Blog 1: Lecture Reflection Task
I found the lecture on culture extremely interesting. For a long time I have been questioning the relationship between the consumerist society in which we live in and how it can almost be incompatible with nourishing our human souls and needs. The way in which we determine our personal value, our position in society, the way in which we establish and show that we have achieved our goals is all done through materialistic statements. It is a topic of great complexity because the current economic system allows for greater freedom and higher standards of living but at the same time it is a system that always has us longing for something that is unattainable. This is specially true with fashion. The way in which we dress is highly symbolic as it is used to establish our socioeconomic position, it can often show our aspirations and our hopes.
We are a society that relies on materialistic goods to be fulfilled, to feel a part of something. We have sacrificed our enjoyment of life and what it has to offer in order to work long hours and as a result be able to buy more. My generation has been brought up in a way in which we don’t even question if we agree with this trade off in which productivity and efficiency rule our lives and determine our value as individuals. However, if we take a step back and look in, it seems ludicrous. One does not have to adhere to these standards and the fashion industry can be a medium that can urge people to question this. Do we really need to cave into fast fashion, do we need a Rolex to prove that we have made it, and more importantly do we have to wreck our planet in order to satisfy ourselves in such a superficial way?
Instead of continuing to fall into this intricate net of consuming like a headless chicken we should try to consume in a way that supports culture, artisan work and that is kind to our planet. Consumption is a necessary evil and so is our current economic system but by changing our lifestyle habits we can have a big impact and shape society so that it can truly meet our needs. It is a matter of putting thought into what we do, being more generous and in touch with ourselves. We don’t have to blindly follow this consumerist culture but we don’t have to avoid it completely, we simply need to shop contentiously remembering that everything is interconnected and every decision we make has a consequence on many other aspects of life.