I explore our consumer society, looking at the history, philosophy, psychology, and sociology of what consumerism really means. Is it a useful concept? Where did it appear from? Are there alternatives? How is the desire that drives consumption manufactured? Are we shallow? Is there any possibility of ethical consumption? To help answer some of these questions I draw from thinkers including Jean Baudrillard, Fredric Jameson, and David Harvey.

Chapters:

0:00 – Our Consumer Society
4:43 – A History of Stuff
14:46 – Shopping for Definitions of Consumerism
17:33 – Let Me Be Your Fantasy (The Production of Desire)
25:52 – Copy Cats (Social Mimicry)
31:50 – Shopping for the Problem
43:49 – Real or Hyperreal? (Jean Baudrillard)
54:56 – Fredric Jameson’s Depthlessness
58:23 – David Harvey’s Postmodern Production
1:03:34 – Are We Shallow?
1:11:10 – Ethical Consumption & it’s Problems

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