What Is Consumerism?

Consumerism is a social moral phenomenon prevailing in developed western countries. It is a general term for the principles, ideas, desires, emotions, and corresponding practices that guide and regulate people's actions and relationships in consumption. Most of the behaviors of most people in their society are to pursue decent consumption, to desire unrestrained material enjoyment and recreation, and to regard these as the purpose and value of life. But its principles and methods are still only a subdivision in the general concept of consumerism. Consumerism is an important part of the morality of the bourgeoisie in the West today. In the field of social sciences, consumerism has different definitions and interpretations due to intellectual traditions, such as green consumerism, consumer protection, consumer movement, consumer rights, and so on. Consumerism has a great impact on developing countries.

Consumerism

Consumerism is a social moral phenomenon prevailing in developed western countries. It is a general term for the principles, ideas, desires, emotions, and corresponding practices that guide and regulate people's actions and relationships in consumption. Most of the behaviors of most people in their society are to pursue decent consumption, to desire unrestrained material enjoyment and recreation, and to regard these as the purpose and value of life. But its principles and methods are still only a subdivision in the general concept of consumerism. Consumerism is an important part of the morality of the bourgeoisie in the West today. In the field of social sciences, consumerism has different definitions and interpretations due to intellectual traditions, such as green consumerism, consumer protection, consumer movement, consumer rights, and so on. Consumerism has a great impact on developing countries.

Chinese name

Consumerism

Foreign name

Consumerism

E.g

Green consumerism, consumer protection, etc.

An important part of

Vulgar values

Thirst

Intemperate material enjoyment and pastime

From a cultural research point of view, consumerism is seen as a form of enjoyment. The word Consume dates back to the 14th century, meaning to squander and exhaust. The word "consumer", which appeared in the 16th century, has a similar negative meaning. However, by the middle of the 19th century, with the word "consumer" replacing the original individualized "customer", "consumer" had been transformed into a neutral term used to refer to the "producer" ) Abstract entity. In the 20th century, this abstract usage entered the realm of daily life and became the pronoun of the masses. It had a dominating meaning, and the masses' needs were created by the party that met their needs. Therefore, in the postmodern context, consumerism no longer refers to excessive purchasing behavior.

From a sociological point of view, consumerism is one of the solutions for people to deal with the relationship between things under the premise of great material enrichment. Before the emergence of the market economy, goods were the direct result of labor, and the production and exchange of goods were usually completed in one place. At this time, the value of an item is its "practical value" rather than "exchange value". In a market economy and society, because of the formation of markets, people artificially estimate the "value" of a thing during the exchange process, distorting the "practical value" of labor. Consumerism may cause the demise of civil society. Because the basic ideology of consumerism is market relations, that is, in all interpersonal relationships, market logic becomes the guiding principle, and the basic rights of citizens become acquired through consumption. In this way, the average person must be an active consumer in order to be a good citizen. This excludes those who are economically disadvantaged from the middle and lower classes in civil society, which should be "equally treated regardless of poverty or wealth"- Such as education, medical security, etc.

Consumerism and Late

The emergence and development of consumerism in developed countries and then in the global epidemic can be found in the following reasons.

Consumerism cultural consciousness has implicitly affected people's consumption concepts, enabling some people with economic ability to reflect consumerist values in actual purchase actions, while those who do not yet have high consumption ability have consumer ideas Certain consumerism. Conceptual consumerism refers to the fact that high consumption cannot yet be achieved due to economic constraints, but it is already pursuing or imitating a consumerist lifestyle, often exceeding economic capacity or suppressing the satisfaction of basic needs to pursue psychology or ideas Consumption. Urban youth groups are the main recipients of conceptual consumerism. They first conceptually recognize the value orientation and lifestyle of consumerism, advocating personal enjoyment and the so-called personality, yearning for high consumption, high-end brands, and connecting high-end brands with high-end brands. Taste is the same, combining high consumption with a beautiful personality life ^[1]

The traditional Chinese concept of advocating frugality and spending within means is being replaced by moderate luxury and moderate overdraft concepts, but in the framework of traditional culture and the current institutional system, it is different from the Western concept of zero savings and a large proportion of overdraft consumption; traditional convergence The idea of the mean and the mean is being replaced by publicity and individual style, but it is different from the open and unconventional ideas of the West. This is a new consumer culture consciousness that differs greatly from traditional ideas, but is different from Western consumer ideas.