Entry 3: "The Emergence of Consumerism"

"The goal was to be able to change frequently, so that people who had bought one set of plates or vases would have to come back again lest their possessions be out of date."
This method is still used today. We talked about this in class manufacturers are creating items rapidly, so that in 6 months yours is out of date. Then they have commercials saying that if you're not up to date you're not cool. They want us to throw out items that work well because they want us to keep buying. I got a gameboy DS lite for Christmas one year and I was extremely excited. Not too long after i got that gift they came out with a new gameboy DS. I felt like i needed the new cause mine was out of date and would not work as well. I would not have felt this way if commercials hadn't told me that the new one was so much better. I think its interesting how long companies have been doing this to their customers.

"A passion for watches spread widely in the eighteenth century, particularly for men. Historians used to note the rapid spread of clocks and watches as a sign that people were becoming increasingly conscious of clock time, and this is to some extent accurate. But many people initially bought watches in order to look up-to-date, to be the first in the group to have one. Only later would they learn actually to tell time and use the item."

This quotation is a great example to consumerism. I used to think that buying something to look like we were up-to-date on all of the things society and the media were asking of us was a recent thing, but this quote shows that it dates back a long time. People still need to make sure that they have the latest in everything and the people selling the items use this knowledge to their advantage bringing out "better" stuff every couple of weeks.

"The goal was to be able to change frequently, so that people who had brought one set of plates or vases would have to come back again lest their possesions be out of date".
The reason this quote caught my attention was because i know this is what actually happens. Sellers advertise their products so much that everyone is only seeing that same product everywhere and feel they must have it. Once they have it, the store immediately came up with a new design. I remember this happend to me when i really wanted my ipod. I had collected enough money to finally buy one and when i did, in less than a month, a new and better ipod design was out. Yes i was mad, especially because they had made a purple ipod. I think everyone just wants to have the new stuff and keep up with new trends.

“Consumer credit was widely extended, again, to help people buy what they did not need.”

According to this quote, credit and debit cards only lure us closer and closer to the grasp of consumerism. Although, they may seem convenient at times when we need large amounts of money, the truth of the matter is that we are better off without them. Credit cards feed our addiction to consumerism by providing us with the many opportunities to buy unnecessary things. Since there is no limit to credit cards, an individual would not know when to stop even after having bought hundreds of items mainly for the purpose of display.

"Indeed, what one group of historians has called the consumer revolution was based on the realization by shopkeepers and consumer goods producers that wants and needs were infinitely stretchable, not confined to what was required to live up to the conventional standards or to subsist."

I chose this quote because i felt like it was the source of their beliefs back then in those times. This to me means that the possibilities were endless when it came to what they were selling. This is a great part in the consumerism issue, the ability to create new things and keep it up.the belief that they could sell whatever and make it seem fashionable or new and trendy.

“This production, in turn, spurred a larger market, making sugar, in terms of one anthropologist, the world’s first mass consumer good.”
I chose this quote from Consumerism in world history by Peter N. Sterns because in society today sugar is huge and is almost in everything we eat. With consumerism the sweet taste of sugar can be tasted throughout every corner of the world. Consumerism has changed the way things are bought and sold. Because of consumerism, we are able to have the diversity of our foods and the generations of recipes with ingredients from different parts of the world.

"The consumer revolution was based on the realization by shopkeepers and consumer goods producers that wants and needs were infinitely stretchable, not confined to what was required to live up to conventional standards or subsist." (2 Sterns)

Consumer goods producers are constantly chucking out new gadgets and gizmos, which are highly advertised, for consumers to purchase whether they need it or not. Many people do not even question if they need it--they just want and want and want. They want and buy these items to a point where people can not distinguish between what they need to survive and what they honestly buy for pleasure and ease. The consumer revolution has grown so vastly in recent years that many people actually do believe they "can not live without" their cellular phones, computers, cars, coffee makers, and microwaves. It has fooled the human being so thoroughly, that if the question, "What would you bring to a deserted island?" was posed to any number of persons, they would be unable to not reply with some new advanced gadget. Consumer goods producers have, in some ways, hindered themselves by chucking too many new advances too quickly. They have run out of "new" inventions to the point where they re-invent old ones and advertise it so thoroughly that people believe they need the newer versions.

"Imaginative storeowners began to pull out all the stops to lure customers. They set up enticing window displays. they featured bargain items, even selling at a loss to get customers into the store- where they might buy more expensive good. (This practice of using "loss leaders" obviously continues today.)

I chose this particular quote because I felt this to be very true. I've noticed how stores have huge windows and beautiful decorations that catch the attention of pedestrians walking by. Windows are usually covered with big sales signs and advertisement of low prices, but when a customer walks in they end up buying more items that are probably not on sale and end up spending more money.

