumerism,” in The Consumer Society Reader, Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 48-72

Don Slater (1997), “Consumer Culture and Modernity,” in Consumer Culture and modernity. Polity Press. Pp. 8-32. CBC Radio: Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, “How did we become so obsessed with stud?” (28 min.)

Gabriel, R. (2013). “Consumer Society: Why I buy: Self, taste, and consumer society in America.” Intellect Books. Pp. 49–68.

Sharon Zukin and Jennifer Smith Maguire (2004), “Consumer and Consumption,” Annual Review of Sociology, Vol.30, pp. 173-197

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A CONSUMER SOCIETY

Introduction

A consumer society is an essential social and economic activity for the purchase and sale of the goods. A consumer society promotes the belief that the value of a person depends on his possessions. Since the 1800s, two significant events have emerged, the industrial revolution and the start of consumer societies, which changed everyone’s landscape forever (Don Slater, 1997). The industrial revolution has made it faster, cheaper, efficient, and easier to produce products. The downturn in production is that the settlement of the industrial revolution gave firms the ability to put into production, more products at a lower price rate. The revolution has inspired the development of consumer societies, including their habits. Consumer societies do not follow detailed ideals of leadership; however, their popularity has increased, with cardinal ideas of liberalism and democracy (Zukin & Maguire, 2004). The shift from a need-based to want-based consumption by the consumer society was one of the most impactful effects of industrialization.

Consumers transform consumption patterns from supplies to foundations of contentment, desire, or power. This led to the identification of memories, status, or identity by consumer goods. All these aspects are part of the freedom of consumption that can be used for individual choices made in the marketplace. The efficient expression of democracy has developed with consumerism. Currently, the power of social media has brought people online, eager to purchase top of the line consumables, technology, and expensive upmarket clothing. As a result, it is expected that people can quickly become jealous (Smart, 2011), This places weight on the individual to purchase looked-for items more frequently since they can afford what they wish to purchase. The argumentative essay discusses how a consumer society is as much about social constraint as an individual choice.

Consumer Society Individual and collective Influences

The demand for consumable products is only increased as requirement-based consumption decreases. This can be compared to total consumption, including the progress made by society. The Internet is a crucial facilitator for consumption, as it permits you to buy nearly whatever you require at the press of your fingertips. In about every dimension of their everyday lives, capitalist and consumerist cultures are subjugated by a consumer mindset. For instance, corporations such as Wal-Mart are always persuading customers to buy more for less, which dictates indirectly, a consumer’s will for purchase. Such power gives corporates control over consumers, including their decision-making capabilities. They chose to externalize manufacture and create their stores in detailed zones that offer no profitable value or returns to the local people (Campbell, 2000). Since Wal-Mart and other companies always outsource production in third world countries for ridiculously low wages, they significantly contribute to poverty in the United States by compelling factories in the country to close down. The extent of damage goes beyond just poverty since they have also forced these small companies to lose shop since they cannot compete with the low prices imposed by the competitors.

Deriving from factual aspects, was is available for the people changes as per the desires of many. Such a basis is founded on capitalism, whereby corporate structure influences our capability and keenness in time for action. When people in groups make the step to resist and form a rebellion against the mainstem society, these efforts are converted to profit, rather than just mere loss. Besides, as long as everybody is satisfied, no one will want to indulge in challenging a capitalist. In a consumer society, consumption ultimately affects materialism, a culture in which material interest is the prime motive, and overrides supplementary social objectives. People who live in a consumer culture make efforts to gratify the material needs of society, including their own needs socially, spiritually, and emotionally. Eventually, materialism unites the lives, communities, and spirits of people because it gives a misleading sense that it can be short-term controlled, and it is safe (Smart, 2011). A society based on consumer life is fast-paced around the clock, but people are not wired to keep up with the pace. To manage stress, most people believe that the solution to every problem has to involve money.

