Prosumption involves a process of both production and
consumption (Ritzer, G, Jurgenson, N, 2010). After reading Ritzer and Jurgenson’s article on Consumer Culture (2010),
I realised that like many other students, I am a definite prosumer. I believe
that ‘prosumption’ has evidently grown and become more popular in today’s
society due to the rise of social media. Unfortunately, I am very ashamed of
what I am a prosumer of. It’s nail polish. I don’t know why, but I am
constantly looking for new shades and styles of nail polish and/or nail stickers
that I can’t help but add my growing collection. I’m ashamed of my guilty
pleasure simply because it’s the most obtuse and ridiculous obsession to have,
nonetheless, I’m addicted
However, I am not completely at fault for my pointless addiction. OPI,
other known as, Odontorium Products Inc, is one of the most ludicrously
priced nail polish brands there is, and of course, it’s my personal favorite. In
2011, OPI introduced an iphone application that was a virtual “try-it-on”
studio for their collection of nail colours, to help give users a virtual look
on what the nail polish would look like on their skin tone. So in hindsight,
they basically created an app for people too lazy to go and look at the nail
polishes in person. Yes I am one of those lazy people, and yes I loved the app.
With this app, OPI have encouraged my prosumer nature, giving me the ability to
easily browse then purchase their products.
“The development of technology in our
modern era has not only blurred the lines between cultural identities
(ultimately lending to an increased sense of globalisation), but has also
empowered human beings with the ability to connect, interact and essentially
become, capitalists. In essence, we have become prosumers.” (Ritzer, G,
Jurgenson, N, 2010) With this, Ritzer has explain how through technology, we
have all become prosumers mostly through social media websites. Most people
would assume that the disposition of prosumption is manipulating individual
originality by exploiting consumers; however, I believe that it has given us,
as consumers, more freedom with how we express our own individuality and
ourselves through technology.
References:
Image: http://www.couturing.com/top-ten-beauty-apps/
Ritzer, G, Jurgenson, N, 2010, ‘Production, Consumption,
Prosumption: The nature of capitalism in the age of the digital ‘prosumer’’, Journal of Consumer Culture, vol 10,
number 1, pp. 13-36, retrieved August 20th
2013, http://joc.sagepub.com/content/10/1/13
Hey Shelby, really good self-exploring blog you honesty of your guilty pleasure was humorous but at the same time to the point and made me want to read on. Using the app (why didn’t I think of this app!?) as your main point was a good example of how you’re a prosumer. Good simple definitions, the quotes were good and made me think about my own prosumer ways you’ve done the referencing a little wrong, don’t need both authors. But other than that nice structured well thought out personal view about presumption!
ReplyDeleteMarcus
Hey Shelby,
ReplyDeleteThis post was very informative despite minor errors with referencing; it read well and you seem to have a keen understanding of the ideology of ‘Prosumption’ at large. I like that you mentioned you’re a self-confessed ‘prosumer’ and admit to having a ‘guilty pleasure’ in the phone app , this nail polish ‘try I on’ anecdote provides some gentle humour and a good example of how prosumption impacts lives socially, economically and culturally. You’re use of screen shots overtly illustrates your ‘guilty pleasure’ and it interesting as to know that such apps are available, moreover this image breaks up the writing and also draws the reader’s attention as it reveals itself as something of a centrepiece of your work. On the whole, you did a really good job and you should not be so ashamed of your ‘guilty pleasure’ as it makes for an interesting story.
ps I accidently commented on your ALC 201 assignment confusing it with a blog post for ALC215, so you can just ignore that, my bad!