For this reflection paper assignment, you are asked to draw upon specific moments (using direct quotations, paraphrase, etc.) in our course readings (minimally two) as well as your own lived experience to deeply consider and describe your own relationship to consumerism. Questions to consider include: How do you participate in and/or resist “typical” consumer behavior or behavior as it is conceptualized by our course readings? How/has your relationship to consumerism changed over time? To what extent does your purchasing behavior and thinking match up with our various authors’ ideas about the demographic categories they might see you in? In order to consider to what extent your purchasing behavior and thinking matches our various authors’ ideas about demographics, you may want to jump ahead to take a peak at future readings (for example, week 5 on “Sex and Gender Targeting”). To what brands, if any, do you show particular fidelity and what academic knowledge might be derived about you from these associations? If a consumer psychologist or market research team was to see a list of all your purchases in the last year (e.g., for food, clothing, entertainment, education, travel, etc.), what conclusions do you think they might draw about you? What do you think of these conclusions? Are you OK with the way you participate in consumer culture or does reflection inspire you to make changes? What, if any, changes would you hope to make? Textual Support: in addition to specific references to your life, consumer behaviors, purchasing choices, etc., it is expected that you will make some use of our course reading (minimally 2 references). readings to include. Brennan, B. (2009). Marketing to women: The difference between sex appeal and gender appeal. Why she buys, New York, NY: Crown Business, 183-208. ISBN: 978030745395. Collins, R., Jacobson, M. F. & Mazur, L.A. (1995a). Targeting children. Marketing madness, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 19-38. ISBN: 0813319811. Collins, R., Jacobson, M. F. & Mazur, L.A. (1995b). Ads that kill: Tobacco. Marketing madness, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 149-162. ISBN: 0813319811. 2 Rev 3 Rev Collins, R., Jacobson, M. F. & Mazur, L.A. (1995d). Call to action: Taming commercialism. Marketing madness, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 209-231. ISBN: 0813319811. Gibbons, J. (2000). The price is right. Do American’s shop too much? (Juliet Schor, Ed.). Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 49-52. ISBN: 080700443X.
