Sociology 2172A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Diners Club International, Luxurious, Robin Leach

• School: Western University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: Sociology 2172A/B
• Professor: Gale Cassidy

Document Summary

Consumerism (consumption) (cid:862)we i(cid:374)(cid:448)e(cid:374)ted (cid:272)redit (cid:272)ards, su(cid:271)ur(cid:271)a(cid:374) shoppi(cid:374)g (cid:373)alls a(cid:374)d da(cid:455) (cid:272)are just to (cid:373)ake (cid:272)o(cid:374)su(cid:373)eris(cid:373) (cid:373)ore effi(cid:272)ie(cid:374)t. We sent our wives, husbands, children and grandparents out to work, just to pay for all the stuff we wanted needed to buy. 1950: (cid:862)we spe(cid:374)d (cid:373)o(cid:374)e(cid:455) (cid:449)e(cid:859)(cid:448)e ear(cid:374)ed to (cid:271)u(cid:455) thi(cid:374)gs (cid:449)e (cid:374)eed to i(cid:373)press people (cid:449)e like. (cid:863) (cid:1006)(cid:1004)(cid:1004)(cid:1004): (cid:862)we spe(cid:374)d (cid:373)o(cid:374)e(cid:455) (cid:449)e ha(cid:448)e(cid:374)(cid:859)t ear(cid:374)ed to (cid:271)u(cid:455) thi(cid:374)gs (cid:449)e do(cid:374)(cid:859)t (cid:374)eed to i(cid:373)press people (cid:449)e do(cid:374)(cid:859)t like. (cid:863) Consumption is the way we purchase and use goods and services. Consumerism is the preoccupation with the acquisition of goods to satisfy needs through material things. Shopping can be an addiction for some people. Have we developed unsustainable consumption patterns: (cid:1006)(cid:1004)% of the (cid:449)orld(cid:859)s populatio(cid:374) is usi(cid:374)g (cid:1012)(cid:1004)% of the (cid:449)orld(cid:859)s (cid:272)o(cid:374)su(cid:373)ptio(cid:374), a(cid:374)d also (cid:272)o(cid:374)tri(cid:271)uti(cid:374)g to (cid:1012)(cid:1004)% of the (cid:449)orld(cid:859)s gar(cid:271)age, we are (cid:272)o(cid:374)su(cid:373)i(cid:374)g (cid:1007)(cid:1004)(cid:1004)% si(cid:374)(cid:272)e the (cid:1009)(cid:1004)(cid:859)s. How have we reached this point: taught to associate success and popularity with things.