Shot By Brock

What does it mean to be a consumer? It often feels that this is an interchangeable term - another way of saying “the public”, when framed in terms of the economy. We are not humans but consumers – buyers of things. Fodder for the capitalist machine. Wikipedia, that great bastion of absolute truth, defines a consumer as “a person or a group who intends to order, orders, or uses purchased goods, products, or services primarily for personal, social, family, household and similar needs” It then goes on to quote President John F. Kennedy: “Consumers, by definition, include us all.” It’s true. We must consume. We must nourish ourselves. We must fuel our cells and muscles so that we can live. And if we’re to continue up Maslow’s pyramid, we must also be consumers of those material things that keep us safe, dry, and warm. We consume the attention of those most important to us to satisfy our need for love and approval. And there are our material needs that make us feel validated, that reinforce a sense of status, self