Sociology Plus
Consumer Culture Definition
Consumer culture refers to the cultural dominance in modern capitalist societies of an orientation towards the marketing and consumption of goods and services. It encompasses both the interest citizens have in the consumption aspects of their lives—such as fashion, fine dining, and home improvement—and the industries that develop to cater to these tastes. This concept is often viewed through a sociological lens, examining how individual tastes reflect social locations (age, gender, occupation, ethnicity) alongside personal values and lifestyles.
Sociological Critique and Complexity
Sociology has historically approached consumer culture as manipulative or stagemanaged. However, contemporary analysis suggests that neither models of cultural manipulation nor the economic concept of ‘consumer sovereignty’ alone adequately explain the processes involved in modern consumption. The study of consumer culture requires acknowledging complex and sometimes contradictory relations, involving both new manipulations of desire (such as those related to nostalgia and the heritage industry) and the potential for greater individual choice and self-expression resulting from production being oriented towards specialist needs, as suggested by post-Fordist theories.
Manifestations
Consumer culture is manifested through various cultural products and industries. This includes media such as television programmes demonstrating lifestyle enhancements, decorating magazines, and supplements in newspapers devoted to fashion and home improvement.
Historical Shift
The focus on consumer culture gained prominence as wealthy capitalist societies shifted their emphasis from production to consumption, a trend particularly evident since the 1970s. This shift has brought ‘cultural questions’ to the fore, prompting a move beyond merely negative evaluations of consumer pleasures associated with earlier theories of mass culture.