" Relatively humble shopkeepers invented special gimmicks. One such, in England, named Martin von Butchell, a former dentist who sold medicine, highlighted his own eccentricities. He rode a "white pony which he sometimes painted all purple and sometimes with spots," to advertise himself and through this his wares. A picture from 1747 shows another salesman dressed like a high fashion lady, to draw attention to the gingerbread he was selling." (pg. 19)

I chose this quote because it highly emphasizes how important visuals can be when trying to promote a product. There is something about actually seeing the product and especially being displayed in an extravagant way that makes it so tempting. When we see things that are exotic, different, or stand out; it makes it look that much better and really catches your attention. This quote shows that advertisement has always been a huge part of selling products and it has obviously been a great way because it is very much still used today.

"Indeed, what one group of historians has called the consumer revolution was based on the realization by shopkeepers and consumer goods producers that wants and needs were infinitely stretchable, not confined to what was required to live up to conventional standards or to subsist."

This idea is remarkably eye-opening, creative, and inspirational. Dare I say, it is also quite manipulative. To live by the idea that we are more than just what is handed to us and is needed by us gives us hope that we create our own destinies. Of course, this is working on the assumption that we can adapt and learn from unintended happenings of mother nature. However, this knowledge set in a framework of profit and consumer goods alarms me into questioning my true intentions and actions. In the mindset of a salesperson, everything is sold, not bought...

"Use of advertisements proliferated. They filled the weekly newspapers now available in the cities. They contributed to posters and trade cards that were widely distributed."
I picked this quotation because today we are surrounded by advertisements for goods companies are trying to sell. Whether it is on commercials,the radio,in magazines,billboards,etc. companies are advertising their products. By advertising products it makes people want to buy them. Advertising is a good strategy to sell products and it works. I can't imagine how much money each company spends on advertising a product they are trying to make people buy.

"The goal was to be able to change frequently, so that people who had bought one set of plates or vases would have to come back again lest their possessions be out of date."
This was the solution to continuous shopping. It is the perceived obsolescence that was discussed in the video. Annie mentioned that all company corporations invent something and than about 6 months later they update the same product. A perfect example of this is the ipod. I have always wanted an ipod ever since my sister got one like 3 Christmases ago, but every year there was always a newer better generation. Just when I had made my decision to buy one, a newer generation was introduced. It’s a cycle that corporations purposely do in order for their buyers to keep purchasing their improved product even though the one they currently own is fine. I also noticed that an ipod is guaranteed to only last a year. My friend had one, and one day it randomly died. She looked online and she found some information that said that the ipods are built to work only for a year. This made me not want to buy an ipod. I wouldn’t want to waste $200 for a device that will die in a year. So now I am currently ipodless.

"The goal was to be able to change frequently, so that people who had brought one set of plates or vases would have to come back again lest their possesions be out of date".
This quote was one of my favorite quotes from the reading because it reminded me of what happens now. Apple comes out with the iPhone and then like 6 months later the new 4G iPhone comes out. So many innovations are being thrown at us through commercials, the internet, or in general our friends or people that it's become necessary to keep up with the latest gadget. People want to feel as if they are keeping up with the latest gadget that they don't mind buying spending so much money just to be with the "in crowd". My brother is this way. He's had every freakin iPhone that's come out, and it bothers me that he spends so much damn money on the same thing just to keep up with the crowd.

"Use of advertisements proliferated. They filled the weekly newspapers now available in the cities." (Page 2)

I chose this quotation because I am very aware of the amount of advertisements in today's society. Now and days it seems that anywhere you look you can find an advertisement. Many companies have ads in newspapers and magazines, and on the radio, television, and the internet. Ads are a very effective way to boost sales but sometimes it seems that our society is run by these ads. Many people see the new ads in their various forms and feel that they need these products or services. Although it's good for the companies, sometimes people are lead to believe they need things that they don't need.

"Production and sales now consisted of a combination of trying to whip up enthusiasm for a new craze"
The reason I chose this quote was because as I read it made me think of how they are always trying to appeal new products to the rest of the world by making it look in fashion and make it seem exciting as well. The companies selling the products try to find new ways to make the consumers want to buy their product. It amazes me the way they try to advertise things to get one to buy the product such as the cigar

"Clothing interests could extend to other items of apparel. A passion for watches spread widely in the eighteenth century, particularly for men. Historians used to note the rapid spread of clocks and watches as a sign that people were becoming increasingly conscious of clock time, and this is to some extent accurate. But many people initially bought watches in order to look up-to-date, to be the first in their group to have one. Only later would they learn to actually to tell time and use the item."
-I like this quote because it represents the change between needs and wants. Just like in the past, some people wouldn't even know how to use the watch, however, they would still buy one for apparel. This phenomena still goes in the present. Currently, with all the technological devices that we have now, having a watch becomes unnecessary. My roommate never leaves without his watch, even though he is always carrying his cell phone with him, which also tells time. However, his watch is from a good brand and he likes the way it looks. All this revolution of going from buying needs to also buying wanted products is reflected in the consumer society we have today, where people buy products for more than just their functionality.

