Consumption And Identity

Question 1

TRUE OR FALSE:
Lyotard says that metanarratives no longer explain people’s identities

Answer 1

TRUE:
- Postmodernists say identity is more fluid
- Leisure and consumption impacts identity now
- Bocock- consumer choices define identity

Question 2

How can leisure impact identity?

Answer 2

• Leisure is becoming more privatised
• Football and music is available in the home now
• People can buy into leisure to promote their identities

Question 3

How can tourism impact identity?

Answer 3

• Cultural experiences to enhance lifestyles
• Museums and art galleries are no longer exclusively high culture
• Urry- tourism is sold on the basis of identity packaging

Question 4

Who talks about the tourist gaze?

Answer 4

Urry

Question 5

What is the tourist gaze?

Answer 5

Tourists view and consume different objects, scene, experiences, landscapes and townscapes, e.g. heritage tourism

Question 6

What does Baidrillard say about tourism?

Answer 6

Tourism involves reconstructions which are designed to appeal to tourist imaginations, simulations where imaginary things are presented as real

Question 7

What does Baudrillard say about a media saturated society?

Answer 7

The media creates desires and pressures to consume, class does not form identity anymore

Question 8

What does Strinati say about a media saturated society?

Answer 8

Bombared daily by popular culture, it dominates how we define ourselves

Question 9

Who spoke about the reflexive self?

Answer 9

Giddens

Question 10

What did Bauman and May say about shopping for identities?

Answer 10

• Advertising products is about selling the symbolic significance of the goods not just the product itself
• Label is more important than product
• People in adverts act as lifestyle models
• DIY identity kits
• Life is a shopping mall where you can try and choose whatever you want

Question 11

How does occupation influence leisure time?

Answer 11

Work affects time and money people have to spend on leisure time, Parker says whether you enjoy your job or not impacts leisure choices

Question 12

How does social class influence leisure time?

Answer 12

• Scranton and Bramham- postmodernists ignore that leisure activities are only available to the well off in society
• Some people have more choice than others
• Some lower class are denied activities
• Shopping is about seeing bargains not identities you want
• Lifestyles influenced by cultural capital

Question 13

How does age influence leisure time?

Answer 13

Leisure of young people tends to be spent outside home with friends, more leisure centered than other groups

Question 14

How does the family life cycle influence leisure time?

Answer 14

• Young couples with their own homes/ children have more restricted leisure activities
• People have more disposable income when they have less dependent children
• Ill health can limit leisure activities

Question 15

How does gender influence leisure time?

Answer 15

• Socialisation gives men and women different leisure interests
• Women have less time than men, due to unpaid labour as well as work
• Deem- women’s leisure activities often combine with childcare
• Green, Hebron and Woodward- patriarchy restricts leisure opportunities

Question 16

How does ethnicity impact leisure choices?

Answer 16

• Certain ethnic groups do activities due to cultural expectations
• Some ethnic minorities are restricted by racism
• Asian women more likely to be restricted to home activities
• Robert’s- Asian workers work more so they can go and visit family back home
• Younger British born ethnic minority people are less affected by culture

Question 17

How can the pursuit of profit impact leisure choices?

Answer 17

• Clarke and Critcher- leisure is a multinational industry, employing millions worldwide to make profit
• People don’t have free choice of activities, advertising convinces people to buy into latest trends, benefits capitalism