Lifestyles and consumption
1. Introduction
Lifestyle
We all have a intuitive feeling of what it touches upon. We do relate it to status, to identities. Certain
similarities across the definitions:
- English dictionary: the particular way that a person or group lives and the values and ideas
supported by that person or group
- Business English: someone’s way of living, for example the things they usually do, where they
live, what they spend their money on, etc.
- The distinctivve pattern of personal and social behaviour and social behaviour characteristic of
an individual or a group.
Consumption
Using and taking goods and services. Processes related to an exchange of money or reciprocal
expectations are regarded as acts of consumption. Doesn’t only involve buying.
- Buying, eating, drinking, travelling, wearing clothes
Studied in different fields: different ideas about what consumption entails. Economy (processes of
demand), sociology (symbolic acts, relate to class, status and taste), psychology (attitudes, decision
making processes), business administration (marketing, strategly influence consumption patterns).
Very fragmented field with different topics, methods.
Taking place in changing societies, different times, markets and cultures. Reflecting social
embeddedness of markets and moral limits. Different norms per society.
- Consumption relates to the time we live in Sigaret holder for visitors, nowadays drinks or
snacks at home. Rookvrije generatie.
- Consumption related to society we live in protest by women who advocated for legal option
of abortion. Ook demonstranten die tegen abortus strijden voor klinieken. Whether this is a
health care service or not. Creation of new market. Ship: women on waves, getting abortion in
countries where this is not a legal option.
- Related to postion in system of social classes klassieke muziek, Frans Bauer. How we stand as
a person in a social order. Popular culture vs. high culture (related to higher social class). Theater,
classical concert, popular concert Frans Bauer – related to position in system of social classes.
Goods and services more than variation in price and function
- Different use and meanings
- Different degrees of social acceptance
- Different forms or markets: formal and informal
Processes like choosing a product or service, buying, using, repairing or managing waste
Trends: sustainability & digitalisation
Need for sustainable action. How we deal with waste, seperate & recycle. Peerby: service, digital
application, people share stuff/belongings rather than buying it yourself (household equipment).
(not) purchasing (second-hand/remanufactured), swopping, exchanging, fitging, returning,
repairing, renting/leasing, caring for products.
1. Introduction
Lifestyle
We all have a intuitive feeling of what it touches upon. We do relate it to status, to identities. Certain
similarities across the definitions:
- English dictionary: the particular way that a person or group lives and the values and ideas
supported by that person or group
- Business English: someone’s way of living, for example the things they usually do, where they
live, what they spend their money on, etc.
- The distinctivve pattern of personal and social behaviour and social behaviour characteristic of
an individual or a group.
Consumption
Using and taking goods and services. Processes related to an exchange of money or reciprocal
expectations are regarded as acts of consumption. Doesn’t only involve buying.
- Buying, eating, drinking, travelling, wearing clothes
Studied in different fields: different ideas about what consumption entails. Economy (processes of
demand), sociology (symbolic acts, relate to class, status and taste), psychology (attitudes, decision
making processes), business administration (marketing, strategly influence consumption patterns).
Very fragmented field with different topics, methods.
Taking place in changing societies, different times, markets and cultures. Reflecting social
embeddedness of markets and moral limits. Different norms per society.
- Consumption relates to the time we live in Sigaret holder for visitors, nowadays drinks or
snacks at home. Rookvrije generatie.
- Consumption related to society we live in protest by women who advocated for legal option
of abortion. Ook demonstranten die tegen abortus strijden voor klinieken. Whether this is a
health care service or not. Creation of new market. Ship: women on waves, getting abortion in
countries where this is not a legal option.
- Related to postion in system of social classes klassieke muziek, Frans Bauer. How we stand as
a person in a social order. Popular culture vs. high culture (related to higher social class). Theater,
classical concert, popular concert Frans Bauer – related to position in system of social classes.
Goods and services more than variation in price and function
- Different use and meanings
- Different degrees of social acceptance
- Different forms or markets: formal and informal
Processes like choosing a product or service, buying, using, repairing or managing waste
Trends: sustainability & digitalisation
Need for sustainable action. How we deal with waste, seperate & recycle. Peerby: service, digital
application, people share stuff/belongings rather than buying it yourself (household equipment).
(not) purchasing (second-hand/remanufactured), swopping, exchanging, fitging, returning,
repairing, renting/leasing, caring for products.
