Sociology 2172A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Gordon Gekko, Consumerism, Diners Club International
16 Oct 2017
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Increase of 300% and continue to decline, scale of life satisfaction, consistent downward trend. Up to 30000 a year, (cid:373)o(cid:374)ey will (cid:373)ake you happy, beyo(cid:374)d 300000, it does(cid:374)"t. 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. Advertisement > purchase > indebtedness > alienation. Manipulate us unto buying something with little reflection. Advertising: appeal to our insecurities, solved our problems, achieve happiness and freedom, restrain our distates. Marketing experts: associate success and social standing with a product. Lower-income individuals: buy cars, cell phones, clothing. Beginning of the consumer culture: henry ford, you could have this car in any colour you wanted, as long as it was black. 1925: gm introduced yearly automobile change. In 1945: pent up consumer energy, women are first to be targeted more than in the past, products like blenders, electric brooms, washers, etc, optimism, economic growth.
