writing culture & media, sociology

Assignment #1

Consumer Culture and You

 

For this assignment, you will write about a way in which you are personally a part of larger consumer culture. Write about a product you recently bought and truly like. Then, think about how this object helps illustrate who you are, what you are “about”, and how you perceive yourself. Re-read the section in the Conley text, titled, Consumer Culture (in the chapter on Culture and Media) and think about the point of view suggesting that consumerism goes beyond the simple act of purchasing items and can be considered one way people engage in acts that help them to feel happy and fulfilled.

Write your answer in a short-essay format in a separate document. Then, upload that document to the turnitin.com link in the Assignment #1 Folder. 

· Work Count: 350 or more.

· Plagiarism Score: Anything above 30 is problematic.

· Citation Style: American Sociological Association (ASA).

· Reference Requirement: Provide at least one reference to the Conley textbook chapter on Culture and Media.

Example: Paragraph 1 – Tell the story of your purchase.

I recently bought new dining room chairs. I love these chairs for many reasons. For example, I put a lot of time and energy into the acquisition of these chairs. I did a lot of research on them and even went to a physical store to look at and sit in the chairs. After deciding they were just right, I created a budget for the chairs, bought them, and picked them up them from the company's warehouse. Finally, I assembled the chairs, placed them at my dining room table and posted their pictures on social media so I could share my new goodies with others.

Paragraph 2 – Answer the following questions:

· Does this item in any way help establish or demonstrate who you are, what you are “about”, and how you perceive yourself? 

· How so?

Thinking of how this purchase links me to the larger social institution of consumerism, I find several connections between my personal identity and consumer culture. First, I think these chairs help express some ideas regarding who I consider myself to be as an individual. For instance, I am a big fan of mid-century modern furniture and design aesthetics. Therefore, I believe that buying this style of chairs tells others that I enjoy midcentury modern design. Second, I think these chairs highlight my knowledge about interior design and history.

In the text’s chapter three section Consumer Culture Dalton Conley (date) explains that corporations sell more than just products; they also sell ideas like “student’s chosen quote and the in-text citation was here" to individuals. Considering this point of view, I think purchasing these chairs can be interpreted as relating to ideas about my own self-image. From my perspective, my new chairs communicate specific messages about my lifestyle and tastes. I also believe that buying the chairs can be linked to a sense of belonging to a community of individuals who decorate their homes with mid-century modern furniture. I will go one step further and say that exposure to media—specifically the Dick Van Dyke Show—informed many things I know about my chairs' design style and motivated me to engage in consumerism and buy them. These are examples of ways that my personal identity and consumer action have ties to social institutions, like media, and social constructions, such as status and self-image.  

Reference:

Chapter Ref: Conley, Dalton. Date. “Culture and Media”. Pp # in You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist. edited by Justin Cahill. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

Book Ref: Conley, Dalton. Date. You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist. New York, NY.