Individual Actions to Fit Consumer Societies

Most people utilize expenses and acquisitiveness to develop a new ego. By procurement of products that sustain their self-image, individuals make efforts to recreate themselves into new persons. The display of all the products accumulated contributes to the prestige and envy of the idea of visible consumption. This practice creates, unfortunately, a false, temporary sense of inner tranquility, since the market religion (a belief system) unites aspects of humanity and spirituality. Eventually, people start thinking of things being out of hand, of a mixture of priorities, of the loss of their moral center, and much more (Gabriel, 2013). To cover up the fear, they spend more. The technologies have isolated people without a sense of belonging to exacerbate this fear. They have cocooned them so far as they are blind to their destructive ways.

The insecurity in human hearts and minds is what causes such destructive consumerism. Ironically, people are supposed to consume this security. Individuals have an intuition that becoming a new person would involve acquiring the products that will sustain their self-image. People under the influence of consumerism lack the feeling of satisfaction since their mind and heart still does not feel wholly satisfied; an argument placed under the needs of humanity (Don Slater, 1997). Short term progress is the only result that will come from continuous spending and accumulation, in matters relating to mitigation, to achieve peace and safety in people’s lives.

Consumer societies and Consumption

The fact that most individuals are content with how consumerist societies function distresses our capacity and inclination to act. Many people in these societies do not know the problems caused by our consumption. Although some groups try to increase mindfulness about these matters, it should be noted that the message might not satisfy the people enough to place enough attention on it (Gabriel, 2013). Many who feel compete and not alone have multiple influences on the matter, just like the notion that those who chose not to vote in an election have no control over the results or any happenings in the election. Although some remedies are more difficult to practice than others, it is evident that the solutions proposed by Schor are reasonable, and I’ve already seen a few happen. For example, his proposed “principle three: having voluntary constraints on competitive consumption” has been applied among many groups of people, closely or formally related, in instances, they decide to indulge in community practices.

Even though Schor encourages everyone who reads the book to distribute these formalities, I believe that such practices are faced and headed in the right direction. Schor’s fourth principle: “Learning to share,” reflects on several aspects of the lives of many. Most people prefer to buy second-hand clothing, furniture, or automobiles, which has resulted in companies like Zipcar being introduced as alternative methods of consumption. Although it may prove to be a hard task for consumers to persuade themselves to make exclusivity uncool, make themselves educated consumers or de-market rituals, it should also be noted that individuals with the knowledge of consumer matters can exercise these formalities (Smart, 2011).

Conclusion

A consumer society is as much about social constraint as an individual choice. Consumption is Western societies’ main feature and the global response that supports our entire cultural system.  Consumption has become an aspect of social differentiation and not satisfaction. As a result, social relations objectification has been taken over by bodies and individuals. The real world has gone, and signs of the reality of the illusion of the real world have been replaced. In a contradictory movement, the consumer society creates dialectical objects which can be accomplished, and then, in the long run, destroy them. This increases human dependence on the subject.

 

REFLECTION

In my previous work, the professor instructed me always to make definitions in my own words. I plan to rectify that and handle the case while providing definitions of key terms such as consumer societies, among others. The professor also insisted on the development of my references and the inclusion of all the materials I used to come up with my work. I plan to utilize the guidelines given to ensure I come up with competent work, worthy of the full marks. Putting sentences that relate in a single paragraph makes the job neat and relatable, with a natural flow of ideas. I plan to employ this skillset as I work on TMA 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Barry Smart (2011), “Consumer Choice: Rhetoric and reality in Consumer Society: Critical Issues and Environmental Consequences, Los Angeles: Sage Publication, pp. 30-43. Harvey Cox, “The Market as God: Living in the new dispensation,” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1999/03/the-market-as-god/306397/

Colin Campbell (2000), “The Puzzle of Modern Consumerism,” in The Consumer Society Reader, Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 48-72

Don Slater (1997), “Consumer Culture and Modernity,” in Consumer Culture and modernity. Polity Press. Pp. 8-32. CBC Radio: Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, “How did we become so obsessed with stud?” (28 min.)

Gabriel, R. (2013). “Consumer Society: Why I buy: Self, taste, and consumer society in America.” Intellect Books. Pp. 49–68.

Sharon Zukin and Jennifer Smith Maguire (2004), “Consumer and Consumption,” Annual Review of Sociology, Vol.30, pp. 173-197

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