The illusion of choice. Consumerism, social identity and more.
- Asya Chub
- Oct 27
- 3 min read
The definition
Consumerism is generally considered to be a socio-cultural phenomenon of the modern industrial societies that is:
“[Consumerism] characterised fundamentally by commodification and the excessive preoccupation of society with the purchase of goods and services, spawned by the creation of unnecessary needs and excessive advertisements. Marketers entice consumers to increasingly purchase such commodities even though the need for such products may not necessarily exist” (Xaba and Ndlovu, 2023).
In simple words, the consumers are persuaded to consume much more than is required for them to cover their needs. What we consume becomes an intricate part of our lives, subsequently building in the perception of ourselves. The process of buying becomes the defining feature of one’s identity. You buy the thing not to satisfy your need, but rather to become welcome in the society. Having the newest and trendiest piece of clothing not because you like it, but because you will be liked. It is the social identity that is created through the purchases. The items possessed become social signals of status or belonging to a social group. The sense of belonging and self-actualisation are fundamental human needs according to Maslov’s hierarchy. This need for belonging is utilised by companies to persuade people to buy more in an infinite race for “the authentic self” that belongs to a desired social group. Consumerism itself stems from the term conspicuous consumption. Conspicuous consumption is the process of acquiring goods to demonstrate one’s wealth in their social status.
Influencing your choice
Social media has become the epitome of excessive advertisements, the driving force of consumerism. The so-called influencers (the term is quite telling in itself) become a walking advertisement for a wide array of goods. The influencer tries to create an empathetic link with the viewer, telling you about their routine, getting you to trust them, because in the end they are just like you. However, it is a fabricated reality meant to influence you to buy another piece of cosmetic or clothing. We are subjected to this unsubtle advertisement all the time. Consciously or not, we identify with the influencers and fall into the overconsumption rabbithole, constantly buying the things that we do not actually use.
Competition over cooperation
In the same way the capitalist system creates competition between the businesses, it also creates competition between consumers. While the companies compete for the best way to sell you an item, you and your peers compete for this best item. This system discourages community and prevents people from organizing. The sense of alienation often leads to anxiety, depression and overall social disengagement, as studied by psychologists (Bauer et al., 2012).
Prioritising the self stops the collective action
The rabbithole of consumption and the obsession with individual goods is what prevents people from fighting for liberation of the oppressed and living in harmony with nature. Education and collective action is how progress towards a better future could be made. However, the path for this improvement is unfortunately, a matter of great difficulty for the current society.
Page design: Asya Chub
Bibliography
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