Consumer Culture (1997), Celia Lury

1.      How is the concept material culture defined by Lury in her text?

Lury defines material culture as a culture of the use or appropriation of object or things. She see’s consumer culture as a type of material culture—the consumer emerges as an identity.

o   But what is meant by master category of identity?

o   A master category of identity is a consequence of the growth of reflexive object worlds

o   “Consumer culture concerns itself with the significance and character of the values, norms and meanings produced in associated practices—this not only includes buying commodities, it includes the consumption of gifts, services, self produced objects, etc. “

§  “Consumption is to do with meaning, value and communication as much as it is to do with exchange and economic relations”

§  “gods are not only ised tp dp things but they also have a meaning and act as meaningful markers of social relations. It is in acquiring, using and exchanging thongs that individuals come to have social lives”

o   Each material has repercussions in the culture and the culture ascribes meaning to the material and says something about the consumer—it serves as a symbol of soemthing

2.      Why is the concept useful?

It is said that the material and the cultural are always combined in specific relations—these relations may then be studied. It also gives a critical distance on everyday uses of “consumption”

·       Consumption itself implying that something is used up or destroyed by the technical definition. Material culture however contradicts this definition of consumption, challenges it by making sure that something is not completely used up.

·       Material culture may thus interpreted, not on the basis of destruction, but on the basis of appropriation and transformation

3.      How is it related to the concept immaterial culture? Is it a contradiction? Why/ why not?

Immaterial culture does not refer to non-material entities (like ideas). It refers to products or services whose important characteristics are the outcome of intellectual (immaterial) labour. The term material culture includes objects and environments whose characteristics are the outcome of material or physical labour as well as intellectual or immaterial labor. There is a notable relationship.

Immaterial culture also includes education and learning, etiquette, etc. they are immaterial but also carry a certain sense of value and represents human and intellectusl resource.

4.      How does Lury relate consumer culture to poverty and Inequality? What can the study of poverty tell us about consuming practices in the West?

Though consumer culture is everywhere and there is an arguable equality in probability of consumption, even if the price tag is high—these divisions ascribed by said price tags created an invisible and personally variable boundary for the individual that is more or less dependent on their socioeconomic status. So, in reality, though everyone has the freedom to decide how they allocate resources, ultimately this barrier creates the division in what is realistic and feasible for the consumer and what is not, so though the market does not directly restrict availability, it does restrict feasibility by the price (participation in consumer culture still exists). It is also important to note that this is not the case only in individual instances, as in western, affluent countries, there is greater feasibility than in less affluent countries—though ultimately the choice/decision is still there. Consuming practices in the west are this more variable and have greater choice…

5.      Explain the following quote on page 13: “…a culture may be dominant even if most people can only aspire to participate in it: its dominance is felt to the extent that people’s aspirations, their hopes and fears, vocabulary of motives and sense of identity are defined in its terms.”

Perhaps an interesting demonstration of this would be in the “American dream,” so even if groups or people are not actively participating in acquisition, consumption, etc, the ultimate goal is that they will hold a place in society where this is feasible—typically this lies somewhere in the middle or upper classes of western society.

6.      What’s Douglas and Isherwood definition of consumption?

Their version of consumption looks beyond commerce, but is always cultural and economic in nature. Consumption is to do with meaning, calue and communication as much as it is to do with exchange and economic relations. The utility of goods is always framed by a cultural contect and the use of even mundane things has cultural meaning.

7.      What is the role of Rituals in consumer practices? Can you give some personal examples pertaining to these rituals? (You may use the examples provided on pages 14-16 to guide your answer.)

Rituals give shape and substance to to social relations. They can take a verbal form in the shape of prayers and greetings, but can be even stronger when material things are associated with it—the use of material things, and thus consumption, become a key aspect of ritual processes.

·       Examples of categories of rituals are possession rituals, gifting rituals, and divestment rituals

o   Possession helps establish social identity and can even speak for the individual in a way

§  For me an example of this would be my collection of books at home

o   Gift rituals involves the movemtn of goods; the choice and presentation done by one person and the receipt by another person. This also has ascribed meaning. It is also a powerful way of interpersonal communication or influence.

§  An example of this that comes to mind may be a birthday cake

o   Divestment involves getting rid of something is some way—the good inquestion must be emptied of previous meaning before being passed

§  My mom giving away an old decoration to goodwill

8.      Explain in your own words Sahlin’s notion of totemism in relation to consumer culture. Can you think of an example pertaining this notion that applies to the consumption of goods and commodities associated with Latin American cultures?

Totemism itself ascribes meaning to things found in nature—this meaning acts as an identifier for a person or group of people, and these individuals agree to its use and meaning. In the sense of consumer culture and acquisition of materials and services, individuals objects, things, ideas, etc, to create this one-ness or sense of identity and has an associated meaning. In modern society this can include things such as flags, uniforms, or even socioeconomic markers such as living in a particular neighborhood. In latin American cultures people will often align with specific soccer teams and even wear their jerseys even though they themselves may not be on the team.

Open Veins of Latin America (1971 [1997]), “Introduction: 120 Million Children in the Eye of the Hurricane” (pp. 1-8) Eduardo Galeano.

1.      Investigate what the Division of Labor is. How is the DoL related to the history of Latin America, according to Galeano?

Division of labor is the separation of tasks in an economic system to that participants may specialize. According to Galeano, the division of labor has always been sourced and assigned to those in latin America, while those in places like the united states have reaped more of the economic rewards

2.      What does Galeano means when he says: “Our [Latin America’s] defeat was always implicit in the victory of others…”?

If it were not for the “short comings” of Latin America (particularly those involving combat and stability, perhaps) than the large powers that be the united states and the various European counties would not have amassed their great wealth and diversity of commerce. Had Latin America and its countries maintained its sovereignty and independence the countries there would have its own power instead of dependency.

3.      Who are these 120 million children in the eye of the hurricane mentioned by Galeano and why is it important to consider them in the overall history of Latin America? Can you think of a way to connect this with consumption?

They are the children of latin America that will have to live with repercussions of violence incited by instability, marginalization, poverty, and vast inequality. They must be considered for the future of latin America because they will inherit what remains after “the adults” have gone. They have also been the ones most effected by disparities seen in the past.

4.      According to Galeano, what is the inherent contradiction of development and the “perfectly rational” capitalist system?

Meaning, though there is unrest and poverty in Latin America, which contains countries rich and plentiful in potential resources, it remains struck by poverty and unrest—however all the benefits are to the developed and rich nations. It is all essentially confounding to how it should be and is counterintuitive.