Lecture 7 – Society and consumption
1. Liquid modernity and liquid consumption
Theory of liquid modernity – Characterizes the nature of late modernity as being fluid as a result of
the decrease in industrial production in the West and the rise of the service, knowledge, and digital
economies (Zygmunt Bauman)
Uncertainty, instability, and insecurity
Traditional source of security, such as family, community, and religion as well as social
institutions that guide behaviour (including marriage, nationality, class, and gender) undergo
swift changes and transformations (Bauman, 2020)
Shift from solidity to liquidity (solid society – couple of decades ago)
o Solid modernity – Ownership and possession ensured comfort and esteem in a
society where “bulk is power” and “big is beautiful” (Bauman, 2000) People had
solid lifestyles revolving around territorial possession
o Liquid modernity – Predictable and stable life trajectories (guaranteed retirement;
an owned home; lifelong career) become increasingly difficult to achieve. Life is
fluid, ambivalent and uncertain
o People have to be mobile, flexible and show a certain openness to change to
manage this constantly changing, fast-paced environment
o Liquid consumption – Ephemeral, access based, and dematerialized
Ephemerality: Short-lived and temporary, e.g., pop up stores – Offers value
to consumers in particular contexts, and the expiration date of this value is
increasingly shortening, (shorter life cycles e.g., news models of phones)
Access-based: Acquisition of consumption resources via renting, sharing, or
borrowing from each other (quick access, no attachment) (also access to a
lifestyle you normally could not have e.g., renting a handbag)
Dematerialized: Result of advancements in digital technologies, the cloud,
social media, and mobility technologies which has resulted in products
becoming increasingly lighter, smaller, and more portable, results from the
increasing desire for experiences as compared to material possessions (e.g.,
gifting experiences instead of things)
o Solid consumption – Enduring, ownership based, and tangible
Liquid vs Solid consumption
Solid consumption – Type and form of consumption that we traditionally engaged in
emphasizes object, attachment, the centrality of ownership, enduring consumer
involvement, and security and loyalty – all key concepts in the consumer behaviour
discipline
Liquid consumption – New concept in consumer behaviour challenges many of the
cornerstones of consumer behaviour such as, the importance of possessions and ownership,
the nature of relationships to products and brands, the role of brands for consumer
identities and the nature of brand attachment and communities
Consumer identity and the extended self
