Consumers Markets and Culture Essay

Compargon and contrast the ever-changing fucks of consumers from the year 1900 until present daylight. How do the theories of Marx, Durkheim and weber help to explain the changing consumer determine and the emergence of contemporary consumer partnership?Until the 18th century the word pulmonary tuberculosis meant exp curio (Williams, 1976)As consumers our understand of consumption straight off is exp angiotensin-converting enzymentially different from that at the piece of the twentieth century in the late urbanised and industrialised mod nation. Consumer coating is traditionally described in toll of the arrival of mass consumption as a counter lead off to mass yield as a result of the Fordist bureaument (Miles, S). Choice is 1 of the biggest f sufficeors of the changing experience for consumers, du butt against the 1950s after the austerity geezerhood the right away aging foul up boomers were part of large scale changes to consumption patterns.For suit as women began to enter the work locating leaving little time to blend in the home, crops were being develop to ease the nitty-gritty of ho expendwork, washing machines, fridges and vacuum cleaners were among these products the constantly- starting use of hire purchase to enable consumers to chip in these luxury products, combined with Fordist methods of mass output reducing the manufacturing cost of the products allowed the miserliness to grow strong once again. As telecasting grew in popularity advertising was change magnitudely utilize by businesses to sell their products creating a faraway more than than(prenominal) indifferent env compactment duration shopping for products. From this time the standard of accompaniment has been increasing up until present day (The Economist, 2008) with the aspirations of companionship increasing further still.Marx presents his theories as a materialist understanding of order, explaining capitalism as an unequal system base on the exploitation of the lower score (Abercrombie N et al, 2006), a system based on surplus esteem being extracted, the capitalistics entire aim is to tap the gap amid encourage produced and value paid for (Slater D, 1997). Which a hundred eldago meant using Fordist methods of intersection to trifle d admit costs and reducing the cleverness needful of workers which in turn subjugated the compensation needed for workers. The Fordist method of occupation first seen around 1911 (Cohen and Kennedy, 2007), Alienated workers from the act of intersection. In his theory of lunacy Marx describes military manity essence as being realized by dint of and by means of labour (Abercrombie et al, 2006) and operative as an alien activity that offers no internal satisfaction as the worker has no control over what is produced this loss of monomania and loss of control over the workers own life collectable to management organising and enforcing the labour.Where during the ahead of time twentieth our working variantes were exploited and Alienated, forthwith capitalists in the quest towards diminish recompense and widening the gap between value produced and value paid for atomic number 18 increasing looking to less sparingally developed countries where costs of production, epically workers atomic number 18 much lower. The counties know as BRIC economic group (Brazil, Russia, India and China). By indiscriminately consuming as a society, this encourages the expansion of exploitation of foreign working classes. Bauman proposes post-industrial societies ar governed by aesthetics of consumption rather than ethics of production (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007). Organisations such(prenominal) as Apple, Nike and similarly Primark argon guilty of this system, the drawer two retailing bounty priced products produced at the lowest cost viable cost, by attaching emblematical meaning to the products.Primark produces clothe at the lowest cost feasible which be retai led for the lowest cost feasible consumers buy into this system with no feelings of guilt, as these products allow consumers to expose possessions acting as fond glue possibly delinquent in part to the increasing Alienation of workers as society is increasingly destitute from production with the service based economy we enjoy today. Durkheims concept of anomy is similar to Alienation, discussing Anomic self-destruction due to hatful no knowing how they curb in with society where possessions atomic number 18 utilise as cordial glue allowing consumers to display their beliefs and complaisant groups. It is harder to relate Marxs definitions of the class system as the proximity to production is becoming increasingly distant for virtually of society.Ein truth capitalist is trying to lessening the bribe and consumption of their own workers and decoy every 1 elses workers to consume to their limit andbeyond. (Slater, D 1997)Marxism, as other modern economic theories believe , that the production and consumption of products is intrinsically connected, in the sense that incomes from production and consumer buying role are two sides of the same coin. (Slater, D 1997). This theory is particularly applicable now due to the current economic climate. As the recession began in 2008 m some(prenominal) workers incapacitated their jobs or suffered significant cuts in wages this resulted in a widespread reduction in consumer spending as a result society ended up a cycle of ever decreasing demand where the politics had to intervene to escape from spending. Of the stimulus the VAT reduction had an advert by reducing the cost of products, to reduce ever growing back up of political machines as they still needed to be produced to keep the workers in employment the car scrapage evasion was introduced temporarily (Lloyds, 2009). In this scheme two thousand pounds was offered if a ageing car was scrapped in exchange for a new car.Capitalists driven to mass prod uction, not by greed but conditions of capitalism (Edwards T, 2000), if not competing, competitors will capture markets through lower prices. This practice discussed by Marx leads to situations desire the above were supply far exceeds demand. A good manikin of over production can be found by searching for any random product on a supplier listings website, Alibaba.com experience over 64,979 different belt buckles available. Durkheim predicted that modern industrial societies would over-emphasise the importance of individuality which would niggle brotherly stability and solidarity (Schmidt, R 2010), consumers are sold their own individuality through advertising campaigns a few examples are Dells Yours is here, My Yahoo. Products are increasingly customisable, mobile ph one and only(a) cases are a hugely popular consumer item. Durkheim argues that citizenry can entirely be beaming when their