ENSC 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Original Affluent Society, Gross Domestic Product, Thorstein Veblen
11 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
Population, environment, and the consumer society: some framing issues. Shifting analysis on human population impact on environmental. Population as a driver behind environmental stres s, but also: Impacts) i = p x a x t. Help explain ease or difficulty of change (e. g. ozone depleting substances -- alternatives have been found, but also money to be made; climate change -- no alternatives yet, and huge economic costs) Institutions at micro (family), meso (schools), and macro (economy, government) levels shape our values and behaviours, limit our freedom to choose to go against the grain (e. g. bike instead of car, make gifts instead of buy, etc) Visions of the future: advertising, tv shows -- opulent lifestyles. Spatial aspects: department stores, malls, disney worlds, etc -- spaces to promote consumption. Imperative for ever expanding consumption = relentless commodification of new items (e. g. water; popcorn!) and planned obsolescence (e. g. nike shoes) Consumerism as economics: of gross domestic product (gdp) of industrialized countries.
