Rising Consumer Materialism

Author : Afia Khalid
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351256904
Total Pages : 110 pages
Book Rating : 4.02/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Rising Consumer Materialism written by Afia Khalid and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-11-03 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rising Consumer Materialism presents a theoretical advancement of materialism research. It identifies eight areas of a consumer's life that are inter-disciplinary and of prime importance towards promoting happy and rewarding lifestyles. This study examines the pre-planned purchase process as the primary step towards satisfactory consumption. The theoretical framework provides a stream of research possibilities that guide readers towards healthy consumption patterns. Therefore, the book offers practical solutions to problems such as loneliness and unhappiness. It advocates a new dimension of consumption activity and lifestyle choices that can help to re-socialize and improve social bonds; hitting materialism right at its core, making the consumption experience well informed and beneficial for the consumer as well as society. Together, pre-planned engaging, intrinsic experiential purchases with a view to environmentalism, religiosity, social giving, social support and nostalgia can cure the excessive emphasis on acquiring and showing off valuables that are disruptive to a consumer’s social affiliations and subjective wellbeing. Rather than utilizing material possessions as a proxy measure for success and happiness resulting in only temporary happiness, discontent, continuous brand/product switching, undesirable post purchase evaluations and shifting brand loyalties, the book establishes alternative mechanisms for achieving happiness. The integrated framework provides a comprehensive solution rather than a half-baked specific situational-based intervention and is a must read for academics, students and consumers alike.

Author : Tim Kasser
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 9780262611978
Total Pages : 172 pages
Book Rating : 4.7X/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The High Price of Materialism written by Tim Kasser and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2003-08-29 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A study of how materialism and consumerism undermine our quality of life. In The High Price of Materialism, Tim Kasser offers a scientific explanation of how our contemporary culture of consumerism and materialism affects our everyday happiness and psychological health. Other writers have shown that once we have sufficient food, shelter, and clothing, further material gains do little to improve our well-being. Kasser goes beyond these findings to investigate how people's materialistic desires relate to their well-being. He shows that people whose values center on the accumulation of wealth or material possessions face a greater risk of unhappiness, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and problems with intimacy—regardless of age, income, or culture. Drawing on a decade's worth of empirical data, Kasser examines what happens when we organize our lives around materialistic pursuits. He looks at the effects on our internal experience and interpersonal relationships, as well as on our communities and the world at large. He shows that materialistic values actually undermine our well-being, as they perpetuate feelings of insecurity, weaken the ties that bind us, and make us feel less free. Kasser not only defines the problem but proposes ways we can change ourselves, our families, and society to become less materialistic.

Author : Miriam Tatzel
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9400773684
Total Pages : 199 pages
Book Rating : 4.84/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Consumption and Well-Being in the Material World written by Miriam Tatzel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-09-30 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume addresses how we can find happiness and well-being in the material world. It builds on previous works that find that materialism is associated with lowered well-being (materialists are less happy) and that consumerism, in all its profusion, is harmful to environmental well-being. How can we use the money and possessions in our lives in the service of well-being? Apparently not by being materialistic. Can we benefit from the many wonders of the marketplace -- in technology, convenience and aesthetics -- without falling prey to the lures and dangers of excessive material preoccupation? Can we meet our material needs in ways that nourish growth and well-being? The authors of the chapters in this volume are on-going researchers into such questions. Herein you can learn about the hedonic benefits of thrift and of spending on experiences; how possessions can be beneficial; how different types of consumers spend money; cultural variations in conceptions of the "good life;" how we might reconcile environmental and consumer well-being; and how to measure the whole of human, economic, and environmental well-being. Taken all together, this collection finds grounds for compatibility between what's good for the consumer and what's good for the environment. This volume appeals to academics, professionals, students and others interested in materialism and consumer well-being.

