Consumer passions: modernity and the birth of consumer culture

Part 1: the birth of modern era
If we look back about 250 years ago much of day to day lives were taken for granted. But with the industrial revolution in 18th century in England , modern society was born.
With the Industrial revolution it meant factories could operate through the night, mass production , massive employment in the cities resulting in un-employment in the countryside. There was a shift of population from rural to urban. It radically changed how people related to the world and each other.
 eg; SS Great Britain combined steam and sail power and no longer depended on winds. It meant the other side of the world was within reach / accessible.
 Part 2: the birth of consumer culture
Mechanisation of production meant that people didn't have time to produce/ grow their own food resulting in specialists like butchers, bakers.
Standardisation of weights and measures became an integral part.
All this gave rise to consumer culture- the idea of giving meaning to repetitive labour by interspersing leisure.
It meant the birth of the ' designer'. as against earlier when people were makers.
The material culture that arose as a result of technological innovation and mass production meant the working class could also afford the more ornate and desirable objects. All this contributed to the discussion about ' truth of materials'( hand made , unique v/s machine made and mass produced)
The invention of the steam- powered printing press meant the production of printed material was abundant, giving rise to increase in literacy levels , birth of graphic design, advertising and brand, packaging, lifestyle magazines.

Industrialisation also resulted in :

• a shift of political power
• diffusion of money and hence power to the middle class
• status being defined by property, wealth and not land or titles
• increased separation of domestic and public domains
• Middle class men were demanding and getting political rights/ power that equalled their new economic power ( women and children earned lower wages compared to men)
• middle class women became extension of their man's power
• items were produced to communicate the taste and values of their consumer eg; Harper's Bazaar magazine
• objects were not valued according to their ' use value' or even the ' exchange value'( Marx) but increasingly for their ' symbolic value'. ( Jean Baudrillard)
• in a capitalist system money=power
• conspicuous consumption- we don't just buy what we need but  to show everyone ( so it is visible)
• conspicuous leisure - women were out showing power / money through their leisure activities.

Part 3: Spaces of Consumption

• In response to this new kind of consumer new spaces of consumption were created: shopping arcades, departmental stores
• the flaneur- term coined by Charles Baudelaine, someone who walks in the city
• the museum- consume culture, artifacts
• the gallery eg; Louvre changed from a palace to a museum establishing national identity and national pride.
• the theatre i.e. the entertainment industry ( the seating plan showed power and class divide)
• cinemas were re-modelled

Conclusion

•  Technology has a massive impact by radically altering our lives
•  led to modern era
• birth of consumer culture- person's identity became tied up with what they consume
•  consumption was not based on necessity but desire