Pop Culture and Consumerism

[Robert]

How do you think these two things are impacting your daily lives, or your values and beliefs?

[IALuder]

not at all.

[Wren57]

I notice it but don't think it affects me. Just because I like to have nice things around me doesn't mean I've bought into consumerism.

[Robert]

I woudl have responded the same way regarding consumerism. However I think to say it hasn't effected you at all is a bit if a stretch.

Read these interesting articles...

http://www.verdant.net/society.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv.../mia/part1.htm

[GT40FIED]

Consumerism is overrated. As a fairly broke college student I feel I can say this pretty comfortably. Sure there's a few items I wouldn't mind having, but I know better than to live outside my means. If I had some disposable income there's probably a few things I'd buy, but not a whole hell of a lot. Stuff is just stuff. It probably won't improve your life so what;s the the point in buying it? And if it does improve your life, maybe it's not true consumerism.

As for pop culture, fuck it. I certainly enjoy the lighter side of pop culture. The jokes and whatnot that circulate online/on TV and such. Everything else is just pointless. Once you start to take pop culture seriously you become a whore to some kind of machine that will never end. You'll start buying Entertainment Weekly to see what celebrities have hooked up with other celebrities and other bullshit like that. I don't care and will never care. I love my movies as much as the next guy, but one quick glance at Apple's quicktime trailer site will tell you that 80% has all been done before...literally. Does there need to be a movie based on Miami Vice? NO. It's all old TV shows, movie remakes (although I am looking forward to the remake of "The Hills Have Eyes"), video games, and comics. There's no originality or inspiration...it's all just history repeating itself in the most "lowest common denominator" fashion possible.

[Robert]

GT I agree with some parts of what you said, like buying into pop-culture. But think for a moment the number of mags that are similar to entertainment weekly, the fact they have ET tonight and so forth. People must be buying in.

I do think that just because you choose not to spend money doesnt mean you wont when you have money though.

All good points.

Thanks for writting clearly.

[KwikR6]

NO. I don't have anything. I live on a reservation.

[GT40FIED]

Originally Posted by Robert

GT I agree with some parts of what you said, like buying into pop-culture. But think for a moment the number of mags that are similar to entertainment weekly, the fact they have ET tonight and so forth. People must be buying in.

I do think that just because you choose not to spend money doesnt mean you wont when you have money though.

All good points.

Thanks for writting clearly.

Well sure. If tons of people didn't buy into the culture, it would cease to be popular culture and revert to a sub or counter culture. I think pop culture is a bit paradoxical, though. So many people claim to loathe it yet, like you said, there's dozens of printed magazines and TV news magazines that focus on nothing BUT pop culture. If people aren't buying or watching because they hate it so much, how do those companies stay afloat and further still, more companies pop up on a regular basis?

And yeah...there are a few things I'd buy if I had some money. No argument here. But by and large they're things I've had my eye on for a LONG time. I'm not saying that I wouldn't buy a new computer or a better TV...I'm saying I wouldn't head over to a given store and just go crazy buying shit. I mean...the way I look at it is like those dipshits at Enron, Tyco, Global Crossing, etc. They stole billions of dollars and just spent a lot of it on stuff, some of which they never touched. How much stuff does a person really need? I prefer to live comfortably but simple.

[ChrisCantSkate]

it seems like so many people loath it cause they are the ones who speak out. and 5000 people speaking out sounds like alot, but they are deafened by the 45,000 people that sell out the stadiums the "pop culture" bands play in. we are all effected, maybe not directly but indirectly yes and alot. everything has a reaction, all those pop bands inspire other bands to be not like them, thus another genera(sp?) of music for poeple to listen to.

um isnt consumerism the idea that buying more stimulates the economy or at least something to that extent? if so then yes i beleive it effects me. what i spend money on pays for peoples saleries that they can inturn spend at my job so i can get paid with that money.

now do i buy into needing everything that is overmarketed? no. but if there is something i want, its the "best" out right now but its the trendy product of the month i wont not buy it out of principal. an ipod comes to mind right now while typing this, everyone and their mother has one.... i stoped counting at 40 earlier today while walking around campus, and yes i was 41 also listening to one. so in that aspect it effects me, but it dosnt make decissions for me.

im a little lost on what you ment by does consumerism effect me. the definitions i found where:

consumerism (n)
1: the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically beneficial
2: a movement advocating greater protection of the interests of consumers

so i agree with the thoery in number one... shit im a economics major i damn well better, and for number 2 i research what i buy before i do 90% of the time and i like the idea of protecting the consumers interests, so i also buy into that also? right?

[Robert]

Chris read this article...

http://www.verdant.net/society.htm

[ChrisCantSkate]

good read... i think i understand what you were initially asking now. i dont believe it 100% but it makes some good points, although it also makes some assumptions that are a little too general and assuming