Essay Proposal

Essay title: ' Consumerism as a form on unconscious manipulation.'


Topics / content to write about:


Marxism


Branding


Retail Graphics


Capitalism 

Bourgeoisie, the commodity, proletariats

_ Control of the means of production in private hands

- Markete where labour power is bought and sold (inc humans - almost commodities)

- Production of commodities for sale 

- Use of money as a means of exchange

- Competition / meritocracy 

'Best suceed' etc 

Stature in society , to be at the top, its a competition

Base and superstructure

Base > Determines content and form of > super structure

> Superstructure > reflects form of legitimises> base

Educator > instrcuts (form of education)  Work > instructs (act although its normal, marxist reading into education)

Panopticism 

• Conformity 
• Being watched subconsciously makes you act in a certain way

Panopticism as a form of consumerist (behaviour?) manipulation.

Case study - Ikea, see short cuts, follow crowds (docile bodies?)

False consciousness

Idea of spectacle

Semiotics - Signs signify a meaning and cultural code, objects mean something more. The study of how things mean, not what things mean - Cultural code.To read culture in the same way we read language. Fashion is a cultural code. A 'punk like' attired man - a rebel subverting. Image of man in tie and suit - societys consensus - smart, status, business, societies view. Tie - purely symbolic - no function.

Commodity fetishism 

Fetisise commodities

Something that gets in the way of something else, used as a substitute

Trainers taking appearance of 'cool' , you being 'cool' mediated by trainers

Potential Bibliography: 


Research Williamson, J, Decoding advertisements
This will help me to gain a better understanding of how advertisements work in making people think a certain way, in creating an unconscious need and want for a product. It will outline the elements of design which do so. 


Freud - "The unconscious aggressive forces of human nature could be erupt in crowds"
This will give me some theories and case studies on human behaviour within a group and how factors can affect it. It will provide evidence for my essay title.


Commodity fetishism (marx, capital Vol.1)
The affect advertising has on us, and how we relate to products and we feel they represent something and us.


Material culture in the social world
Michael Foucault - Materialism and education 
Adorno - The cultural industry 


WHY THINGS IN BIB WILL HELP ME