Author : James A. Roberts
Publisher : Harper Collins
ISBN 13 : 0062093622
Total Pages : 347 pages
Book Rating : 4.22/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Shiny Objects written by James A. Roberts and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2011-11-15 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Shiny Objects, a cross between In Praise of Slowness and The Tipping Point, consumer behavior expert Professor James A. Roberts takes us on a tour of America's obsession with consumerism—pointing out its symptoms, diagnosing specific problems, and offering a series of groundbreaking solutions. Roberts gives practical advice for how to correct the materialistic trends in our lives which lock us into a cycle of financial hardship and stress. Shiny Objects, a new The Paradox of Choice for the modern reader, is more than a critique of capitalism—it's also an exploration into how we can live happier, fuller, more productive lives today.

Author : James B. Twitchell
Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780231500425
Total Pages : 328 pages
Book Rating : 4.24/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Lead Us Into Temptation written by James B. Twitchell and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 1999-05-06 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coke adds life. Just do it. Yo quiero Taco Bell. We live in a commercial age, awash in a sea of brand names, logos, and advertising jingles—not to mention commodities themselves. Are shoppers merely the unwitting stooges of the greedy producers who will stop at nothing to sell their wares? Are the producers' powers of persuasion so great that resistance is futile? James Twitchell counters this assumption of the used and abused consumer with a witty and unflinching look at commercial culture, starting from the simple observation that "we are powerfully attracted to the world of goods (after all, we don't call them 'bads')." He contends that far from being forced upon us against our better judgment, "consumerism is our better judgment." Why? Because increasingly, store-bought objects are what hold us together as a society, doing the work of "birth, patina, pews, coats of arms, house, and social rank"—previously done by religion and bloodline. We immediately understand the connotations of status and identity exemplified by the Nike swoosh, the Polo pony, the Guess? label, the DKNY logo. The commodity alone is not what we are after; rather, we actively and creatively want that logo and its signification—the social identity it bestows upon us. As Twitchell summarizes, "Tell me what you buy, and I will tell what you are and who you want to be." Using elements as disparate as the film The Jerk, French theorists, popular bumper stickers, and Money magazine to explore the nature and importance of advertising lingo, packaging, fashion, and "The Meaning of Self," Twitchell overturns one stodgy social myth after another. In the process he reveals the purchase and possession of things to be the self-identifying acts of modern life. Not only does the car you drive tell others who you are, it lets you know as well. The consumption of goods, according to Twitchell, provides us with tangible everyday comforts and with crucial inner security in a seemingly faithless age. That we may find our sense of self through buying material objects is among the chief indictments of contemporary culture. Twitchell, however, sees the significance of shopping. "There are no false needs." We buy more than objects, we buy meaning. For many of us, especially in our youth, Things R Us.

Author : Wang Ning
Publisher : Paths International Ltd
ISBN 13 : 184464099X
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.97/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Rise of the Consumer in Modern China written by Wang Ning and published by Paths International Ltd. This book was released on 2012-12-01 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique and far-reaching study of China's contemporary social changes from the perspectives of consumption and consumerism.China has undergone profound social changes, with far-reaching consequences on all walks of life since reform began thirty years ago. To fully understand China's transformation, the landscape must be surveyed from the perspective of consumption, where you can find many intrinsic links between seemingly unrelated aspects of social reform.The Rise of the Consumer in Modern China is the result of a seven-year research campaign conducted by leading Chinese academic Wang Ning. Detailed and comprehensive, it cites numerous policy documents and source material generated from interviews, alongside data, expert commentary and conclusions. The transformation from asceticism to consumerism is a vital factor when considering China's economic and social reforms. Authoritative and richly detailed, this important new book offers a revealing and unique insight into a key aspect of China's opening up.During the most recent thirty years not only have there been revolutionary changes in consumer behavior, furthermore the role of consumption in driving the evolution of society has become un-ignorable. It is vital to study and analyze the changes in Chinese consumption before and after China's opening-up from a sociological perspective. This key book explores the Chinese urban consumption system and the evolution of the ideological concept of consumption by examining a huge number of governmental documents and records.

