The Ability of Consumerism to Absorb Anticonsumer Ideological Content

Ilyin A.N.,

Cand. Sci. (Philos.), Associate Professor, Department of Practical Psychology, Omsk State Pedagogical University, ilin1983@yandex.ru

elibrary_id: 706688 |

DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2017.03.06

Rubric: Theory and Methodology of Political Studies

For citation:

Ilyin A.N. The Ability of Consumerism to Absorb Anticonsumer Ideological Content. – Polis. Political Studies. 2017. No. 3. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2017.03.06

Abstract

The culture of consumption involves positioning a subject in front of other people by means of things. Things have symbolic significance and act as a form of underlining the social status of its owner. Fashion, advertising and branding point to a symbolic status. Consumer culture is fundamentally apolitical. Its wide operation depoliticised mass consciousness that can be beneficial to political elites. Consumers are particularly interested personal problems. They tend not to mobilize against the political course, they are not characterized by the pursuit of any political projects. In a capitalist society infrastructure of consumerism manifests the ability to absorb anticonsumer discourse so that it serves purposes of capitalism. Fashion is usually not very anticonsumer culture, and its entourage. In the process of absorption anticonsumer ideological content in it neutralizes substantive depth and radical, and what remains is the shell, which is not opposed to capital, and used them for the sake of maximizing profits. Revolutionary characters turn into fashion items and lose their revolutionary potential. The author cites a number of examples of this trend from the sphere of advertising, cinema and politics. Capitalism, by absorbing anticapitalist ideological content, finds new areas to maximize profits. It reinforces consumer culture and the depoliticization of the mass consciousness, the tendency to reduce of interest of the people of the world to the fashionable gadgets, and branded goods.

Keywords

advertisement; consumer society; brand; anticonsumer ideological content; consumerism.

Full Text

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