NOWADAYS CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AS ONE DIMENSIONAL SOCIETY

NOWADAYS CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AS ONE DIMENSIONAL SOCIETY

By Wahyu Budi Nugroho

            Issuing consumerism society which is shown throught consume behavior by priorate lifestyle more than lifeneeds, actually has begun in 60's era. At the first time, it is blew up by some Frankfurt University social and hummanities thinker such as Herbert Marcuse, Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. They also known well as the first generation of Frankfurt Schule who introducing critical theory contained several critics to the modern society life.

            The consumtive behavior as one of the modern society characteristics can not separated by the economic concept of John Maynard Keynes. In an intention to solve the great depression that reiched almost all of the world in 1930's, he adviced the government to do at least three urgent policy; rethinking of free trade, provide the working field and doing public sector investation. Undirectly, all of that policies produced middle class at the social structure that integrate to the capitalism system.

            The economic characteristic of middle class probable theirself to cover all needs and buy all goods as they want, we can also say that spend money and get what they want such as a kind of their life fun—that is consumerism. But unfortunetly, they often spend over the capacity and cause the high level of credit and loan. The Oprah Winfrey's Show shown it by invite them who spend too much, they have a luxurious house, several luxurious cars, and many of high class goods, but the fact they also have a huge loan.

            Denzin, social scientist who focused on media studies said that capitalism has committed to advertise their product throught every way: cinemas, television, radio, newspaper, megazine, banner, etc. The social scientist's parody of James Bond film titled Die Another Day to Buy Another Day might represented it well. In other hand, Marcuse called the nowadayas society as “One Dimensional Society”. It is caused by how easy they effected by comercial product then buy it.

            At this time, we face that nor the middle class but also lower class like labourer who trapped in consumerism life. The developing of democratic and equality thought also became the causing variable; labourer can use the same pant merk as their boss, they can go to the same cinemas as their boss, etc.. All above, gave as perception that lifestyle imitation injured our society throught what Baudrillard said as “simulacrum”.

            Inspite all above, the most important thing is find a way to solve this consumerism society problem. As we know, the concept of sublimation represive by Marcuse failed and the public sphere of Habermas given't concret result till now. Our last hope is the government that actually has a huge role to prevent society consumerism if they realize it by control the media concern the massive advertising of many corporation.