Above is a clip that shows firsthand how some women's shopping experience starts on a day to day basis. Here is it demonstrated that the man is indeed the producer and the women is definitely the consumer.
In the article, Shopping for Pleasure by John Fiske the reader is told that consumerism is treated as a religion. In other words, "shopping malls are the cathedrals of consumption." This is a very eye opening statement to think that a shopping mall can be compared to a historical cathedral, but in a way this statement is very true. Throughout history women have had trouble voicing their opinions and being independent, but the shopping mall is said to be one of the first things that a woman was allowed to experience on her own. Here the women found freedom and empowerment and were almost expected to enjoy every ounce of it.
Since society has often looked at the home to be a woman's place, the mall offered a new and exciting experience for them. In one person's experience while out in a shopping mall they said that they looked up and saw in a shop window a woman's apron with a sign that said, "Woman's Place is in the Mall" and were immediately thrown back by it. The mall was now being compared to the home and in a way that made some women even want to buy new products. This was a technique used frequently to sell their products because they new the women were yearning for such a feeling of liberation.
Fiske also mentioned that "nowadays, commodities are not just objects of economic exchange, they are goods to think with, goods to speak with." In other words, the products that the consumers bought were giving them a voice and a vision that made them feel empowered. Window shopping also became very important because of its power to help the window shopper envision what they would look like using that product or wearing that certain outfit. Shopping malls were referred to as being a "visual feast, a plethora of meanings, palaces of pleasure." I think if I ever heard of anything being called a "palace of pleasure" it would definitely make me want to make the trip down to see it for myself.
Questions:
1) Can you think of places that men can share in this feeling of empowerment and control in the same way women do when shopping?
2) Since we live in a time where malls and shopping areas can be found on every corner, how do you think you would react if you didn't have as many options to choose from?
In the article, Shopping for Pleasure by John Fiske the reader is told that consumerism is treated as a religion. In other words, "shopping malls are the cathedrals of consumption." This is a very eye opening statement to think that a shopping mall can be compared to a historical cathedral, but in a way this statement is very true. Throughout history women have had trouble voicing their opinions and being independent, but the shopping mall is said to be one of the first things that a woman was allowed to experience on her own. Here the women found freedom and empowerment and were almost expected to enjoy every ounce of it.
Since society has often looked at the home to be a woman's place, the mall offered a new and exciting experience for them. In one person's experience while out in a shopping mall they said that they looked up and saw in a shop window a woman's apron with a sign that said, "Woman's Place is in the Mall" and were immediately thrown back by it. The mall was now being compared to the home and in a way that made some women even want to buy new products. This was a technique used frequently to sell their products because they new the women were yearning for such a feeling of liberation.
Fiske also mentioned that "nowadays, commodities are not just objects of economic exchange, they are goods to think with, goods to speak with." In other words, the products that the consumers bought were giving them a voice and a vision that made them feel empowered. Window shopping also became very important because of its power to help the window shopper envision what they would look like using that product or wearing that certain outfit. Shopping malls were referred to as being a "visual feast, a plethora of meanings, palaces of pleasure." I think if I ever heard of anything being called a "palace of pleasure" it would definitely make me want to make the trip down to see it for myself.
Questions:
1) Can you think of places that men can share in this feeling of empowerment and control in the same way women do when shopping?
2) Since we live in a time where malls and shopping areas can be found on every corner, how do you think you would react if you didn't have as many options to choose from?
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