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B U Y I N G O R D Y I N G ? M E D I A , C O N S U M P T I O N A N D T H E M A K I N G O F S E L F

LECTURE 4
CONSUMERISM AND
M AT E R I A L I S M

Mr. Fred Yeung

Division of Communication
Introduction

• Consumerism ( 消費主義 )
- Ideologies justifying and promoting consumption
- Criticisms and paradox 矛盾 of consumerism

• Materialism( 物質主義 / 唯物主義 ):

- “Only the de facto substance is the real entity”
( 只有實在的物質才是真實存在的實體 )
- A dichotomy 對立 to Idealism ( 理想主義 / 唯心主義 )
CONSUMERISM

• Ideologies justifying and promoting consumption

1) Neo-liberalism ( 新自由主義 )
2) Identity politics
3) Cultural capital (Field theory)
CONSUMERISM
• Ideologies justifying and promoting consumption
1) Neo-liberalism ( 新自由主義 )
– Consumption as an exercise of individual freedom
– Consumption represents free market, democracy and
social trust
CONSUMERISM
• Ideologies justifying and promoting consumption

2) Identity politics
– Consumption as a gender and class representation
– Consumption as a momentum of popular culture
通俗文化
– Consumption as a momentum of sub-culture 次文化 /
alternative discourses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAyvyTuN-yQ Kotex (Gender)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgetStLp1PU Bleu de Chanel (Class)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSAUf51g0HI Beauty (Popular Culture)

CONSUMERISM
• Ideologies justifying and promoting consumption
3) Cultural capital (Field theory)
– Consumption as a representation of taste 品味
– Taste: intangible cultural boundary dividing people into hierarchical 等級
制 and / or differential groups
– Consolidating 整合 the class structure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CRihg1X89A Joy by Dior

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mntiBdl4g5A Benz
CONSUMERISM
• Criticisms and paradox 矛盾 of consumerism

1) Neo-liberalism

– “Pseudo” 虛假 individual freedom and free market:

intensifying class structure and social inequalities (no
money, no choice)
CONSUMERISM
• Criticisms and paradox of consumerism

2) Identity politics
– Anti-consumerism: Danshari ( だんしゃり ) ( 斷捨離 )
– Green movement
– Minimizing consumption as an identity
CONSUMERISM
• Criticisms and paradox of consumerism

3) Cultural capital
– Cultural jamming: derailing 損害 and mocking 仿
製 at high-end brand and consumption
MATERIALISM
• “Only the de facto substance is the real entity”
• Vision, mental status, and dream have to be materialized
as policy delivery, goods, products, services and other substantial entities.
• Consumption: actualizing your want and demand by consuming goods and
services.
MATERIALISM
• A dichotomy to materialism
- Idealism: human society is driven by mental mind, knowledge, systems of
thoughts. (immaterialism)

• Youth as consumers
– Idealism is less appealing to the youth, who is believed to be tempted to
materialistic consumption.
Conclusion

• Consumerism
- Ideologies justifying and promoting
consumption

• Materialism:
- “Only the de facto substance is the real entity”