The document discusses key concepts around consumption and information technologies in postmodern society. It defines consumption and examines how identities are constructed through consumer goods. Subcultures engage in "bricolage" to develop distinctive styles using consumer items. New media technologies like the internet enable virtual reality, globalization, convergence and interactivity. However, some argue that an overreliance on technologies risks creating a "Technopoly" that undermines education and human cooperation.

1. The Post-
Modernization of
Everyday Life :
Consumption and
Information
Technologies

2. Defining
Consumption

3. The word consume dates back from
the 14th century and was used to
mean “something that was „used
up‟ or „destroyed‟”; such as to be
consumed by fire. Similarly, the
term „consumption‟ came into
usage in the 16th century to refer to
any disease that causes „wasting
away‟ such as TB.

4. Hence, consumption is most
often seen as an end point
and the direct opposite of
production which is seen as
the process of „creation‟,
rather than „destruction‟.

5. However, Lury suggest that
consumption needs to be
understood as part of a wider
„material culture‟ – a term given to
the study of „person-thing‟
relationships. That is to say, the
study of material culture is the
study of objects and how these are
used.

6. Lury suggests that consumer
objects should be seen to have a
social life of their own. That is to
say, consumer goods will have
changing and different meanings
through their lifespan, depending
on who is viewing or using them
and in what context they are
located.

7. Consumer goods are, therefore,
polysemic – open to multiple
readings and meanings. People
will use consumer goods in
different ways and they will
have different meanings for
different people.

8. The Birmingham School suggests
that subcultures engage in a
process of „bricolage‟, whereby
they use existing consumer goods,
but redefine and combine them to
develop a distinct style to mark
themselves out from the general
public and as a form of social
rebellion and resistance.

9. Goth

10. Goth
Someone who likes goth music
- a type of rock music which
often has words expressing
ideas about death or the end of
the world, wears black clothes,
and white make-up.

11. Hipster

12. Hipster
a youth subculture (mostly
from the middle class)
advocating universal love and
peace, communes and long
hair and very influenced by the
most recent ideas and fashions.

13. Thug

14. Thug
a thug is someone who is going
through struggles, has gone
through struggles, and continues
to live day by day with nothing
for them. That person is a thug.
A thug is NOT a gangster.

15. Preppy

16. Preppy
characteristic of a fashion style
of neat, simple, and often
expensive clothes; young but
classic: suggesting that the
wearer is upper class, and
conservative.

18. Cybergoth is a subculture that derives
from elements of cyberpunk and goth.
Unlike traditional goths, they follow
electronic dance music more often than
rock. They tend to wear primarily black
clothing with hints of neon colors, as well
as clothing made of reflective materials.
Their hair extensions or falls often
incorporate a bright color and multiple
piercings are typical.

20. Emo is stereotyped with
wearing close-fitting jeans,
sometimes in bright colors, and
tight T-shirts (usually short-
sleeved) which often bear the
names of emo bands. Studded
belts and black wristbands can
be accessories in emo fashion.

21. The emo fashion is also recognized for its
hairstyles including thin, flat and smooth
hair with lots of hair on the sides and back
of the head with long side-swept bangs,
sometimes covering one or both eyes. Also
popular is hair that is straightened or dyed
black. Bright colors, such as blue, pink,
red, or bleached blond, are also in emo
hairstyles. Short, choppy layers of hair are
also common

22. Important links can also be drawn
between consumption and
processes of communication. This
can be illustrated in the way
clothing and fashion act as a form
of language, communicating
meanings which are read (or
consumed) by others.

23. Hence, consumption can be
understood in a similar way to
processes communication, where
cycles of meanings (both intended
and not) are communicated and
consumed through and via
consumer goods, and interpreted,
re-interpreted and invested with
meaning by others.

24. Consumer
Societies

25. Consumer Society
a society in which people
often buy new goods,
especially goods which they
do not need, and which
places a high value on
owning many things

26. Many theorist have argued that
consumption has become the
central concern of
contemporary society, and that
we are entering a new era
based on the construction of
self-identity through consumer
goods.

27. Bauman argues that all
prior societies have been
primarily producers.
Hierarchies were based on
individual‟s position within
the production process.

28. However, in „our‟ consumer
society, an individual needs to
be a consumer first before one
can think of becoming
anything in particular. It is
consumption that defines who
we are and who we can be.

29. He also states that our ability to
consume which shapes and
influences our identity and social
status. In particular, he uses the
terms „tourist‟ and „vagabond‟ as
metaphors to describe the extent to
which people can participate in this
consumer society.

30. For the „tourist‟ consumer life
is about never staying in any
one place for too long, it is
always temporary, and they are
on never-ending journey of
consumption and endless
reinvention.

31. „Vagabonds‟ are the people
excluded from consumer
culture. The vagabond also
moves from place to place but
not because of desire, but
because they are not welcome
anywhere.

32. However, it is important to
recognize that not everyone
agrees with Bauman‟s
arguments. In particular, many
authors have questioned the
idea that our identities become
based only on consumer goods.

33. Campbell suggests that rather
than consumer items being
selected to construct an
identity, it is more likely that
items are selected on the basis
of whether they „fit‟ with our
„existing identities and
lifestyle‟.

34. Warde suggests that other
factors such as nationality,
ethnicity, occupation, and
family continue to play
important roles in shaping
our identities.

