Introduction
The purpose of this essay is to analyze the argument of Thomas Frank regarding the commodification of dissent to Anne Norton’s argument in which she argues that shopping identifies consumer culture and help them prove their identity. This paper will explain how desire to look cool and trendy according to Thomas is similar to Norton’s argument of choice and cultural identity.
Discussion
According to Frank, the pretenders or poseurs try to adopt the sub-culture and in doing so often look awkward and un-natural. The desire poseurs to look cool, according to the sub-culture explains the success of marketers that they are able to create the desire. The marketers know the psychological aspects that no customer likes uniformity and…show more content… The period today is the age of information and each customer is obsessed with the information. They gain the knowledge from information media and the shopping malls. As stated before the women feel like walking in a dictionary full of fashion vocabulary, they adopt the latest fashion styles (Thomas, 166). At the same, possession of knowledge makes them enjoy shopping. They interact with other shoppers and gain the knowledge of the latest and rebellious trends. They want the most attractive commodity displayed in the window so they behave like rebellious guerrillas who can on the enemy terrain to get what they want (Norton, 107). They bargain and sometimes even fight with the seller to get the different and cool commodity they want for…show more content… The desire to look different and gain identity is present in buying behavior of consumers. If the blue jeans is being marketed in a way that it make consumer feel different, they will buy it, and otherwise they will deny buying it. For men if the jeans is presented as a masculine commodity they will definitely buy it to enhance their masculinity. But, if the same jeans is presented in a way that a nerd or lean man is wearing it, they will not buy it, as it will not attract them. The identify is not consumer created which depicts their culture, rather it is marketing generated. The marketers present commodities in a way that customers think that it is their identity. To gain the identity which is shown to them on the media, the consumers think outside the box and yearn to buy the commodity differentiates their identity from others. The markers use the ‘you attitude’ to attract consumers. For example, the detriments like this