Whola's Context of Practice: Lecture Notes 7: Consumerism

Analyse the rise of US consumerism
Discuss the links between consumerism and our unconscious desires
Explore the Ideas and Concepts Created and Developed by Sigmund Freud and Edmund Bernays
Consumerism as social control

Refer to: "Century of Self" (2002) by Adam Curtis and "No Logo" (1999) by Naomi Klein if interested
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was an Austrian neurologist, now known as the father of psychoanalysis, had created a theory oon human nature, the hidden primitive sexual forces and animal instincts which need controlling

All of these unconscious desires begin to act out and manifest themselves into some shape or form when one is asleep
Freud argued that there is a fundamental tension between civilisation and the individual, we retain a sense of violence, aggression and sexual instincts as part of our biological make up
Human instincts are incompatible with the well being of the community, with civilised society we repress our basic human instincts, constantly frustrated from not carrying out our deepest desires
The Pleasure Principle is the instinctual seeking of pleasure and the avoidance of pain in order to satisfy biological and psychological needs. Specifically it is the driving force guiding the ID
The engagement in behaviours that are bad for us feels good
Edward Bernays (1891-1995) was an Austrian-American pioneer in the field of PR and propaganda, known as the father of Public Relations, and was of course the nephew of Sigmund Freud
He was employed by the American government as a propagandist of sorts during WW1, soon enough writing the book "Propaganda" (1928)
Post war, he set up "The Council on Public Relations"
If instinctual desires are being met when they buy things, not only will they be contented, a demand will be created for these things

Edward was pretty intent on improving the sales of products by creating a larger appeal to them to draw in more customers, such as an ad for cigarettes, he was able to get past the social taboo of women smoking
Women began to equate these cigarettes with being more independent, free than repressed and sexually desirable
The birth of PR was seen as a disciplinary wartime propaganda
Attempts to attach products to instinctive human desires

Celebrity endorsements (Seeing that they are symbols of success or the ultimate models of independence and glamor) and pseudo scientific reports were used to make these products more appealing
Fordism came about during the same time during the development of PR
Standard producton models built as they move through the factory (I wrote this stuff before but why not?)
Requires large investment, but increases productivity so much that relatively high wages can be paid, allowing the workers to buy the product they produce
Proliferates the world with things, at a more rapid pace

It became more important for companies to distinct their products from their own competitors as production grew more efficient, this is where the idea of branding comes in
Car ads seem to base themselves around male sexual potency to draw in their customers

From a Need culture to a Desire culture (Getting people to buy stuff they already have or don't really need at all)
Refer to "The Hidden Persuaders" (1957) by Vance Packard
Analyses marketing techniques used at the time and the hidden needs that they are able to draw out from their customers
Selling emotional security, reassurance of worth, ego-gratification (Makes you appear better as a person to others, particularly when these products are endorsed by celebrities, who were so much more admired at the time), creative outlets, (Jemima) love objects, sense of power of a sense of roots (Most cars seem to do that) immortality
Aunt Jemima's Pancake Flour in a way tricks buyers into thinking that they are being creative by using this product to create their pancakes (HAHA)
During the emergence of PR, a new attitude to the governing of society emerged
Walter Lippmann wrote "Public Opinion" in 1920

A new elite is needed to manage the bewildered heard, capitalists and consumerism society
An educated elite advising the government in controlling this society, seeing as politicians were seen as hopeless and useless
The idea of consumerism is employed as a mechanism to control citizens
Create a system to rationally satiated over their desires for anarchy? Consumerism creates the illusion of freedom
Communism was a threat to capitalism
The stock market crash was a significant event in history as it was the first moment that the political class realised that society could be destroyed if all decisions were made by thes big business folks
Soft socialism, regulate markets again, increase taxation with the aim or redistributing this money, recreating state control

New York's World Fair was this giant PR exhibition of sorts, pioneered by Edward Burnays
Celebrate everything that's apparently great about America as compared to the rest of the world, like the Soviet Union with the repressed, American consumerism
The message pretty much reinforced through out "You are a free American to buy whatever you want."
Free choice is being able to buy what you want, unlike Russia
Your participation in the buying of a product signifies that you are aiding the country in a positive direction
Big business knows what's good for the overall country than the politicians themselves
Giant bit of propaganda for consumerism
Democracity, the ultimate expression human freedom, the supposed vision of the future
This however does not represent citizen control, there is no true democracy represented in it, it instead centralizes power, a bankrupt illusion to keep humans docile, making them think they are living meaningful lives
Consumerism is an ideological project, we believe through consumption our desires can be met
The legacy of Bernays/PR can be felt in all aspects of 21st century society
He felt that this manipulation was necessary in society, which he regarded as irrational and dangerous as a result of the "herd instinct"
The conflicts between alternative models of social organisation continue to this day
To what extent are our lives free under the Western Consumerist system
The illusion of free choice
You are not what you own

Whola's Context of Practice