UTS Material Self

• I Shop Therefore I Am: 'I have, therefore I am!'
• Shopping


  • Has become a part of today's lifestyle
  • For food, clothing, cars, homes, or anything that may be a necessity to survive
  • As leisure and a way to pass time
• The power of consumption is now being asked


  There's a change in attitude and way of life
• Consumers start to realize that the power of consumption is hindering us


  From finding the real essence of life and happiness
• Issue for primary consumers


  About what you buy and what you choose to invest in, and not what makes you happy because the modern society says so
• Relating to one another in modern society

  As consumers
• Showing love by spending money


  • Going out for fine dining
  • Giving expensive gifts
• We advertise our cultural products


  To attract more viewers and to make more money
• We work more

  To be able to afford more things rather than have more leisure time and fill that leisure time with prepared experiences
• Politics is transformed into commerce


  Candidates must sell themselves to you rather than each voter making an informed choice for the good of the country
• Consumerism


  Everything in our society today is based on the idea that consumption should be as easy as possible
• Money makes the world go round


  We become happy by buying, and buying
• Sometimes, we even consume just for the sake of consuming
• Consumerism


  • One of the biggest factors affecting our lives in this modern generation
  • Defined as "an ideology that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable"
  • It does not simply connects to the direct factors in our daily lives such as the widespread advertising, but anything that is connected to the overrated idea in our modern society that in order for a person to be happy, better and more successful, he has to have more things or stuff
  • The term's primary motivation is the thought that if one has all the means for buying things, then one can be happy
  • This school of thought has already been a part of the modern society internationally
  • Intimately tied to the creation and production of a sense of self
  • People tend to procure things without taking into consideration the importance of that thing to their daily lives
  • Consumers just buy things which they think they want it rather than they need it
  • Recognizing this, it is possible to make a conclusion that consumption works as a way to create a sense of self
  • It functions as a way for the consumers to connect with the society at large where they think they fit within the social structure
• Sources of advertising

  • Television
  • Radio
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Social media platforms
• People are exposed to advertising through a range of different sources
• Advertisements carry the message

  That we become happy and contented if we buy, buy and buy
• Other influences in modern society that promotes the "values" of consumerism

  • TV programs
  • Advertisements from radio
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Opinions of family, friends, and celebrities
• If we look around and see that everyone is having a life inclined with consumerist aspirations


  It is most likely that most of us will see this as the only way of life that is available, or even think that it would be the best life
• That is one of the reasons why consumers tend to consume just for the sake of consuming
• In this modern world, shopping seems to function more as a substitute


  For something that we lack in life
• For many, consumption becomes addiction
• In order to refrain from this situation


  It is really that important to give oneself time to reflect upon one's life and to not forget that there is something even more important
• People should appreciate what we have


  And not feel pressured to constantly strive for something new even if it is nearly impossible for us to have it
• Positive effects of consumerism

  • A person's standard of living is valued by his or her material possessions
  • More industrial production
  • A higher growth rate economy
  • More goods and services available
  • More advertising since goods manufactured have to be sold
  • Increased production will result in more employment opportunities
  • A variety of goods and services to choose from
  • More comforts for a better living style
• Negative effects of consumerism

  • The wants and desires of the people increase
  • Over-dependence on labor saving devices
  • Crime rate also increases as wants to possess expensive gadgets also increase
  • Cheaper goods are imported rather than other goods, affecting the growth of locally-based manufacturing industries
  • Consumerism has also resulted in ecological imbalances
  • Industrial pollution is affecting people in many ways
  • Psychological health also can get affected if one's desires are not met, such as depression
• I Shop Therefore I Am: 'I have, therefore I am!'
• Shopping


  • Has become a part of today's lifestyle
  • For food, clothing, cars, homes, or anything that may be a necessity to survive
  • As leisure and a way to pass time
• The power of consumption


  Is now being asked and there's a change in attitude and way of life
• Consumers start to realize


  The power of consumption is hindering us from finding the real essence of life and happiness
• The issue for primary consumers

  About what you buy and what you choose to invest in, and not what makes you happy because the modern society says so
• Relating to one another in modern society


  As consumers
• Showing love by spending money

  • Going out for fine dining
  • Giving expensive gifts
• We advertise our cultural products

  To attract more viewers and to make more money
• We work more


  To be able to afford more things rather than have more leisure time and fill that leisure time with prepared experiences
• People tend to transform politics


  Into some sort of commerce
• People who do not have a strong sense of who they are

  Long for an identity, and with it, external validation of that identity
• Creating a sense of identity


  Is at the heart of advertising
• By shopping


  People validate their own sense of who they wish they are
• Consumerism


  An ideology that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable