Consumer Culture: Impact of Capitalism Essay

Introduction

The selected interviewee was someone who grew up in Canada during the Cold War era. During this post-Second World War period, numerous consumer behaviors and economic growth patterns would be witnessed in different parts of the world. The respondent was able to experience most of the changes and technological breakthroughs recorded at the time. From the exercise, it was possible to acquire various ideas and insights regarding the theme of consumer culture. The completed interviewee has identified consumer culture as a strong force of the late 20th century that was driven by the ongoing wave of capitalism.

Consumer Culture

The completed interview has revealed that most of the people who grew up in different parts of Canada from the 1950s witnessed a new form of consumer culture. Higgs (2021) observed that such a trend was supported by the wave of capitalism that existed at the time. The individual indicated that their family members and neighbours were keen to purchase a wide range of items intended to improve their life experiences. Some of them included television sets, new clothes with trendy designs, necklaces, shoes, and watches (Wailoo, 2021). The interviewee revealed that the country had witnessed an increasing number of factories and industries that produced a wide range of products. The wave of mechanization became more pronounced than ever before as more companies and entrepreneurs focused on the best strategies to maximize their profits.

The exercise indicated that some of the people would identify and buy various items that were not necessary. A unique tradition of opulence became a common feature during the period. This reality meant that majority of the citizens were no longer concerned about basic needs, including shelter and food (Higgs, 2021). This new development would match Herbet Marcuse’s observation that “people recognized themselves in their commodities” (Higgs, 2021, p. 18). The demand for unnecessary products, such as cars and modern buildings, was an outstanding observation from the respondent. Most of the children at the time wanted some of the best toys and processed foods than ever before. With capitalism being able to support the financial needs of most of the people, consumer culture would take a unique twist that had not been experienced before. The problematic issue of opulence and unnecessary show of wealth would become a reality.

The development of the outlined trends compelled more people to consider how they could satisfy their ever-changing needs. Those involved in production continued to focus on the available resources and exploit them without thinking of some of the negative implications on the natural environment. This aspect could explain why the level of consumption in western countries had doubled from the 1950 to the 1990s (Higgs, 2021). During the time, more consumers and manufacturers remained unaware of the dangers of the recorded level of greed. Most of the stakeholders were ignorance or unaware of the changing global climate and how it would affect the planet. Despite the identified concerns, the global community continued to consume due to the effectiveness of the prevailing conditions.

With the recorded forms of consumption, the investigation revealed that most of the families understood the problematic nature of wastes, both at the municipal and domestic settings. However, the absence of a coordinated model in the 1970s for managing waste materials affected the integrity of the environment. Most of the households would create their composite pits for disposing various materials while burning plastic containers. During the period, polythene papers and carrier bags were a common feature in most of the societies. The users of such materials were unaware of their possible impacts on the environment (Higgs, 2021). Companies would consider most of the available resources and produce consumer goods and items using the most affordable strategies. For example, the respondent indicated that some factories were relying on wood for furniture without considering how the trend could damage forests.

Role of Advertisements

The period under investigation presents unique insights and developments that could shed more light about the factors that supported the experienced consumer culture. For instance, the elderly respondent revealed that the world had witnessed the invention of the television, a revolutionary piece of technology that would transform human behaviors forever. From the 1980s, most of the families were able to acquire a television set at an affordable price. The global community was able to share information and ideas irrespective of the diverse cultural values and practices (Higgs, 2021). The interviewee observed that most of the items and clothes purchased during the time were informed by the fashion trends and behaviors observed from different cultures. For example, Canadians would follow American channels or stations in an effort to borrow new ideas about fashion, cuisine, lifestyle, and education.

During the same period, advertisements became the norm in the country and across the globe. The increasing number of radio stations and television channels made it possible for marketers to identify more potential customers and inform them about the available products. The emergence of shopping malls and more organized retail outlets made it possible for customers to identify and purchase a wide range of items. The respondent identified the improving nature of logistical operations as one of the developments that continued to sustain and support the experienced consumer culture (Life story interview). In most of the advertisements, the audience would not be informed about the processes involved in their production and some of the recorded challenges (Scanlon, 2020). The questions of reusing or recycling were ignored in the manner in which individuals acquired and consumed most of their products. Many people were free to dispose their wastes in the most appropriate or convenient manner.

With these developments, small children, teenagers, and adults became more involved and willing to visit a wide range of stores to identify and acquire the much-needed products. Processed foods would become common than ever before, thereby compelling more people to change their diets. These changes would be characterized by the increasing level of urbanization in different parts of the world (Scanlon, 2020). More television and radio stations emerged towards the end of the 20th century, a trend that would take consumer culture to the next level. Without accompanying lessons on waste disposal and environmental conservation, it was impossible for more citizens to focus on the question of posterity.

The completed interview could shed more light about the nature of capitalism. The original idea behind this economic model was to continue producing without focusing on some of the dangers that could emerge. The subsequent culture continued to maintain its momentum by “molding the ordinary person into a consumer with an unquenchable thirst for wonderful stuff” (Higgs, 2021, p. 19). The nature of these behaviors could explain the problems of environmental degradation and climate change facing humanity today.

Conclusion

The completed interview has identified consumer culture as an outstanding concept that describes his early years in Canada. The wave of capitalism encouraged more people to purchase goods and services that would not be described as basic needs. The increasing number of television sets and radio stations took advertisements to the next level while ignoring the dangers of wastes and subsequent environmental degradation. Such challenges explain why the global community continues to face unprecedented challenges that might affect human posterity.

References

Higgs, K. (2021). A brief history of consumer culture. The MIT Press Reader. pp. 1-21. Last Name, N. (2022). The Interview.

Scanlon, J. (2020). I am what I make up: Reading women’s roles in advertising across a century. Advertising & Society Quarterly, 21(1).

Wailoo, K. (2021). Pushing cool: Big tobacco, racial marketing, and the untold story of the menthol cigarette. The Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Appendices

Brief Interviewee Bio

The selected respondent for this exercise was an elderly Canadian aged 70 years. He grew up in Ontario, Canada, where he had an opportunity to witness a unique form of consumer culture throughout the second half of the 20th century. His family has a total of five children, both parents, and an aging grandmother.

Question Guide

Please respond to these questions briefly:

1. What is your name, year of birth, location, and family size?
2. How was your consumer culture during your early years as a youth?
3. What issues influenced such a culture, such as play, expectations, shopping needs, trends, and people’s income levels?
4. What do you remember about the consumer practices of your neighbors?
5. What was the nature of adverts at the time, common outlets, and widely promoted products?
6. What media outlets did marketers prefer and how was the interaction with the intended customers?
7. Could you have been involved in retailing practices? If yes, shed more light.
8. Where did you purchase items and the related shopping experiences?
9. How was disposal and the concept of waste treated at the time?
10. What is your interpretation and interpretation of the production or source of most of the items?

Thank you for your responses!

Sketch Notes

• Most of the respondent’s ideas and observations captures most of the events recorded during this period: 1960 to 2000
• Specifically, the interviewee sheds light on consumer culture
• He manages to describe the problematic issue of waste disposal
• He tries to relate his responses to the forces of capitalism
• He remembers the nature of adverts, the role of television and radio, and their subsequent impacts on consumer culture
• The challenges of climate change could be connected to the respondent’s observations