Open AccessSession 4 ‐ Markets, Media and Meanings Simon Roberts (Intel, Ireland), Curator: How Consumers Create Value in a Recession Economy
Author(s) -
Malefyt Timothy de Waal
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
ethnographic praxis in industry conference proceedings
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1559-8918
pISSN - 1559-890X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-8918.2009.tb00140.x
Subject(s) - narrative , recession , value (mathematics) , purchasing , sharing economy , consumption (sociology) , session (web analytics) , consciousness , sociology , competence (human resources) , advertising , psychology , social psychology , business , marketing , economics , political science , social science , law , computer science , art , machine learning , neuroscience , keynesian economics , literature
This essay examines a conscious shift in the cultural flows of consumption practices. It explores the ways consumers are generating and sharing shopping competence as a new form of value. I argue that a shift in consumer consciousness and resulting open social discourse around shopping practices are creating a new consumption narrative in the recession. This narrative celebrates the resourceful and collective acts of people who transform modes of restriction (cutting back) into a positive social value of thrift. As people are practicing more thoughtful purchasing styles they are also more communicative with others in sharing their shopping strategies and ways of savings. Social changes are thus arising out of these adjustments in shopping behaviors. Such emergent shopping behaviors amplify a new sociability that demonstrates more appropriate ways to spend and save on commodities. This change shows that consumers are not just accepting new attitudes and behaviors towards shopping because they have to, but are doing so to be in tune with the spirit of the times.