CMNS 110 Chapter Notes - Chapter 20: Anti-Consumerism, Automation, Consumerism

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Communication
• Course: CMNS 110
• Professor: Gary Mc Carron

Document Summary

Anticonsumerism has become one of most important cultural forces in millennial na life. Critique of mass society has been one of most powerful forces driving consumerism for past 40 years. Over past half century, we have seen complete triumph of consumer economy at same time we have seen absolute dominance of countercultural thinking in marketplace of ideas . W/ greater wealth comes greater ability to satisfy needs & desires, to alleviate suffering & illness, & to carry out life projects. While economic development has shown to generate steady increase in average happiness levels, after certain level of development has been reached effect disappears completely. Rule of thumb among economists studying subject - once gdp reaches about 000 per capita, further economic growth generates no gains in average happiness. What is shocking - discovery that growth ceases to produce any improvements. Yet in middle of all the wealth, middle classes continue to feel squeezed economically.