Journalism 614 Consumer Culture and Opinion A Consumer

Journalism 614: Consumer Culture and Opinion

A Consumer Society ¨ A nation of shoppers – Mass and Micro Marketing – Shopping Malls – Online Purchasing – Bargain Hunting ¨ Yet some argue consumption 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 – Began with conspicuous consumption (for display) – Current form‘competitive consumption’ (to win) • Used to “Keep up with the Joneses”: conspicuous consumption • Now we try to emulate the lifestyles of luxury seen on TV

Buying ≠ Satisfaction ¨ Yet American’s find little satisfaction in buying – American buying more than ever – Working longer hours to afford purchases – More debt and less savings = life stressors – Less happy with life and its direction – Environmental degradation tied to overconsumption

Yet consumption continues to rise

The Output Bias: Rising annual hours of work, CPS, 1967 -2000 (Schor, 2006)

Work Longer to Make More

Americans work longer hours…

Mid-wage sectors working longer

Savings Rate vs. HH Debt

Income and Happiness: GDP per capita v. % very happy, US 1946 -1996 (Layard 2005)

Overconsumption and ecological / environmental consequences

Our Ecological Footprint

Per Capita Footprints by Country

Sustainability is the Focus

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 use 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. • Now = “preppy”, “sporty”, “beach”, “hipster”, “bohemian”, “street”, “punk”, etc.

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 and opportunities – Massive credit card, car, and student loan debt ¨ Low job prospects for some – Varies by education level and quality of institution

Credit Card, Auto, and Student Loan Debt

Prospects vary by education

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

Consumer Confidence ¨ Consumer confidence is a driver of economy

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