Consumption and Consumption and Identity.Identity.

Lecture TenLecture Ten

OutlineOutline Consumption and construction of identity. Consumption and construction of identity. mass society and Frankfurt School mass society and Frankfurt School material and symbolic elements of consumptionmaterial and symbolic elements of consumption the interpretation of goodsthe interpretation of goods Consumption as manipulation by producers. Consumption as manipulation by producers. The role of desire plays in our consumption The role of desire plays in our consumption

choices choices Consumption as cultural expression. Consumption as cultural expression. Key theorists Adorno and Horkheimer, Thorstein Key theorists Adorno and Horkheimer, Thorstein

Veblen, Roland Barthes, Claude-Levi Strauss, Veblen, Roland Barthes, Claude-Levi Strauss, Pierre Bourdieu and Jean Baudrillard.Pierre Bourdieu and Jean Baudrillard.

The Mass culture debateThe Mass culture debate Study of consumption follows on from the debates about Study of consumption follows on from the debates about

'mass culture'. 'Americanization' of popular culture 'mass culture'. 'Americanization' of popular culture New technologies of production and disseminationNew technologies of production and dissemination Global means of communication. Global means of communication. Spread of cultural forms on a new scale.Spread of cultural forms on a new scale. MC debate and right-wing politics MC debate and right-wing politics Mass culture also associated with feminist debates about Mass culture also associated with feminist debates about

gender and culture.gender and culture. New youth cultures. New youth cultures. Postmodernity and end of metanarratives.Postmodernity and end of metanarratives. Pop Art and mass produced cultural productsPop Art and mass produced cultural products

Patterns of ConsumptionPatterns of Consumption

Manipulation, symbolism and desireManipulation, symbolism and desirechanges in consumerism. changes in consumerism. marketing and advertisingmarketing and advertisingshopping beyond the realms of shopping beyond the realms of leisure leisure entertainmententertainment fashion fashion A plurality of Individual lifestyles. A plurality of Individual lifestyles.

A Postmodern Consumer A Postmodern Consumer Culture?Culture?

Consumption more important than production Consumption more important than production collapse of time and space boundariescollapse of time and space boundaries global goodsglobal goods plurality of images without depth or permanance. plurality of images without depth or permanance. Collage /montage/ pasticheCollage /montage/ pastiche A bombardment of the senses A bombardment of the senses Standardized products BUT the packaging of experienceStandardized products BUT the packaging of experience titillation and control to sell products. titillation and control to sell products. Rebecca Leach 'feasts forRebecca Leach 'feasts for the eyes, nose and hands'the eyes, nose and hands'

The Cathedral of ConsumptionThe Cathedral of Consumption

Malls/ shopping complexes/ ArcadesMalls/ shopping complexes/ Arcades free of risk and anxiety. free of risk and anxiety. appear to be public spaces appear to be public spaces but heavily monitored by electronic surveillance but heavily monitored by electronic surveillance policing of appropriate behaviour in these policing of appropriate behaviour in these

spaces spaces transforming public behaviour? transforming public behaviour? A new 'theodicy'? A new 'theodicy'?

What is it that we are What is it that we are Consuming?Consuming?

A material element and a symbolic element.A material element and a symbolic element. About more than the satisfaction of 'needs' About more than the satisfaction of 'needs' images, feelings, fantasies, archetypes images, feelings, fantasies, archetypes individual identity and group identity?individual identity and group identity? Weber -status & lifestyle -characteristics that Weber -status & lifestyle -characteristics that

define groups, order peoples lives and provide define groups, order peoples lives and provide solidarity and freindship. solidarity and freindship.

Consumption to create outgroups or others. Consumption to create outgroups or others.

Defining ConsumptionDefining Consumption

different from the economic definition of different from the economic definition of consumption consumption

the buying, using and interpretation of the buying, using and interpretation of goods:goods:

central notion- modern identities are central notion- modern identities are structured around the experience of structured around the experience of consumption. consumption.

