5/30 - Shopping for Pleasure

In the article, Shopping for Pleasure, by John Fiske discusses how shopping is an act of cultural resistance and provides the contractions of being part of a capitalist and patriarchal society. I thought it was interesting how the author connected that shopping gives women a “sense of empowerment through competency in shopping operations, familiarity with terrain, and what they can get out it” (p. 271). Connecting this reading to “Merchant of Cool”, the marketing tactics of catering to a certain demographics are very psychological and sneaky. For example, the three cards represent buying a sense of freedom and agency. Similar to the Sprite’s anti-marketing marketing tactic, corporations want them to feel like they have agency over what they want or do. I see can how everyday resistance can be part of this capitalist culture. For instance, when women purchase and support brands/companies that hold their consumer values. I think some examples that show this is through new makeup lines. Traditionally, make up have been framed as “make you more beautiful”, now it is reframed to “enhance your natural features”. This shift is caused by the growing number of women initiated and owned companies, such as Glossier and Benefit. These brands demonstrate the change in marketing and beauty culture since their products made by and for women.