Music and Consumer Culture: How Music Can Change the Social Paradigm
If a single article of clothing requires 2,400 gallons of water to produce, why is clothing consumed in excess?
Many people in Western society are constantly buying new clothes “just to change things up a little,” rather than out of actual need. These same people throw away perfectly good clothes they do not want anymore just to make space for new ones. According to the authors of the Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste, behavior like this is an example of the harmful consumer culture that has been developing in first world countries, like the United States, since the industrial revolution (Zimring and Rathje).
Consumer culture is essentially defined as a culture that lives in accordance with the tendencies of consumerism. Individuals enthralled by the culture of consumerism associate the purchasing of goods with strong positive emotions. They might feel that buying something would solve their problems and otherwise improve their lives, be it temporarily or in the long term. This way of thinking consumes their life, leading to the overconsumption of products, buying things they don’t really need, and the discarding of usable products in favor of newer ones. Once these consumer products are discarded, they become post-consumer waste. Generally, any product or resource that is discarded instead of being reused or recycled in some other way is defined as post-consumer waste. This practice leads to great environmental consequences, which could have been avoided with better planning and more environmentally conscious practices (Zimring).
It is clear that this issue must be solved, lest humanity dig itself a hole too deep to climb out of. Historically, some cultural groups have tried to accomplish this through the memetic power of music. By analyzing the techniques these groups have used in the past, contemporary musicians can consider how they synergize with more recent approaches to craft better solutions to excessive consumption.
Hippies were once a large group who advocated strongly against consumerism. They believed that consumerism made people materialistic and greedy (Zimring). Because of this, they moved away from common societal practices, forming a counter culture (“Hippies”). For instance, hippies would often make their own goods instead of buying them. This was taboo at the time and associated with the poor (Zimring). The clothes they had they would often not replace either, even if they were damaged. Hippies would repair their clothes, opting to wear them “until they fell apart” as is explained by one hippie in this short video titled “1970s Hippie Fashion”.
Hippies would also adjust their diet to avoid commercialized and processed foods. All of these beliefs were deeply expressed within their music, helping them to communicate their ideologies to other hippies at music festivals. This quality of music, the way it brings people together and communicates ideas, has allowed for anti-consumerism rhetoric to spread among the American people, with old hippie music still holding influence (“Hippies”).
One popular band with this influence is the Grateful Dead. The Grateful Dead talk down consumer culture and its impact on the environment. In their song “We Can Run,” their lyricist John Barlow criticizes consumerism. He claims that humans do not “ pay the rent” nor “tend the gardens” of Earth, meaning that humanity does not care for the environment. Subsequently, he states “put it all on plastic and I wonder where we’ll be when the bills hit,” referencing the tendency of consumers to spend money they don’t have. These lines imply that people do not care to spend the time or resources to fix humanity’s environmental problems. He also implies that these problems are only compounded by their consumeristic nature. Even though they were written decades ago, these powerful lyrics still impact people today as the music is recorded and readily accessible (“Hippies”).
In the modern day, artists are still trying to make a difference, likely drawing on past movements like the hippie movement. One Canadian DJ who goes by the stage name BLOND:ISH advocates for environmental protection through the elimination of single-use plastics, a modern symbol of consumerism. BLOND:ISH started an activist movement called “Bye Bye Plastic” with the goal of eliminating common single-use plastics from the live music scene. She hopes that by going plastic free in her shows, she will set an example for others to follow. She believes that she could prevent millions of tons of single-use plastics from being used if her philosophy is adopted across the music industry (Bendoni).
Music to Change the Social Paradigm
“21st Century Digital Boy” by Bad Religion (1990)
Written by Bad Religion lyricist Brett Gurewitz, the lyrics appear to be a blatant rejection of consumerism and the purchasing of goods. For instance, the first few lines state “And I don’t want [the things you’re offering to me]. Symbolized bar code, quick ID….” Gurewitz claims that a boy growing up in the modern day is numbed by his “toys” and blind to the real world. He insists that there is more to offer from life, seemingly implying, that if the boy abandons his toys, he could see that.
“It All Falls Down” by Kanye West (2004)
Kanye West speaks about his experiences with consumer culture and ultimately rejects it. He claims that the happiness and security gained by a consumer mindset is fleeting. He argues that when “it all falls down,” one will be left without true happiness or drive, mockingly asking, “Who you gon’ call now?” Despite his criticisms, he opens up to the fact that he himself has fallen into a consumer mindset. He admits to buying luxury goods to help temper his insecurities about himself and “spendin’ before he gets it.” West also compares his habits to those of a young college student to suggest that his habits are not only his own, but also part of a greater societal issue. He then claims, somewhat ambiguously, that “they” made consumers insecure about themselves, so they could love their wealth. This thought could be referencing the way companies have socially engineered a consumer mindset. Finally, West claims he’s “the first to admit” to his habits, perhaps hoping more people will create a dialogue about harmful consumer culture.
What can musicians now do about it?
All taken into account, a modern musician has quite a few strategies they could use to influence society to move against consumerism. Like Kanye West, they could release lyrics with anti-consumerist statements that will help to start a dialogue. This may encourage other artists to write similar lyrics for their own songs. Like the hippies, a musician could also highlight the environmental and societal consequences of falling into a consumer mindset, creating a common space for like-minded individuals to communicate. A musician could also eliminate aspects of excessive consumerism within their concerts and marketing, like the DJ Blond:ish. All of these strategies together could certainly create a strong community of musicians and fans who wish to topple consumerist behavior through the power of their actions. With the widespread consequences of consumerism only growing, there is a need within society for influential people to step up and start making a difference. Perhaps a complete cultural revolution is just around the corner?
I certainly think so. We are entering an era where young people are realizing the world they live in will soon become irrevocably polluted and ruined — one ruled by the will of the rich. Because of this, many young people are realizing that we need to make a change. The people hold all the power. Sure, it will not be easy by any means. I myself fall into many, many consumeristic habits, for which I feel quite remorseful. It is not too late for anyone, though. We must remember, we are the majority. Our decisions, as small as they seem, can impact all of society. If young people, perhaps influenced by a musician or group, start to change their spending and habits of material consumption, I think we could really start to see change in society. We must overcome ourselves, and our excessive consumption, to reward all of humankind with a cleaner, better world.
- “1970s Hippie Fashion.” MyFootage.com. YouTube, YouTube Video, 30 Nov. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t9aGa9r-JY. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.
- Barlow, John, lyricist. “We Can Run.” Grateful Dead, 21 Mar. 2007, www.dead.net/song/we-can-run. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.
- Bendoni, Kasey. “BLOND:ISH on Her Goal to Eliminate Single-Use Plastic in the Music Industry.” EDM.com, 22 Apr. 2021, edm.com/interviews/blondish-bye-bye-plastic-interview. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023
- “Hippie History, Lifestyle, Definition, Clothes, & Beliefs.” Encyclopædia Britannica, the editors,15 Oct. 2023, www.britannica.com/topic/hippie. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.
- Zimring, Carl A., and William L. Rathje, editors. Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, 2 vols, SAGE Reference, 2012. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/pub/5VCA/GVRL?u=mcc_chandler&sid=bookmark-GVRL. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.
