vcc236 midterm Flashcards
Consumer Culture
(Author)
Williams and McAllister
consumer culture - commodity fetishism - Mcallister
- in commodification relations between people are hidden and relations between things become neutralized
- traditional advertising very rarely discusses production elements of brands but focuses on consumption
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Consumer Culture
(Definition)
the creation and cultivation of self and social meanings from the marketing, purchase, and display of commodified goods
includes: symbolic qualities attributed to mass-produced goods, brand logos [and the brands themselves], product packaging, advertising campaigns, retail spaces, shopping activities, and consumption centred media content
- needs of imagination plays a large role as those of the body.
The Origins of the Consumer Society
Le Bon Marche
- the first department store 1852, Paris
Consumer Society
- built on mass production (factories) and consumption (cities and subarbs)
- strict separation of production and consumption
Mass Production and COnsumption: A Way of Life
individuals and commodities “produced” under fordism
Blase attitude
(Author)
Simmel
Simmels blasé outlook
(definition)
urbanites develop a “protective organ” to ward off the chaos of the city
- the tempo and bombardment of the sense demands a certain reserve on our part
- a psychological state people develop in urban environments. Since cities overwhelm individuals with endless stimuli—like sounds, sights, and social interactions—people become indifferent or emotionally numb to their surroundings. This is a way of protecting the mind from being overloaded
- it’s when someone seems uninterested or unfazed, not because they don’t care, but because they’ve become desensitized by the constant buzz of city life.
Simmel asks: what effects does city life have on the individual
(urban and rural)
(rural is black-and-white photo of a man and woman in front of house)
urban: city life bombards people with rapidly changing scenes, striking contrasts, and sudden surprises that catch them off guard
rural: life in small towns or rural areas moves at a slower, more predictable pace, with a steady and familiar rhythm for the mind and senses.
Contradictions of urban life
(Author)
Simmel
Black and White Image of People on Subway
Simmel Blase
In the city, urbanites develop a blase outlook for 2 reasons:
- urbanites develop a “protective organ” to ward off the chaos of the city
- “indifference between the distinctness between things”
- effect of the money economy
Metropolitan reduces everything to exchange value…
but there is importance for people to show who they are and make themselves noticable
Difference between blasé and contradictions of urban life
blase
- psychological response of individuals living in cities
- detachment or indifference that people develop to cope with the overwhelming stimuli and constant demands of urban life
- blasé attitude protects the individual from being mentally overloaded but results in people seeming distant
contradictions
- looks at the broader dynamics of urban society
- city life creates paradoxes—such as the tension between freedom and isolation, individuality and conformity, or excitement and emotional numbness
- contradictions describe the social structures and experiences that shape urban living.
Commodity Fetishism
(Author)
McAllister/Yano
Commodity Fetishism - Matthew McAllister
- For Marx, commodity fetishism means that when products (commodities) are bought and sold, people no longer see the labor and social processes behind them
- Instead, the product seems to exist on its own, disconnected from the workers and production methods that created it
- Marx compared this to a totem—an object believed to have magical powers, even though it’s just something humans made
- Similarly, commodities appear to have value on their own, hiding the fact that their value comes from human labor.
commodity fetishism seen
arcades in paris (outdoor shopping with roof coverings) 19th century
- invention of industrial luxury
- the arcade (shops) itself is a city
- commodity fetishism is about the commodity on display
Le Bon Marche 1852
- first department store ever located in Paris
Hudson department store NYC 1911
Simpons (now the Bay) at Queen and Young 1895
Dreamworlds of Consumption
(Author)
Williams/Murphy
Production and Consumption
(Author)
Murphy
Victor Gruen
(Author)
The Mall is Dead Podcast
What is Victor Gruen’s concept of the shopping center as private space acting as public space?
Shopping center: private space as public space
- Shopping centers appear to function like public spaces, offering a place for social interaction, relaxation, and community gatherings—similar to parks or plazas.
- Reality: They are privately owned spaces controlled by businesses, meaning behavior is regulated to encourage consumption.
- Gruen criticized how shopping centers try to mimic public spaces while prioritizing profit over public good.
example of Victors concept of the shopping mall
A mall has fountains, benches, and playgrounds, making it feel like a communal area. However, activities like protests or loitering can be restricted because the space is managed by private owners.