35. All in all, it is still
undeniable that
consumption is more
important today in our
everyday lives than ever
before in history.

37. In considering the social
and cultural significance of
new technologies, Flew
(2002) suggests six
interrelated key aspects of
new media and ICTs.

38. • Digitalization
• Convergence
• Interactivity
• Virtual Reality
• Globalization
•Networks

39. First, it is suggested that there is
increasingly a „digitalization‟ of
society and culture. That is to say,
there is occurring a major shift away
from analog technologies towards the
storage, delivery, and reception of
information in digital forms – which is
the storage and delivery of
information in binary codes.

41. With analog radios,
information is carried on
radio waves, which either
modulate (vary up & down)
in strength like an AM radio
or in frequency like the FM
radio.

43. Digital radio, though still
using modulation, sends
information in binary code,
allowing better quality of
sound and a wider choice of
radio stations.

44. However, digitalization
constitutes only a relatively
small advance in technology
which generally allows for
better quality and more
choice of media forms.

45. For instance, signal beacons
can be considered as a form of
binary code. Therefore, it is
questionable if digitalization is
necessarily „new‟ or has had
any significant impact on
cultural forms.

47. Second, there has also been a
„convergence‟ of technology on
several levels. There has been a
convergence on the level of
functionality – as increasing
new ICTs perform multiple
functions and services.

49. Likewise, there‟s been a
convergence of media forms
and types. Music, television
and film have been linked for
some time but increasingly
media forms are ever more
intertwined and interdependent

56. A third key features of many
new technologies is
„interactivity‟. Many new
media forms and ICTs claim to
provide their users with greater
levels of interactivity or user-
control.

57. For instance, video games give
their players multiple choices
and options, such as taking
control of a football team,
either as a player or a
manager.

58. Digital television also allows
the viewer several choices such
as key information to support
the program their watching, or
greater control, such as
watching a football match from
numerous different angles.

59. Social networking sites allow
users to easily create their own
profiles, pages and/or online
contents, which others can
view and act as a means of
social interaction, social
networking and meeting people

60. New ICTs also increase the
opportunity for individuals to
modify or change content and
media forms created by other
users. For instance online
games and contents.

61. The fourth concept often
associated with new ICTs is
that of „virtual reality‟ (VR). It
is the idea of occupying spaces
or personas outside of the
„real world‟.

62. For instance, Turkle argues
that the internet has allowed
people to play with their
identities and personas;
providing a new opportunity to
project their fantasies and
ideas into this virtual reality.

67. Another online gaming
phenomena has been
„SecondLife‟. In SecondLife,
you create an avatar with the
idea that you live out a second
(online) life.

68. There‟s no missions or set
objectives in this game, but rather
you can buy properties, clothing
and accessories, get tattoos and
piercings, furnish your home,
modify the way your avatar looks,
and interact with other „residents‟
of SecondLife.

69. You can even get a job or employ
other residents, and there is a
fluctuating exchange rate between
Linden dollars and the „real‟ US
dollars, which allows you to buy
currency in the game or exchange
money you earn in the game for
real cash.

70. This therefore demonstrates
not just the links between
„virtual‟ and „real‟ life, but
rather the importance of
understanding the use of new
ICTs as part of everyday life
and culture.

71. The fifth concept that is closely
linked to the rise of new media
technologies is that of
„globalization‟. This suggests that
the mass media and ICTs have
helped reduce a sense of distance
and time which allows people to
communicate globally almost
instantaneously.

72. „Network‟ is identified as a
final key feature of new media
and ICTs. Networks involve the
ability to carry large quantities
of information to a series of
interconnected points.

73. Networks involve technological
links, such as the Internet, but
they also involve links between
people, such as people
communicating via text
messages or Internet chat
rooms.

74. Consequences
of an
Information
Society

75. Both the level of impact of new
technologies have had on
society and culture, and the
degree to which these changes
can be seen as either positive or
negative, are also highly
debated issues.

76. For instance, new ICTs would
allow a much greater freedom
of publishing and authorship,
which would transform social
and political life, leading to
new democratic freedoms.

77. McLuhan (1964) suggested that
media forms could be divided into
„hot‟, which are closed,
unidirectional, and consisting of a
complete message, such as TV and
„cool‟ forms which are open,
multidirectional, interactive, and
require engagement such as the
internet.

78. However, conversely there are
numerous authors who point
towards what they see as the
negative consequences of new
ICTs and media, and the new
information-based society these
have led to.

79. Neil Postman suggests that
contemporary society can be seen
as „Technopoly‟; that is to say, a
society dominated and controlled
through new technological forms –
dominated by a blind faith in
science and technology, yet without
any purpose or meaning.

80. The prime example of this is the
computer, which Postman sees as
undermining education. Computers
have merely increased our reliance
upon it, which perpetuates the
creation of more and more
information but weakens and replaces
group learning, cooperation, and
social reasonability.

81. As Postman wrote: “Technopoly is
a state of culture. It consists in the
deification (becoming a god) of
technology, which means that
culture seeks its authorization in
technology, finds its satisfaction in
technology, and takes its orders
from technology.

82. Furthermore, the Hollywood film
industry, in films such as „The
Terminator‟ and „The Matrix‟ have
provided a vision of dystopian
futures where our reliance on
machines and technology leads to
the human race‟s subjugation to,
or at least conflict with,
technologies.