What i don't realize is actually how you're not actually much more well-liked than you may be now. You're very intelligent. You realize thus considerably relating to this subject, produced me personally consider it from a lot of varied angles. Its like men and women aren't fascinated unless it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs nice. Always maintain it up!

Someone essentially help to make seriously articles I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular publish extraordinary. Excellent job!

You've got numerous positive points there. I made a search on the matter and found the majority of peoples will accept your blog.

very nice put up, i definitely love this website, carry on it

Hello i am so delighted I discovered your blog, I actually discovered you by error, while I was searching Yahoo for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say thanks for a great blog posting and a all round absorbing blog (I also love the theme/design), I do not have time to read it all at the right now but I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more,

I want to encourage my friends here to visit this very cool blog!

I want to encourage my friends here to visit this very cool blog!

Recently i found your website and possess been reading along. I thought I would leave my initial comment. Nice blog. I am going to keep visiting this website very frequently and keep learning a little more about SEO.

It is a extremely interesting post, appreciate sharing! There are numerous blogs on this topic but this 1 states precisely what I believe as well.

Once I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any method you possibly can take away me from that service? Thanks!

Long time lurker, first time posting.I've had you in my bookmarks for a while and I Just wanted to thank you for the awesome blog post. Looking forward to seeing some updates soon!

Long time lurker, first time poster.I've had you in my bookmarks for a while and I Just wanted to thank you for the superb blog. Looking forward to catching some updates in the near future!

There are several good tips the following. I need to redesign the web site some time. I am going to begin from scrape this time around I know.

You've got fantastic nice ideas there. I developed a research on the topic and got most peoples will agree with your blog.

Long time lurker, first time poster.I've had you book-marked for a while and I Just wanted to say I appreciate the superb blog post. Looking forward to reading some updates in the near future!

Someone essentially help to make seriously articles I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to make this particular publish incredible. Fantastic job!

Thank you for another excellent article. Where else could anybody get that kind of info in such a perfect way of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such info.

Can I just say what a reduction to seek out someone who really is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You positively know the way to bring a problem to mild and make it important. More folks have to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre no more standard since you undoubtedly have the gift.

Long time lurker, first time poster.I've had you in my bookmark folder for a while and I Just wanted to thank you for the excellent blog post. Looking forward to see some updates soon!

Many thanks a lot for providing individuals with a very breathtaking possiblity to read critical reviews from this site. It is actually very brilliant and as well , full of fun for me personally personally and my office co-workers to search your website nearly thrice in a week to discover the newest secrets you might have. Obviously, Im also usually motivated for that wonderful suggestions you serve. Selected 2 points with this page have been in truth the most effective weve had.

Long time blog lurker, first time posting.I've had you in my bookmarks for a while and I Just wanted to say I appreciate the awesome blog post. Looking forward to seeing some updates soon!

For me its a truely good perspective. I meet people who rather say what they suppose others desire to hear. Good and well crafted! I'll return to your website certainly!

great points altogether, you just gained a new reader. What would you recommend about your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?

Sometimes its safer to just take a step back and understand that not everybody shares your beliefs

I truly love approaching your own blog page! your specific tactic to see things is the thing that keeps me fascinated. Appreciate it a lot!!!!

Hey all, I had been just checkin out this web site and that i really admire the building blocks of the article!

I seriously take pleasure in visiting your weblog! your unique strategy to see things is the thing that keeps me captivated. Thanks so much!!!!

Excellent article and easy to understand description. How do I go about getting permission to share section of the article in my upcoming newsletter?

The most difficult thing is to find a blog with unique and fresh content but your posts are not alike. Bravo.

I noticed this genuinely great blog post today. Check it.

Hey there man, This was a superb webpage for such achallenging issue to focus on.

Great post and simple to understand description. How do I go about getting permission to post part of the article within my future e-newsletter?

I really really enjoy approaching your blog! your unique technique to see things is what keeps me interested. Thanks a lot!!!!

Long time lurker, first time poster.I've had you in my bookmark folder for a while and I Just wanted to thank you for the excellent article. Looking forward to reading some updates soon!