The regular U.S. local, in a year, uses 635 pounds of paper, uses energy equivalent to 7.8 metric tons of oil and eats 275 pounds of meat. It was forty-five years ago, when the average American used only 366 pounds of paper, ate 197 pounds of meat, and used a minimum amount of energy equivalent to 5.5 metric tons of oil. The United States declares that there is about one car for each two people in a group. On the other hand, Europeans have about one passenger car for each three people. As also recorded, developing countries possess, on an average, about one car for every forty-nine people in a group. This example is the perfect illustration of consumerism in our society (Goodwin et. al., 2008).
Most studies according to Goodwin et.al. (2008), visualizes consumer behavior as a rational, untouched and simple aspect that is influenced by social stimuli. Instead of concentrating on the decisions made by people, who live in environmental and social backgrounds, the “utility theory” perspective concentrates on the behavior that consumers typically manifest given certain situations. So, what is consumption? And how is this process carried out by the people of today?
Consumption according again to Goodwin et. al. (2008), is a method by which things and services are, finally, put to an ended use by individuals. Consumption is at the final part of the levels of economic doings. The process begins with an assessment of available resources and incomes through construction of merchandises and services and supply of merchandises and amenities (or the ways to get them) among groups and individuals. Finally, the services and the products are available for usage. The outcome of this consumption, including the reduction of capitals and production of waste as well as improvement of human flourishing and survival, identifies the product base for the next level of economic doing.
In the most common sense, consumption is defined as a process of sustaining needs; as it is, the idea of needs that is distinct. A ‘need’ appears obligatory for life because when the need is satisfied, it gives pleasure, and or else it gives pain (Kutucuoglu, et. al., 2013). Consumption has communal and financial linkages also associated to space and time. Consumption is also contingent on loads such as wants, desires and needs. There are also services, goods and money or a particular value replacing money that are required for satisfying demands (Kutucuoglu, et. al., 2013). Williams as reported by Kutucuoglu et. al. (2013), specifies that the very out-dated definition of consumption is to spend, waste and destroy (Kutucuoglu et. al., 2013). The non-independent human being has various psychological, cultural, social and physiological needs. All events towards reaching for any of these needs could be identified as consumption. Not far from this meaning, it is also likely to use the notion of consumption for some other things that are consumed even without a the presence of a real need. Thereafter, consumption could be identified as spending intangible and tangible objects that are explored to encounter some real or fake demand.
According to another perspective, consumption, which is molded by the acquiring decision of consumers, is a system that chains behaviors in order to use economic products. In order to describe the idea of consumption, Ritzer, as reported again by Kutucuoglu et al., (2013) follows Marx’s description categorizing consumption products as survival and luxury. Ritzer also as supported by Kutucuoglu et. al. (2013), suggests that consumption tools allow persons to obtain merchandises and services and also deeds people by keeping them under control. In the simplest of terms, consumption means to have a product or a service, to possess it, to use or to organize in order to satisfy specific needs.
Who are the consumers?
People think of consumption as something that welfares individuals. When an individual eats an orange, it is understood that no other person can also benefit from the same fruit. People also tend to think of consumption decisions conducted mainly by families and individuals, and not so much by governments, companies, or other organizations. In modern societies and economies, however, consumption decisions and benefits are far more complex than this individualistic idea indicates.
These individuals constitute the modern idea that we know of today as a consumer society. The roots of the consumer society that we know of today finds its way back to a hundred years. Its birth bases back in eighteenth century England. However, as researchers stress out, the consumer movement needs to be seen as part of a bigger change in Western societies, which started in the sixteenth century. The social transformations brought about by that change effected into the modification of Western ideas of space, time, the individual, the society, the state and the family. This event gave the foundation on which the consumer movement could flourish and grow into a mass sensation.
