Chapter 26: Image-Based Culture February 23rd 2015

Some of the values and we live by today come from our 'consumer culture'. A consumer culture is defined as "a system in which consumption, a set of behaviors found in all times and places, is dominated by the consumption of commercial products." (UWY) "The institutional structure of the consumer society orients the culture more and more towards the world of commodities" (Jhally 246). What does this mean? Simply, we are being told what we want. Before the industrial society that we live in today, there was an agrarian-based society, meaning the family, community, religion, etc, of the society were the main creators of social norms. This has been lest behind to form our industrial and consumer societies. The public discourse began by transmitting information about products. It began as text-based, and then advanced to vivid color pictures with text along side. As technology progressed, so did this public discourse (or advertising). Naturally, it shifted to radio, and then television as a way of commercial communication. Advertisers used imagistic models of representation. As the consumer society evolved, people began to realize that they could also advertise non-essential goods, and make them seem they are essential to the average person. At this point, advertisers had to educate the public as well as sell their products. "Consumer society was literally being taught how to read commercial messages" (Jhally 247). This is a prime example of the consumers being told what they want. And in today's society, advertising is everywhere. Now, advertisers are trying to show how products are connected to important parts of our lives, and how these products will make us happy. Surveys show that people want things like control over their lives, loving relationships, happy family lives, self esteem, and relaxed leisure time to make them happy. The market society is trying to show that these things can be achieved via institutions and structures that orient such behavior. Advertisers are using this idea to portray "the good life". They are offering visions of what this would look like with use of their products. So because people want to be happy, and advertisers are showing them how to be happy with their products, people feel the need to buy the products. They are trying to sell us back our emotions and dreams through advertising. But this doesn't really work. Advertisers are telling us what you have will make you happy, as opposed to who you are. This is all affecting the way we see ourselves and our lives, making us feel unhappy. It is better to buy than not to buy; happiness lies at the end of a purchase. These are all ways that advertisers are trying to make it seem like we need the products the are selling. They are actually changing out culture, and the way we see the future. We need all these products to be happy. But that really isn't the case.