Explain the view that shopping is about both lifestyle and need.

The first 200 words of this essay...

Essay Plan

Introduction

Define consumer society

Briefly introduce 'seduced' and 'repressed'

Main body

Elaborate on 'seduced' and 'repressed' theory

Big retail parks/supermarkets v local businesses

Restriction of choices

Conclusion

Evidence of shopping for both lifestyle and need

Criticisms of Bauman's theory

TMA 02

Explain the view that shopping is about both lifestyle and need.

Many social scientists now agree that we have progressed into what is now known as a 'consumer society'. A consumer society is one in which people see themselves defined by what they own or what they are able to purchase, whether all that is purchased is necessary or not. This is in contrast to previous societies, such as the industrialist society, where wealth, social class and occupation defined status. Through consumption we are now able to create our own individual identities that are not directly connected to our occupation or social class, but to our consumption. Whereas in previous societies shopping would have been an essential activity where people would purchase basic necessities in order to live, it has now become far more of a social activity, where people regularly purchase items beyond