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hy are "high consumption" and "social class" closely related? Lift the social veil of consumer culture
In today's society, consumer culture has become an indispensable part of people's lives. However, as consumption levels increase, the relationship between consumption and social class becomes increasingly obvious. High consumption behavior seems to be not only the result of personal choice, but also a direct reflection of the social class structure. In the process of pursuing material enjoyment, people unintentionally deepen social inequality and solidify class.
The formation of consumption habits is affected by social environment and culture. It not only reflects personal economic status, but also shows the psychological gap between classes.
In many societies, material wealth is often closely linked to social status. People with higher incomes can usually enjoy a more luxurious lifestyle. Not only do they have a wider range of consumption, they can also participate in the consumption of high-end brands. This situation allows the wealthy class to set social standards, prompting people from other classes to engage in convergent consumption in order to catch up with these standards.
The concept of display consumption reveals the differences between social classes. When people consume in order to display their wealth, it intensifies the antagonism between classes.
Revealing consumption, derived from the theory of sociologist Thorstein Veblen, refers to the fact that what people pursue in consumption is not just the object itself, but the symbol of social status and identity it carries. This kind of consumption behavior makes consumers give priority to whether they can improve their social status when seeing certain products. Such reactions not only boost sales of certain brands, but also further solidify invisible barriers between social classes.
With the popularity of media and the rise of social platforms, consumer culture has further expanded. Advertising and entertainment content shape the consumption outlook of ordinary people by showing the lifestyle of the wealthy class. This situation often makes middle-class and low-income consumers feel anxious, and they deliberately imitate the consumption habits of the upper class in order to be recognized and respected.
Many people regard luxury products and famous brands as status symbols, so they go into debt to consume just to pursue short-term satisfaction.
According to some research results, high consumption behavior not only promotes the pursuit of high-priced goods, but also causes a large number of environmental problems. In the face of global resource depletion and climate change, environmental groups call on people to reduce unnecessary consumption and seek a sustainable lifestyle. However, this concept is often ignored in high-consumption culture.
Differences in consumption behavior are not limited to material possessions, but also affect personal values and life attitudes. The wealthy class often have more resources and channels to obtain information, allowing them to make more informed consumption choices. Relatively speaking, lower-class consumers face information asymmetry. They are more affected in their choices and are susceptible to manipulation by brands and advertising, which may cause them to fall into a consumption trap invisibly.
Consumption is not only a function of the market, but also a social phenomenon that profoundly affects people's lives and relationship networks.
In addition, the rapid development of social media has made consumer behavior more visible. On the one hand, such transparency promotes brand competition, and on the other hand, it also increases the psychological burden on consumers. Those living at the bottom of society often feel inferior and isolated because they are unable to participate in the consumer trend, further exacerbating social class differentiation.
Putting the focus back on the current social phenomenon, we will find that the arrival of the era of high consumption allows people to enjoy material life, but also leaves many unsolved social problems. How should we today rethink the relationship between consumption and class in order to create a more equitable and harmonious society?
