Consumption and exchange Flashcards
consumption
persons intake in terms of each ways of using things, output is spending and using resources to obtain those things. ex- intake: eating a sandwich, outtake: spending money to buy sandwich
mode of consumption
dominant patterns in a culture of using things up and spending resources to satisfy demand
changes in more of production
more consumption
entitlement bunds
through entitlements( own lands, money) people provide for consumption. culturally defined right to life sustaining resources
direct- entitlement bunds
most secure form, produces food for foraging societies. ex owning land. agricultural societies- owning land and producing food.
indirect (capitalist)
riskier, exchange to maintain, industrial societies. ex welfare cheque. depend on exchanging something to obtain consumer needs (labour, money, food slams, animal hides). dependency on others or institutions, riskier bases of support
consumption inequalities
entitlement bunds- rights to life- sustaining resources
direct entitlements-
indirect entitlements-
global entitlement
.
national entitlement
.
modes of consumption- minimalism vs consumerism
wanting what you need vs wanting it as an end to itself
personalized vs depersonalized consumption
knowing where things come from vs
consumption funds
category of personal or household budget used to provide for consumption demands.
household budgeting
household expedentures and who they are spent on depend on decision maker. male and female budgetary control, male and female pooling system, non pooling system
taboos
rule of prohibition. forbidden
mode of exchange
unbalanced exchange-market system- gambling/theft
balanced exchange- reciprocity- generalized (pure gift)
redistribution- movement of goods as form of wealth (potlatch, moka, canadian tax system). dominant way in culture. transferring goods, services and other items between and among other people groups
what is exchanged
material and symbolic goods, labour, money, rights in people
1st theory on exchange
exchange creates network and provides security
2nd theory on exchange
exchange leads and perpetuates slice inequalities
potlach
a feast in which the host lavishes the guests with abundant quantities of the best foods (fish oil, cranberries, seal meat, ceremonial wooden boxes) and many gifts. (embroiled blankets, carved wood boxes, mats, canoed, food)
scarcity and surplus
smooth variation. more surplus=sponsor potlatch leaner years=guests
mode of consumption
intake and output. dominant way in culture of using up goods and services. relationship between demand and supply
consume
food, beverages, food, shelter, tools, weapons, transportation, computers, books, items of communication, art, luxury goods, energy.
foragers
spend on money based time and labour. economies- cash and virtual form of money
minimalism
finite needs of satisfying those needs and sustaining.characterized by few and limited consumer demand and adequate and sustainable means to achieve them. most characteristics of free-ranging foragers but also found to some degree among horticulturalists and pastoralists
consumerism
infinite needs and inability to satisfy all needs. peoples demand are many and infinite. lack of sustainability. means of satisfying them are never sufficient, driving colonialism, globalization and other forms of expansionism. distinguishing feature of industrialization and informatics cultures, globalization is spending consumerism through the world.
environment and biological species of diversity: natural features, (rivers, lakes, forests, mountain, beaches, non-human primates, oil, gold, diamond, species
worlds cultural diversity: people who live in environments being destroyed by consumerism, people currently occupy tropical rainforests, circumpolar regions, deserts, mountain areas). small scale societies: foragers, horticulturalists, pastoralists- consumption items produced by consumers themselves for own use. if not: produced by people when consumer has personal, face-to-face relationship (personalized consumption). multinational corporations manage production of most goods in industrialized countries
leveling mechanisms
unwritten culturally embedded rules preventing an individual from becoming wealthier or more powerful than anyone, social pressure gossip. all societies
social organization- meaning of consumption
vary cross-culturally. foragers- egalitarian. sharing is normal, share meat, clothing, beads, musical instruments, smoking pipes.
agricultural and industrialists and informatics societies- social inequality
the poor anywhere
people whose real and relative incomes place them in poverty and experience an even-wideneing gap between themselves, well-off and super-rich
depersonalized consumption
distancing consumers from workers who produce good exploitation possibilities. people who know where and who produced products, constants markedly with consumption in contemporary globalized world. (apples grown locally). not replaced personalized consumption
multi-sourced
parts assembled in diverse parts of the world by hundred of unknown workers
consumption funds relevant universally
basic needs fund (free-ranging foragers)- food, beverages, shelter. clothing, fuel, tools, involved in producing or providing for them
recurrent costs fund (2nd foragers)- maintenance and repair of tools, animals, shelter, machinery
entertainment funds- leisure activities
rent and tax fund- payments to landowners or governments for use of land, housing
consumption funds budget to each
civic responsibilities- varies in relation to mode of consumption
consumption budgets in consumerist cultures
absolute size of budget is larger. agricultural and industrial societies work longer hours and spend more time and labour providing for consumption .
spending
time, labour and money
class position
weekly cash budgets worth more than their earnings due to stored wealth
size of consumption funds
varies in household budges cross-culturally