Consumer culture and you: What qualifies as consoomerism and what doesnt? -

[The_Dank_Astero]

To prevent the thread from being derailed: I have created a thread on what is and isn't consoomerism.

So yea.

Original thread:

https://kiwifarms.net/threads/consoomers-consoomer-culture.85636/

 

[Ita Mori]

If you:
- Don't need it.
- Won't use it to make money.
- Got "hyped" for it.
- Want it on a whim.
- Have no practical use for it.
- Already know you're going to replace it with a newer model as soon as it's available even if your current item works perfectly well or even exceeds expectations.
- Feel buying it gives you a sense of belonging to a certain group or society.
- Use your purchases as a replacement for a lack of personality.
- Will not genuinely cherish your purchase.

You're consooming.

 

[Weed Eater]

If you:
- Don't need it.
- Won't use it to make money.
- Got "hyped" for it.
- Want it on a whim.
- Have no practical use for it.
- Already know you're going to replace it with a newer model as soon as it's available even if your current item works perfectly well or even exceeds expectations.
- Feel buying it gives you a sense of belonging to a certain group or society.
- Use your purchases as a replacement for a lack of personality.

You're consooming.

Is the Kiwi Coin under the "consoomer" target then?

 

[Rusty Crab]

I disagree with most of the above because then basically any hobby and every hobby gets classified as consoomerism.

Except for the last two.

Product consumption as a substitute for personality is a problem. Fanboyism is another big one. Apple users are especially prone to this. There's a few Apple consumers that can actually justify the purchase of such a product... but the vast majority are unironic consoomers that have been duped by marketing and now consooming product has become a significant part of their identity.

 

[Ita Mori]

Is the Kiwi Coin under the "consoomer" target then?

Are you going to cherish it? Did you buy it just for the coin or to help support the forums and the coin is simply a perk?
If you have a motive, it can be argued it's not consooming. You can only buy so many anime toys and funko pops before you run out of genuine excuses.

 

[Weed Eater]

Are you going to cherish it? Did you buy it just for the coin or to help support the forums and the coin is simply a perk?
If you have a motive, it can be argued it's not consooming. You can only buy so many anime toys and funko pops before you run out of genuine excuses.

Good reasonings indeed. You can only get so much enjoyment out of plastic vs. knowing you supported a small site.

 

[verissimus]

Here's an example of consumerism

The opposite I suppose would be to avoid brands as much as possible.

 

[I Love Beef]

Consuume is rooted mainly out of an impersonal and egotistic need than anything meaningful, be it personal or monetary.

As shown with @verissimus's example, consuum is based solely on trends only because they're popular than anything you find meaningfully interesting and think that they'll make you popular. Another is thinking that if you throw money at something, that gives you an entitled position to have any say in where that product's creators and producers go simply because you own something they made in some fucky consumer-producer psychosis based relationship that doesn't even exist nor anyone fucking cares about.

I admit, this shit is a very slippery slope. New shit produced in the world is especially suspect to this, obviously because the corporate and consumerist based society we engage in is beginning to show more and more of its flaws on just about every level. But a difference is that if I don't see you jerking your dick because you feel better than anyone else online or in real life because you own something, it's perhaps none of my fucking business and I should just hope for the best.

 

[Flip: Draw 2]

Like @Rusty Crab said, It's difficult to differentiate between a CONSOOMER and a hobbyist/collector. A consoomer collects funko pops but what differentiates that from say, a coin collector? (very boomer, I know)
I took a shower and here's what I came up with. If what you're buying has all 3 qualities listed it counts as consooming.

1. No meaningful interaction: The product cannot be played with or interacted with even if marketed as a toy.
2. No "Hunt": There is no sort of way to procure said item outside of merely buying one outright either from someone that has it or directly from the producer.
3. No substantial return on investment: The product is either not a meaningful upgrade over past installments or not a meaningful addition to the current collection.