Consumer Culture
There are different factors affecting the consumption behavior of a person and culture is one of them. Culture, as Williams pointed out in 1958 and now as supported by Kutucuoglu et. al. (2013), is one of the most difficult words in the English language. The difficulties, happen because the idea has changed uniquely in different languages and different fields. The word originates from the Latin word “colere”, which had different meanings, including, to protect, to cultivate, to inhabit, and to honor with the worship. It was identified that some of these definitions fell away though these words remained associated through resulting nouns such as for honor with the worship, cult, and for inhabit, colony. The. Latin noun 'cultura' grew, and its foremost meaning was changed into cultivation in the aspect of husbandry. In the next years, after it moved into English the word cultura came close to including the concept of the cultivation of the mind.
Cultural inspirations on consumer conduct and consumption are abridged to an inclination to transform purchase performance. There is the complimenting and complaining behavior, the responses to distributional parts and the responses to advertising communications. Kutucuoglu et. al. (2013), also identifies consumption characteristics that affect the consumer culture that we have today. These are cultural positioning, product versus facility consumption in culture, social level or the reference crowd inspirations, urban versus rural subdivision consumption forms and removal. Cultural factors (belief systems, values, language systems, artifacts, symbols, and rituals etc.) inspire a person’s decision. In this manner, it is known that culture has a robust effect on consumer behavior. For instance, Japanese like fuel efficient and small vehicles and Americans like luxurious and convenient cars. In France, McDonalds modified their menu to suit the French appetite by introducing small sized burgers.
Effects on behavior
Being a consumer from the start, I have come to realize that consumption has affected me in so many ways than other phenomena today. It has molded me to identify and prioritize my needs over my wants; to satisfy first my hunger before others. I have come to think of consumerism as an event that caters to individuals more than groups. Because of the individualistic nature brought about by consumerism, people like me have developed a need to protect one’s desires and put my needs over the needs of others. It has taken the balance in giving and taking, wherein each and every person here on earth aims to satisfy one’s self first before others. However, it is not at all that bad when we think of the benefits that it could offer. Being a consumer offers endless possibilities and opportunities to fulfill our needs. That is why most professionals of the Marketing field benefit greatly from great consumers especially those in the Western societies. Marketing professionals have a task to do, and that is that they desire to inspire consumers toward buying their company’s products and services. In order to perform their jobs, they have to have a good perspective about what makes individuals want to consume and buy. Most often than not, their concentration is on the reason a consumer would choose a specific brand of a product, at a precise place and time. Researchers, primarily from sociology and psychology, form the foundation for the normal marketing perspective of consumer conduct. These marketing professionals have become so good at their jobs that we have become such a large group of consumers. We are affected in ways that make us want to buy the newest phones, the newest styles and these events slowly blur our definitions of desires and wants. This phenomenon is where instant gratification comes into play. In the event of the release of the newest phone, I make it my day’s mission to make sure that I can avail of such a product no matter how expensive nor how far the store is. We are all affected by the culture by where we stand, and it becomes so complicated as this culture is ingrained in our day-to-day lives.
Come to think of it, our world would be so much complicated if we are not so engrossed in the competitive world of consumer society. It would be easier for us to let go of our desire to get what we want, and we could focus more on the things that we need. We will all have better chances of sharing with others, not thinking of getting left out. Without a society revolving in consumerism, equality will emerge and will create a more relaxed atmosphere within different groups. With equality brought about by a less “consumptive” society, there will be no hunger, no great desire for money, and there will be less people harming others. Everybody will have access to all resources that will promote the maximum use of what nature has to offer.
References
Baudrillard, J. (1998). The Consumer Society (1st ed.). London: Sage Publications.
Goodwin, N., Nelson, J., Ackerman, F., & Weisskopf, T. (2008). Consumption and the consumer society. Retrieved December, 15, 2008.
Jameson, F. (1985). Postmodernism and consumer society. Postmodern Culture, 111--25.
Kutucuoglu, K., Arikan Saltik, I., Firat, A., & Tuncel, O. (2013). Consumption, Consumer Culture And Consumer Society. Jurnalul Practicilor Comunitare Pozitive, (1), 182--203.
Smart, B. Consumer Society. Historical Developments And Theoretical Approaches In Sociology, 2.