The Frankfurt SchoolThe Frankfurt School Adorno, Horkheimer, MarcuseAdorno, Horkheimer, Marcuse manipulation by producers manipulation by producers outcome of the expansion of mass production outcome of the expansion of mass production consumer culture- a set of cultural ideas, values consumer culture- a set of cultural ideas, values

and practices built up specifically around and practices built up specifically around consumption. consumption.

deeply pessimistic deeply pessimistic failure of socialism failure of socialism capitalism manipulating 'real needs’capitalism manipulating 'real needs’ distracting the populace with false ones. distracting the populace with false ones.

Consuming SymbolsConsuming Symbols

Modern consumerism depends upon a set of Modern consumerism depends upon a set of symbols becoming meaningfulsymbols becoming meaningful

Passive or active consumers???Passive or active consumers??? Complex inter-relationship between 'the labelling Complex inter-relationship between 'the labelling

and design of products, the advertising of them, and design of products, the advertising of them, and the shifting sub-cultural values of potential and the shifting sub-cultural values of potential consumers of various products' (Bocock, consumers of various products' (Bocock, 1993:55). 1993:55).

Tapping into desireTapping into desire Use of psychoanalytic ideas by advertisers Use of psychoanalytic ideas by advertisers

Consumption and StatusConsumption and Status The symbolic marking out of status groupsThe symbolic marking out of status groups Thorstein Veblen- conspicuous consumption Thorstein Veblen- conspicuous consumption Mary Douglas objects mark out symbolic statusMary Douglas objects mark out symbolic status Roland Barthes, ‘mythologies’ - a system of cultural Roland Barthes, ‘mythologies’ - a system of cultural

meanings constructed around cultural objectsmeanings constructed around cultural objects The rhetoric of the image- beyond the objects denoted in The rhetoric of the image- beyond the objects denoted in

adverts is a complex web of cultural connotations. adverts is a complex web of cultural connotations. The photographic image normalises and naturalises The photographic image normalises and naturalises

cultural meanings concealing their constructed nature cultural meanings concealing their constructed nature from us.from us.

Consumption as a system of Consumption as a system of signs, signifiers and signifiedsigns, signifiers and signified

Barthes, De saussure, Levi-StraussBarthes, De saussure, Levi-Strauss Structural LinguisticsStructural Linguistics Saussure- language and meaning.Saussure- language and meaning. Language a System in which words get their Language a System in which words get their

meaning from their relationship, or difference, to meaning from their relationship, or difference, to other words in the system.other words in the system.

Underlying structure to languageUnderlying structure to language Outside conscious awareness. Outside conscious awareness. Language users communicate meanings, Language users communicate meanings,

without being able to state explicitly the rules of without being able to state explicitly the rules of grammar they used.grammar they used.

Culture as a system of meanings Culture as a system of meanings

Everyday not just functional- rich in social meanings. Everyday not just functional- rich in social meanings. Levis-Strauss -structualist Levis-Strauss -structualist underlying structural relations between elements in underlying structural relations between elements in

systems of cultural myths systems of cultural myths Myths of many groups -elaborations of binary Myths of many groups -elaborations of binary

oppositions oppositions male/female; hot/cold; solid/liquid; good/evil; black/white; male/female; hot/cold; solid/liquid; good/evil; black/white;

sacred/profane; raw/cooked Elements combined to sacred/profane; raw/cooked Elements combined to create a STRUCTURE OF MYTHIC THINKING.create a STRUCTURE OF MYTHIC THINKING.

Use of ambiguous intermediate categories- the Use of ambiguous intermediate categories- the inbetween inbetween

Julia Kristeva 'the abject' Julia Kristeva 'the abject' Victor Turner calls the liminal. Victor Turner calls the liminal.

Texts, Codes and MeaningTexts, Codes and Meaning

Roland Barthes search for 'codes', or Roland Barthes search for 'codes', or systems, in texts and cultural objectssystems, in texts and cultural objects

Problem of 'methodological commands'. Problem of 'methodological commands'. Proves what you think you already know in Proves what you think you already know in

advance.advance.