The first category eliminates most hobbyists such as Warhammer players who despite paying hundreds for cheap plastic they do get meaningful interaction with said product. The second category rules out "rare thing" collectors such as card and coin collectors as their hobby does involve hunting down things that are rare. The third criteria simply excludes people who buy expansions to their hobby and includes people who buy every new phone every year with minimal difference.

Funko pop collectors check all three boxes. Firstly, you can't really play with a Funko so strike one. Every rare Funko pop's value comes solely from a limited release at either events or as fucking Hot Topic employee gifts so there's not a "hunt" outside of finding an Ebay seller that happens to have one so strike two. Finally, buying more Funkos doesn't actually improve your collection. You just have another same-face funko whose price is a bit higher than the others. The more you buy, the quicker they lose value until they lose all their individuality and simply become another brick in "the wall."

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

If you:
- Won't use it to make money.

You're consooming.

If you aren't buying things to make even more money to buy more things, you are consoomer

 

[Thiletonomics]

If you:
- Don't need it.
- Won't use it to make money.
- Got "hyped" for it.
- Want it on a whim.
- Have no practical use for it.
- Already know you're going to replace it with a newer model as soon as it's available even if your current item works perfectly well or even exceeds expectations.
- Feel buying it gives you a sense of belonging to a certain group or society.
- Use your purchases as a replacement for a lack of personality.
- Will not genuinely cherish your purchase.

You're consooming.

Those points scarily fit some Tesla fans, who don't hesitate to give Uncle Elon more of their hard earned money, to buy a third or more Tesla, just because it's a Tesla. Although the last part wouldn't apply for the most diehard of Tesla fanboys.

 

[Uncle Warren]

Is the Kiwi Coin under the "consoomer" target then?

There's a bit of value with holding pure silver. If somehow the price skyrockets you can sell it for profit.

 

[The Last Stand]

I would say consoom culture would be buying something associated with a brand regardless of quality or worth, no questions asked.

Almost like being religiously attached to said brand or franchise.

 

[Marissa Moira]

Those points scarily fit some Tesla fans, who don't hesitate to give Uncle Elon more of their hard earned money, to buy a third or more Tesla, just because it's a Tesla. Although the last part wouldn't apply for the most diehard of Tesla fanboys.

If i don't buy car I don't get moon rocket trip, simple as.

 

[Ita Mori]

If you aren't buying things to make even more money to buy more things, you are consoomer

You realize it's a collective list, right?

 

[Pixy]

Being a consoomer would be buying a dud product that develops issues early on, and then moaning about it while continuing to use said product, rather than exercising their consumer rights.

To some extent, I would say most people are consoomers because of that alone. If you aren't making use of your consumer rights and guarantees and instead accepting whatever excuses the company/store tells you, or worse yet - just buying something new, you're already kowtowing to them. Admittedly, most people aren't aware of consumer law, which is something companies and retailers would prefer to remain the status quo.

 

[Dom Cruise]

It's only a serious problem if you think that's all there is to life, if you never think deeper thoughts about philosophy, Religion, the meaning of life, the big question of "why are we here"?

If you're just happy as a clam with a pure consumerist lifestyle and you have no real curiosity about anything else or you react with hostility towards anything deeper than that then it's a real problem.

I also think it depends on what your consuming, if all your pop culture type interests are 100% normie shit with nothing weirder, more thought provoking or simply less mainstream that interests you then it's also a problem, everyone should have at least one interest that is a little weird or isn't totally mainstream than literally consuming nothing but mainstream media, sports, etc.

In other words anyone that's afraid of a little deepness or weirdness needs more curiosity.

 

[Lone MacReady]

Samworth Hydington has already given the knockout lesson on CONSOOMERs.

 

[Cabelaz]

Back in the day my friends called me a consoomer for buying a bunch of expensive CSGO skins but I made $4000 profit off them so who's laughing now

 

[John Titor]

I define it as having undying brand loyalty or someone letting their excess purchases override their life. I knew someone who bought expensive guns and then whined about how broke they were. I also know they were not bought for self-defense.