Definition:
Consumerism is a social and economic ideology that encourages the acquisition of goods and services as a primary route to fulfilment, identity, and status.
Usage Context:
Used in cultural critique, economics, advertising analysis, and discussions of lifestyle and identity.
Critical Note:
Consumerism reframes desire as need and consumption as self-expression. Structural problems are redirected into individual purchasing decisions.
Related Terms:
Manufactured Demand, Commodified Desire, Status Anxiety, Upgrade Culture, Artificial Scarcity