What consumerism is

ADVERTS APPEAL TO AND REPRODUCE VALUE SYSTEMS ANS MINDSETS!!

Besides generating envy, greed and wastesfulness, adverts also suggest that by buying a product/service we are:

***Solving our problems:

Consumerism encourages the idea that the way to solve problems is by buying a product.

It’s common than in a teenagers’ magazine, for example, there is a long beauty section to show the adolecents the way out of “problems/difficulties” with their appearance.

The ads use words like: problem, solution, help, etc.

***Acquiring quality or qualities:

Any positive attribute of the product is supposed to transfer itself to the possessor, or to the possessor’s relationship. (Ej: the intelligent choice --- Diamonds are forever)

The cause of many family break-up: the parents go out into full-time work to be able to but houses, cars, etc. The family have less interaction.

IT SEEMS THAT OUR IDENTITY DEPENDS MORE ON WHAT WE HAVE INSTEAD OF WHAT WE ARE.

***Choosing our identities:

If you have a product, you belong to certain group. Products generate a sort of social division.

Distinguishing ourselves:

The exclusivity/mass production paradox. Products are pretended to be exclusive/unique/special, when actually are designed to increase the number of buyers, thereby making them less exclusive.

***Buying a lifestyle:

If you buy a product, you will attract to certain desirable person/people/group of people and you will have more opportunities and a better life style.

***Acquiring power

Desire of power:

Advertising has ideological effects on society and the psychology of identity.

They have to encourage greed, envy, desire of power (despite traditional religions/ethical systems see this as evil/antisocial)

Consumers have to be made to feel dissatisfied unless they buy a product or more of a particular one.

(From: ANDREW GOALTY, Advertising and consumerism) Some ideas are mine because it is my own summary.