SOC317H5 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Window Shopper, Media Culture, Commodity Fetishism
Document Summary
Marx discusses the amount of labor put into our products but we never see that. Capital culture, knowledge of society or knowing how to spend money: 20th century, mass consumption and fordism, consumer items were made for everyone, fordism, revolutionized mass production. Example, oprah"s favorite things: paradox, consumer culture lead to standard products but we want personal relation with products (we want something just for us, globalization, geographical distance mattered less now, americanization, most consumption comes from usa. Japan brought video games, europe brought luxuries (cars, clothing: mcdonaldization, production became predictable (the cost and what you get is always the same). Present day consumption: we compare with celebrities now, inequalities are greater now, marketing occurs for high end products and individuality. We have high level of psychological denial: we shop to be better and acquire status and feel belonged. Thinking frames, guideline to analyze consumer item: material versus culture, consume materials and consumer culture gives value.
