Is Consumer Culture Destroying Cultural Difference Around the World?
Is consumer culture destroying cultural difference around the
World?
In recent global affairs it appears there’s no question that any sombre theory in contemporary society cannot ignore the importance of consumption. The World Wide Web is an emblematic example of how the global society has accessed the modern world (Ritzer, 2001). Globalisation had been described as the “worldwide diffusion of practices, expansion of relations across continents, organisation of social life on a global scale, and growth of a shared global consciousness” (Ritzer, 2004). There is no doubt that the study of consumerism has been an area of steady growth particularly within cultural studies over the past decade (Bertelsen, 1996). For this reason there has been increasing suggestion that consumers and their behaviours deserve much more attention (Brinkmann, 2004) as consumption is production and production of good affects consumption, amongst other factors. Consumption is a social, economic and cultural process of choosing goods effectively reflecting the opportunities and constraints of modern society. Ultimately the global population has become a society of consumers, and now our global culture is becoming increasingly emergent. Because of global consumption is has now started to become the bridge to cultural institutions (Zukin, 2004), large scale social structure changes the opportunity to design peoples individual lifestyle.
Consumer goods are an increasing part of public culture, shaped by various good and services. Advertisements and media (TV, magazine, radio ECT) promote products services and places i.e. shopping malls, websites and gift shops. It seems the extensive volume at which the consumerist society purchase commodity goods has resulted in a view that consumption has become a threat to social order and cultural variation around the world (Ritzer, 2001). There are strong views that the consumerist society stands for a kind of society which promotes and enforces a
World?
In recent global affairs it appears there’s no question that any sombre theory in contemporary society cannot ignore the importance of consumption. The World Wide Web is an emblematic example of how the global society has accessed the modern world (Ritzer, 2001). Globalisation had been described as the “worldwide diffusion of practices, expansion of relations across continents, organisation of social life on a global scale, and growth of a shared global consciousness” (Ritzer, 2004). There is no doubt that the study of consumerism has been an area of steady growth particularly within cultural studies over the past decade (Bertelsen, 1996). For this reason there has been increasing suggestion that consumers and their behaviours deserve much more attention (Brinkmann, 2004) as consumption is production and production of good affects consumption, amongst other factors. Consumption is a social, economic and cultural process of choosing goods effectively reflecting the opportunities and constraints of modern society. Ultimately the global population has become a society of consumers, and now our global culture is becoming increasingly emergent. Because of global consumption is has now started to become the bridge to cultural institutions (Zukin, 2004), large scale social structure changes the opportunity to design peoples individual lifestyle.
Consumer goods are an increasing part of public culture, shaped by various good and services. Advertisements and media (TV, magazine, radio ECT) promote products services and places i.e. shopping malls, websites and gift shops. It seems the extensive volume at which the consumerist society purchase commodity goods has resulted in a view that consumption has become a threat to social order and cultural variation around the world (Ritzer, 2001). There are strong views that the consumerist society stands for a kind of society which promotes and enforces a
References: Ali, M (2007) “Globalisation: It’s Effects”. International Business & Economics Research Journal, 1 (6) pp. 89-96. Bauman, Z (2007) Consuming Life. Cambridge: Policy Press. Bertelsen, E (1996). “Post Mod-cons: Consumerism and Cultural Studies”. A South-North Journal of Cultural & Media Studies, 1, (10) pp. 87-107. Ger, G. (1997) “Human Development and Humane Consumption: Well-Being beyond the ‘Good Life’”. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 1 (16) pp. 110-125. Jackson, P (2004). “Local Consumption Cultures in a Globalising World”. Royal Geography society, pp. 165-178. Ritzer, G (2001) Theories’ of Consumption. London: Sage publications. Zukin, S; Maguire, J (2004). “Consumers and Consumption”. Annual Review of Sociology, 30 pp. 173-197.