Meandry konsumpcji we współczesnym społeczeństwie: konsumpcjonizm versus dekonsumpcja
Meanders in Consumption in Contemporary Society: Consumerism versus Deconsumption

Summary/Abstract: The characteristic discriminant of contemporary societies, particularly in economicallydeveloped countries, is, on the one hand, the expansion of consumerism invarious spheres of economic and social life, while on the other hand, it is the attemptto restrict excessive consumption. The principal aim of this paper is the descriptionof the chosen changes in consumption in contemporary society and their economicconsequences. The author searches for answers to the following question: What orientationsmark out the behaviour of consumers in the market? In the search for answersto this question, the orientation towards excessive consumption that is stimulatedby the ideology of consumerism and deconsumption as a protest against consumerismhave been placed under analysis. In analysing the ideology of consumerism,the main styles of consumerism have been indicated as follows: consumptionof pleasures, compulsive consumption and symbolic consumption. In contrast to thebehaviour associated with over-consumption, the behaviour in pursuit of the restrictionof the consumption of goods indirectly connected with actual needs hasbeen described, namely sustainable consumption and anti-consumption, as well asthe voluntary simplicity movement in consumption.

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