Topic Consecrating Consumer Culture

There are several Symbols associated with Christmas, Santa Claus, Snow or cold weather, Wreaths, garland , wrapping paper and a Christmas tree. Society does not look at Halloween costumes or a hot sunny day and think of Christmas, although when I noticed that some retailers have Halloween, thanksgiving and Christmas décor out, it does not seem to mesh well. But retailers are showing society these symbols getting them thinking about what’s coming soon.

In the introduction of Chapter 1 “Consuming Passions” “The Culture of American Consumption,” it talks about how American popular culture is grounded in consumption. With the media in our hand, it is a huge influence towards the advertising world. With how styles of clothing have been changing over time, this talks about how from the earlier times wearing a simple type of blue jeans can change between who wears them over the years. As stated, “ By the 1950s, however, blue jeans began to bear an additional class significance as “casual wear” for middle-class Americans.” (72). In 1970 these pants have then become a simple fashion wear. They have also been introduced as a hipster type wear. Then in 1980 through the early 2000s, baggy jeans were

The 1950s is described as the “‘golden age’ of capitalism,” where a comfortable standard of living became accessible to many new, middle-class Americans (991). According to Foner, “the official poverty rate, 30 percent of all families in 1950, had declined to 22 percent a decade later”(991). The poverty rate declined as more Americans entered white-collared jobs with increased wages. Essentially, the “American standard of living” during the 1950s was characterized by the ability of citizens to participate in the mass consumerist society; this was only possible through an increase in income. Jack Straus, the chairman of the board of Macy’s stated “‘The consumer is the key to our economy...The luxuries of today are the necessities of tomorrow’”(Foner 994). The American economy was based off of consumers; “In a consumer culture, the measure of freedom

This isn’t inherently bad and I still give presents on Chanukah, but the impact of the overwhelming religions is undeniable. This is a problem not solved anywhere in the world. In Israel it is merely switched around, with Chanukah and Passover, overtaking Christmas and Easter. This is also seen with Religiously guided schools, like Christian or Jewish academies. This contradicts what the first amendment was created for, and at the same time, supports

Ah Christmas, it is said to be the most wonderful time of the year. In the United States Christmas is a time of giving and receiving, spending time with your family, and in most Christian families, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is hands-down the most highly commercialized holiday celebrated by Americans. In fact, according to CBS news, the average American will spend $700 on gifts this holiday season, totaling for a whopping $465 billion spent nation-wide. From mall Santas as far as the eye can see, to hearing Christmas music in every retail store you enter. Christmas is a time of high spirits and high spending in the U.S.

When most people think of December they tend to think about Christmas. It is supposed to be a time of everyone coming together, being joyful, and

There is no doubt that Christmas is a religious event but nowadays Christmas becomes more commercialized, as it has been defined as a high consumption season because the gifts giving culture becomes the most important part of Christmas and the consumers want to please their children

Currently there is large debate right now on whether a new religion in the making called the Way of the Future is to be seen a religion or corporation (Sucie). Which strikes the question of whether a cyber religion can still be classified as a maintained and organized group. According to an article by Peter Sucie (2017) the creator of the WOFT religion Anthony Levandowski has set up this non-profit religious corporation, which sets out its own futuristic church and is creating an artificial intelligence god for people to worship. (Sucie, 2017). According to Kessler, currently Levandowski can be described as the charismatic authority within this religious group. Further more Levandowski is looking to break tradition with his futuristic views,

Now before we end up down the rabbit hole with a separation of church and state debate, let’s just look at the fact. While Jews, Muslims, atheists, and people of other religions may not celebrate Christmas, it doesn’t harm them. Celebrating Christmas is a personal belief that should not be taken as an insult. You don’t see menorahs or dradles being referred to as holiday candlestick holders or holiday tops. So why is Christmas such a problem? Political Correctness has been paving this path for

The dominance of capitalist countries has facilitated the conformity of global civilization and cultural environments resulting in an increase of consumer cultures (Sarmela, 1977; Chaney, 2004). As capitalism experiences a natural and unavoidable expansion, consumers engage with consumer culture creating invisible products such as social status, identity, cultures, and ethical relationships (Sternberg, 2017). There are two sides to consumer culture that are the values held by society; those who conform and those who rebel (Turow & McAllister, 2014). All participants of society align with either submission or resistance to dominant ideas, values, and social structures. However, as a result of continued progressive diversity and fragmentation, the distinction between submissive and resistance are blurred. Nevertheless, those who resist and rebel are still participants of consumer culture. Instead they instead form sub cultures in society with alternative beliefs, values and ideas that challenge the mainstream (Chaney, 2004). In order to better understand the relationship between consumption practice and the resistance of consumer culture, theories of reflexive project of self, prosumers, lifestyle commodification, and incorporation will be analyzed in relation to the vegan movement.

As a country, Americans love to shop. Whether in malls, grocery stores, on the Internet, or elsewhere, the culture of buying is deeply ingrained in American culture. Fueled largely by advertising and the current credit system, America’s consumer culture is depleting our planet’s finite natural resources and polluting our environment. Consumerism has instilled in Americans an artificial, ongoing, and insatiable desire for mass-produced and marketed products, and the money with which to buy them, with little regard to their actual usefulness or necessity. This constant desire to acquire more possessions is poisoning the planet, as it can never be sated and thus results in the never-ending exploitation of the Earth’s natural resources, and

To take Christ out of Christmas is to take the holiday itself away. I myself have actually spent more money at the store's that are unafraid to put up a sign with the word Christ in them, as I'm sure other Christians have. This holiday is about more than getting gifts and giving to others. Although I do believe in giving

Have you noticed, with each passing year, Christmas is becoming more secular? The evidence is all around us. You cannot escape from the self anointed so-called intellectual elite’s continuous denigration about Christmas religious meaning. At the shopping mall, the religious purpose for Christmas becomes marginal. The mall background music is exclusively about secular topics such as a snowman, a winter wonderland, or rocking around a tree. Unfortunately, some Contemporary Christian music radio stations quest for market share and societal acceptance undermine the reason for the Christmas celebration. Recently, Mitchell took an informal poll on Christmas versus holiday music played by a “Christian” music station. After 90 minutes, air time was evenly split between religious versus secular holiday songs. You would

As aforementioned, the initial true meaning of Christmas is religion - one that has now been muchly downplayed. Of course at first glance religion is only an important element of Christmas for those who are actually religious, for which then religion plays the dominant role of what Christmas is to them. However, religion means to show obligation to something through faith, it could be argued that the majority of society is actually religious. We follow a society which has

In recent years, Christmas holiday shopping has begun earlier and earlier, starting even before the end of October. Stores, street lights, and houses are decorated with brightly colored lights, animatronics, and inflatable images of Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and the Grinch. Holiday sales begin on Thanksgiving instead of Black Friday, making it impossible for salespeople to spend time with family, enjoying food and games while reflecting on all that the family has to be thankful for. Admittedly, I am not a fan of shopping on Black Friday, but I have friends that say that getting up early and rushing around stores for special bargains is a fun family tradition; however, it seems that every year there are media reports of people being injured or fights breaking out over getting that one all important item. Many people go into debt making credit card purchases of nonessential items. All that aside, though, the holiday season causes many people to become more charitable, providing food to the homeless, visiting lonely elders in nursing homes and providing clothing and gifts to children in need; it would be wonderful if people kept that giving spirit all year long.