Comment by hx8
18 hours ago
The entire activity of going to buy a few things for around the house during the weekend is something that is performed by a consumer. This guy is exactly talking about you, but you aren't seeing it because your own internal identity isn't Consumer it's something like "guy who wants a chill weekend." However in the marketplace your identity is consumer.
I think we're just arguing semantics at this point. From an economic definition you, me, and everyone else who has to exchange money for goods and services is a consumer. I'm referring to consumer culture/consumerism, which wikipedia defines in a cleaner way than I can. Buying groceries period makes you a consumer, having a weird sense of superiority because you go to a specific grocery store is consumerism.
> In contemporary consumer society, the purchase and the consumption of products have evolved beyond the mere satisfaction of basic human needs,[1] transforming into an activity that is not only economic but also cultural, social, and even identity-forming.
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumerism
What point are you even making?
We all have to eat, we all have to wipe our asses, we (mostly) all need to change the oil in our cars.
I don’t really see the purpose in describing the purchase of necessities as an identity.
I'm specifically trying to make the point that identity is not just a personal experience -- the experience of how you see yourself. Identity is also a label that can be placed upon you.
Parent Comment was trying to reject the personal identity of consumer while their words actively affirming their identity as a consumer in the marketplace. You can reject the personal identity of a consumer all you want, but businesses will still judge you by your actions (how much you spend).
Parent Comment was responding to a person talking about self-identity and not the mere fact that everyone buys things. "This guy is exactly talking about you" is completely wrong, OP was not talking about every person ever.