Until recently, consumption was seen by social researchers as a hedonistic activity or the pursuit of pleasure for pleasure (Campnell 1995, Slater 2008). Consumer hedonism is associated with the first decade of the 2000s, called the "fat zero", when new infrastructure (shopping centers, credit cards, etc.) and increased incomes created conditions and opportunities for hedonistic consumption. In Scandinavia, the discourse of sustainable consumption is dominant, and related practices, such as separate garbage collection and recycling, are also dominant. The reuse of glass containers has become an integral part of people's daily life. The development of critical discourse in relation to consumption can be linked to the emergence of a new subject - a citizen consumer. It is contrasted with the consumer-buyer (customer consumer) (Cohen 2001). If the consumer buyer acts in accordance with the principle of pleasure and in order to maximize their own savings.
The consumer-citizen behaves in accordance with political responsibility and the thought of the common good. The consumer citizens behavior assumes that everyday purchases are filled with other meanings for him than pleasure and satisfaction of his own needs. The citizen consumer approaches the consequences of his choice responsibly, assesses their meaning and moral side. The emergence of the civil consumer is associated with the development of "political consumerism", a special type of daily activism in which the critical potential of consumption is used to influence the processes in society (Slater 2008). The activity of the civil consumer reflects different practices. These include "green", "eco", "responsible", "conscious" consumption (Littler 2009). In a general sense, these types can be called "ethical" consumption, which implies the purposeful, conscious acquisition of goods and services produced in accordance with ethical principles, while naming them with minimal harm to humans and the environment. Ethical consumption implies consumption of organic products; fair trade products; products for the manufacture of which no animal tests are applied (products-not-tested on animals); clothing that does not use child labor or create a working environment similar to that of slaves (non-sweatshop brands). Ethical consumption also means avoiding "unnecessary" purchases. A special place among consumer activism is occupied by the purchase of goods from local producers. Forms of ethical consumption: "boycott" - refusal to buy goods, and "buycott" – positive discrimination, acquisition of goods of companies that share ethical principles are considered as forms of political consumerism, which implies that the consumer has the opportunity to express his opinion and influence the public situation (Neilson 2010, Stromsnes 2009). Another direction in sustainable fashion is collaborative consumption. It refers to the sharing of things among people or communities, which is done either through personal interaction or with the participation of technology. Examples of collaborative use are the following: consumption acts as shared use of things, Barter, borrowing, exchange, rent, donation, swapping (Botsman & Rogers 2010).
Post a Comment