How Does Consumer Society Give Us Choice Essay Example

seduced group include social acceptance and a sense of belonging. However, those who fall in the repressed group experience a devalued sense of identity due to lack of disposable income to socialize with the seduced. These divisions in society are based on economic inequality, which results in unequal treatment.

According to Bauman's analysis in "Material Lives" (page 139), those who are repressed face a greater chance of being socially excluded due to financial constraints caused by income inequality. Table 4 in the same source illustrates a 41% income disparity between the poor and rich. Furthermore, statistics indicate that roughly 2.5 million individuals are unemployed in contemporary society.

(The Guardian's statistics) reveal that the majority of unemployed people are financially unstable, which categorizes them as the repressed and socially excluded. This stark contrast highlights the division in today's society. Meanwhile, the seduced, who have a good income, are the real winners, as they can afford to have nicer possessions, present a better self-image and enjoy a good social life. In addition, Susman suggests that the new culture of personality requires individuals to perform a specific social role.

According to Susman's analysis in "Material Lives" on page 43, the concept of "Every... (person) was to become a performing self" implies that in order to conform to social norms, individuals may need to be insincere and present a false persona, such as dressing in a way that is accepted by others.

Although many people own clothes, they still shop for the latest fashion to keep up with current trends because dressing has become increasingly important in society. People are judged based on their clothing choices and some have been denied services due

to inappropriate attire. Thorstein Veblen argues that individuals consume products to enhance their appearance and status, with expensive items like a new Prada bag being viewed as a symbol of high class. However, owning such possessions does not necessarily reflect one's personality but can be seen by others as an attempt to elevate one's status through material goods. Veblen acknowledges that conspicuous consumption can be pursued without wealth for the purpose of impressing others.

'In modern society, supermarkets dominate the market industry, thanks to various factors such as market power, buying power, and divided views on the amount of power superstores possess. The reason people frequent these stores is not just to show off but to fit in and be accepted into social networks where they feel they belong.' (p.33 Making Social Lives) Currently, in Patrick, which is located near Glasgow city center, there is a rundown shopping plaza called Linwood that Tesco intends to transform into another big retail store.

Some residents of Partrick are happy with the proposed prospect, while others oppose it due to potential negative impacts to the local community and loyalty to hometown services. The situation creates a zero-sum outcome as not everyone can benefit. A positive-sum game would result from the majority opposing the transformation of Linwood. Tesco's market power allows them to pressure for planning permission and achieve profits and benefits from a superstore.

Hence, if Linwood were to be converted into a Tesco, the opposition would be virtually absent in society. According to Joanna Blythman (2005), the demise of small businesses and corner shops is due to the existence of bigger stores. Blythman highlights that "there were ten bakers;

now there are two left. There were eight or nine butchers; now there is one."

Andrew Simms, in his book Tescopoly, discusses the impact of market power on smaller shops. He refers to the phenomenon of "tesco town" and notes that approximately 8,640 supermarkets currently exist in the UK (as per Table 1 on page 73 of Making Social Lives). Simms supports his argument with the observation that out of five fishmongers and half a dozen grocers, only one of each has survived (as stated on page 74 of Making Social Lives).

Tesco dominates the majority of the UK in terms of supermarket competition, as shown in Figure 4. This limits the options for consumers in locations such as Torquay, Truro, and Salisbury, where only Tesco is available. Andrew Simms emphasizes the importance of offering consumers a variety of choices since different stores offer different products. Society encourages consumer habits by enabling individuals to use money to make choices. However, this also perpetuates inequality, as those with more financial resources have more choices than those without. Despite these factors, I believe that even inferior options still provide a choice within consumer society.

My view is that people usually disregard the worldwide effects of waste and how it's disposed of, rather than just its local consequences. According to material lives on page 117, there has been a growing awareness about wastefulness in the 21st century. Specifically, recycling rates have only increased by 21% since 1999 which is a very low number considering the substantial amount of time passed. It's crucial to acknowledge that Bauman perceives those with privilege as having the ability to make choices while individuals who are

oppressed are often seen as incapable.