Author : Colin Campbell
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319241842
Total Pages : 922 pages
Book Rating : 4.45/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Looking Forward, Looking Back: Drawing on the Past to Shape the Future of Marketing written by Colin Campbell and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-12-01 with total page 922 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ​This volume includes the full proceedings from the 2013 World Marketing Congress held in Melbourne, Australia with the theme Looking Forward, Looking Back: Drawing on the Past to Shape the Future of Marketing. The focus of the conference and the enclosed papers is on marketing thought and practices throughout the world. This volume resents papers on various topics including marketing management, marketing strategy, and consumer behavior. Founded in 1971, the Academy of Marketing Science is an international organization dedicated to promoting timely explorations of phenomena related to the science of marketing in theory, research, and practice. Among its services to members and the community at large, the Academy offers conferences, congresses and symposia that attract delegates from around the world. Presentations from these events are published in this Proceedings series, which offers a comprehensive archive of volumes reflecting the evolution of the field. Volumes deliver cutting-edge research and insights, complimenting the Academy’s flagship journals, the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (JAMS) and AMS Review. Volumes are edited by leading scholars and practitioners across a wide range of subject areas in marketing science.​

Author : David G. Myers
Publisher : Yale University Press
ISBN 13 : 0300130295
Total Pages : 430 pages
Book Rating : 4.94/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The American Paradox written by David G. Myers and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2008-10-01 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DIVFor Americans entering the twenty-first century, it is the best of times and the worst of times. Material wealth is at record levels, yet disturbing social problems reflect a deep spiritual poverty. In this compelling book, well-known social psychologist David G. Myers asks how this paradox has come to be and, more important, how we can spark social renewal and dream a new American dream. Myers explores the research on social ills from the 1960s through the 1990s and concludes that the materialism and radical individualism of this period have cost us dearly, imperiling our children, corroding general civility, and diminishing our happiness. However, in the voices of public figures and ordinary citizens he now hears a spirit of optimism. The national dialogue is shifting—away from the expansion of personal rights and toward enhancement of communal civility, away from efforts to raise self-esteem and toward attempts to arouse social responsibility, away from “whose values?” and toward “our values.” Myers analyzes in detail the research on educational and other programs that deal with social problems, explaining which seem to work and why. He then offers positive and well-reasoned advice, suggesting that a renewed social ecology for America will rest on policies that balance “me thinking” with “we thinking.”/div

Author : Leon Schiffman
Publisher : Pearson Higher Education AU
ISBN 13 : 1486014348
Total Pages : 729 pages
Book Rating : 4.47/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Consumer Behaviour written by Leon Schiffman and published by Pearson Higher Education AU. This book was released on 2013-10-15 with total page 729 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A trusted resource for Consumer Behaviour theory and practice. Consumer Behaviour explores how the examination and application of consumer behaviour is central to the planning, development, and implementation of effective marketing strategies. In a clear and logical fashion, the authors explain consumer behaviour theory and practice, the use and importance of consumer research, and how social and cultural factors influence consumer decision making. The sixth edition of this Australian text provides expanded coverage of contemporary topics.

Author : Neva R. Goodwin
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1597267902
Total Pages : 423 pages
Book Rating : 4.08/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Consumer Society written by Neva R. Goodwin and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2013-04-16 with total page 423 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The developed countries, particularly the United States, consume a disproportionate share of the world's resources, yet high and rising levels of consumption do not necessarily lead to greater satisfaction, security, or well-being, even for affluent consumers.The Consumer Society provides brief summaries of the most important and influential writings on the environmental, moral, and social implications of a consumer society and consumer lifestyles. Each section consists of ten to twelve summaries of critical writings in a specific area, with an introductory essay that outlines the state of knowledge in that area and indicates where further research is needed. Sections cover: Scope and Definition Consumption in the Affluent Society Family, Gender, and Socialization The History of Consumerism Foundations of Economic Theories of Consumption Critiques and Alternatives in Economic Theory Perpetuating Consumer Culture: Media, Advertising, and Wants Creation Consumption and the Environment Globalization and Consumer Culture Visions of an Alternative This book is the second volume in the Frontier Issues in Economic Thought series, which provides surveys of the most significant writings in emergent areas of economics -- an invaluable aid in fast-growing fields where genuine new ground is being broken. The series brings together economists, sociologists, psychologists, and philosophers to develop analyses that challenge and enrich the dominant neoclassical paradigm.The Consumer Society is an essential guide to and summary of the literature of consumption and will be of interest to anyone concerned with the deeper economic, social, and ethical implications of consumerism.