Post-structuralism consumption Post-structuralism consumption and identityand identity

Bourdieu and Jean Baudrillard broke with the dogmatic elements of Bourdieu and Jean Baudrillard broke with the dogmatic elements of structuralismstructuralism

Preserved the notion of underlying structures Preserved the notion of underlying structures Bourdieu- class structures, status group structures, gender Bourdieu- class structures, status group structures, gender

structuresstructures Have real effects on people independently of their own subjective Have real effects on people independently of their own subjective

consciousness.consciousness. Positions in a structure do not generate a way of life, or symbolic Positions in a structure do not generate a way of life, or symbolic

meanings, of themselves.meanings, of themselves. Symbolic activity a relatively autonomous practiceSymbolic activity a relatively autonomous practice consumption a set of social and cultural practices which act as a consumption a set of social and cultural practices which act as a

way of establishing differences between social groups way of establishing differences between social groups moves beyond idea that it merely expresses already existing moves beyond idea that it merely expresses already existing

differences differences

Bourdieu on Capital 1Bourdieu on Capital 1 Three types of CAPITAL used to denote things or Three types of CAPITAL used to denote things or

potential that people own. potential that people own. 1] ECONOMIC CAPITAL: income, occupation, 1] ECONOMIC CAPITAL: income, occupation,

inheritance etcinheritance etc 2] CULTURAL CAPITAL: tastes, values, beleifs, 2] CULTURAL CAPITAL: tastes, values, beleifs,

language etclanguage etc 3] EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL: background, qualifications, 3] EDUCATIONAL CAPITAL: background, qualifications,

opportunities etc. opportunities etc. From combinations of these elements, a system of From combinations of these elements, a system of

classification develops whereby people learn what is classification develops whereby people learn what is tasteful, or what consumption is appropriate, good or tasteful, or what consumption is appropriate, good or bad, from within their social group.bad, from within their social group.

Bourdieu on Capital 2Bourdieu on Capital 2

Problem- These are stereotypes, the Problem- These are stereotypes, the typology can be overly rigidtypology can be overly rigid

Bourdieu attempts to overcome this by Bourdieu attempts to overcome this by introducing the concept of habitus.introducing the concept of habitus.

a series of actions and everyday beliefs a series of actions and everyday beliefs within this structure within this structure

Habitus refers to the everyday interaction Habitus refers to the everyday interaction with which we engage our surroundings. with which we engage our surroundings.

A potentiality rather than a fixed structure. A potentiality rather than a fixed structure.

Baudrillard and ConsumptionBaudrillard and Consumption No way of fixing the social status of groups No way of fixing the social status of groups is no way of fixing the categories of 'needs' versus 'media induced is no way of fixing the categories of 'needs' versus 'media induced

consumptionconsumption No way of distinguishing between Marcuse's 'true' and 'false' needs. No way of distinguishing between Marcuse's 'true' and 'false' needs. consumption is always the consumption of symbolic signs. consumption is always the consumption of symbolic signs. symbols do not express an already pre-existing set of symbols do not express an already pre-existing set of meanings are generated within the system of signs/symbols meanings are generated within the system of signs/symbols Consumer involved in constructing identity. Consumer involved in constructing identity. Decline of class Decline of class Consumption necessary in the construction or articulation of identity.Consumption necessary in the construction or articulation of identity. People create a sense of who they are through what they consume.People create a sense of who they are through what they consume. Desire and significationDesire and signification Identities are in a constant state of changeIdentities are in a constant state of change More fluid and mobile under conditions of modernity. More fluid and mobile under conditions of modernity.

Consumption as ‘lack’Consumption as ‘lack’

Post-consumption ‘emptiness’Post-consumption ‘emptiness’Consumption, then, is founded on a LACK Consumption, then, is founded on a LACK

or DESIRE for something that is absent or DESIRE for something that is absent an unfinished self. an unfinished self.

ConclusionConclusion

symbolic meaning of commodities is not symbolic meaning of commodities is not merely dictated by the people who make merely dictated by the people who make or advertise them. Style may not simply or advertise them. Style may not simply about control about control

consumption a complex phenomenonconsumption a complex phenomenonConsumer active and passiveConsumer active and passiveoften driven by desire. often driven by desire. Makes identity more fluidMakes identity more fluid Individual and group identitiesIndividual and group identities