wants are proportionate to their means.Left to themselves, human desires are boundless together with necessarily limited recourses, creates great unhappiness or ultimately suicide (Abercrombie et al 2006). company controls the problem of unrealizable goals by narrowing desires through values aimed at permitting only goals which pee some chance of attainment. The X-Factor is before long the most popular television computer program (Plunkett, J 2010) as dreams of mostly unattainable goals are being realised for a lucky number of consumers. Thisis a desolate contrast to the 1940s where society was based around family values, working together to have-to doe with Britain where jobs were expected for life. Anomie describes the situation when this theoretical account breaks down, goals again outrun means and suicide rate rises (Abercrombie et al 2006). weber predicted that society would experience unprecedented inner loneliness of the single individual (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007), this is a very accurate description of the contemporary experience, more than ever consum ers are looking to the symbolic meaning of products to identify with their desired social groups and status.Social media is an interesting way to essay the inner loneliness experienced, taking facebook where consumers power have several hundred friends who are merely acquaintances, with few solid friendships, fleck there is pressure to appear to have acquired huge numbers of friends on social networks. To explore further into the loneliness of individuals, one in three households now have just one member compared with one in five in the 1970s (BBC, 2004) this is known as the meal for one society, more than half the meals eaten in the UK are now eaten alone. Traditional family unit is similarly becoming less common, with predictions indicating that in 2011 more than sixty percent of marriages will end in divorce (BBC, 2004). weber discuses bollock rationalisation of society as it becomes more industrialised and that this rationality is inevitable, the greater calculability requir ed for rationalisation has affected greatly the consumer experience (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007), consumers save for the wealthy classes, have an impersonal consumption experience.Self service tot outs are a perfect example of this, once a shop steward in the local store, would ring through and bag up your products now in the national and often multinational store, consumers ring through and bag up their own shopping. The systematic measured approach to contemporary life has created a predictable most emotionless society, the consumption of university is a relevant example to the author, scholars are recognised by their identification number only, few if any university staff will know students names, no individuality between the students leaving students to display their personality and attachments through the conspicuous consumption of goods with symbolic meaning. Whereas the baby boomers will remember university involving debates with friendly tutors, with itty-bitty care about a ppearances. This system creates greater efficiency, economic growth andcontrol of nature, the iron cage describes this situation.However it does lead society towards the theories of Anomie and Alienation by Durkheim and Marx respectively. Calculability becomes an organising tenet in the overall personality where ever more of our behaviour is informed by consistent logical expectations of human beings and of the environment. spontaneousness and surprise are experienced less and less in society, with calculability everything becomes increasingly predictable, unannounced events are planned for and avoided through policies and rules.The commoditisation of punt is a good example of the disenchantment of society, Disneyland and all it represents takes the excitement out of spontaneousness due to the iron cage of functionalism and rationality. Weber sees class defined by income, (Cohen & Kennedy, 2007) explaining that classes form around market positions, amongst people who section si milar life chances which is relevant to the differences seen in society today from that at 1900, social mobility much more fluid with government actively perusing policies pulling people up the class system.The theories of Marx, Durkheim and Weber are relevant to society today Weber the youngest of the theorists has accurate concepts relating to the bureaucracy experienced in the post-industrial age which explain well the changing experiences of consumers. Durkheims theories on Anomie in relation to individualism and the breakdown of society while religions stability isnt the upshot are partially interesting in explaining how society consumes conspicuously, using products as social glue to find a place in society.Marxs idea on Alienation of workers, as Anomie explains aspects of the consumer lookout today. The globalisation of business taking the class struggle Marx discuses around the world. The current economic climate demonstrates that capitalism has failings even if the least (prenominal) of these is disconnecting individuals from a more intrinsic and meaningful existences within society.Capitalism simultaneously produces more goods and less effective demand to commit for them. (Slater, D 1997) consultationsAbercrombie, N (2006) Penguin reference point lexicon of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 235 Abercrombie, N (2006) Penguin Reference Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 360 Abercrombie, N et al (2006) Penguin Reference Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. P 14 Abercrombie, N et al (2006) Penguin Reference Dictionary of Sociology. 5th Ed Pengin, London. 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Open University Press, Buckingham Lloyds.com (2009) unsold cars face storage exposures Accessed on s19/11/2010 Available at http//www.lloyds.com/News-and-Insight/News-and-Features/Market-news/Specialist-2009/Unsold_cars_face_storage_exposures Miles, S (1998) Consumerism as a way of life. London, Sage. Plunkett, J (2010) Gardian.co.uk X Factor steals the show with 13.6m viewers. Accessed on 29/11/2010 Available at http//www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/29/x-factor-tv-ratings Schmidt, R (2010) Functi onalism and Consumption Lecture Notes. I know sorry, I just very liked the sentence. Sekora, J (1977) Luxuary The concept in western though. Eden to Smollet, Balimore. As quoted by Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, edict Press. P 176 Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, legislation Press. P 175 Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press. P 176 Slater, D (1997) Consumer Culture and Modernity. 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