powerful mechanism of psychological control
(Iorgulescu & Marcu, 2020). In addition, the
elements of repetition, uniformity of this culture
lead to the emergence of the so-called automation
of consumer reactions. At the same time, copying
or imitating “popular” people leads to imitation
of their reactions, this leads to the fact that people
copy certain behaviors, emotions, imposing a
certain taboo on other emotions. Such rejections
of certain “stereotypical” emotions and active
use of “compulsive” behavioral stamps leads to a
low level of emotional intelligence - the ability to
deal with one's own and others' emotions, that is,
to properly understand, assess, and express them.
Today emotional intelligence is an important
worldview of the modern developing person.
Mass consumerism is also about mass production
(Ishaya, 2020). It is not only a matter of
replicating not only certain things, but also
imitations of characters, behavior, thoughts,
feelings, or cultural values.
A characteristic phenomenon of mass culture is
that in it formalized by social strata “top” and
“bottom” are erased (Bushanskyi, 2012). If
previously a representative of the aristocracy had
the opportunity (and should) lead an appropriate
way of life and had every opportunity to use
objects and artifacts corresponding to his
position, in the current conditions all social strata
have the same conditions for consumption.
Imitation, repetition, which is characteristic of
mass culture, is a loss-making process. The
process of imitation has outwardly-formal signs,
but the imitator cannot grasp the content and
essence of the example he or she is oriented to.
Imitation is associated with simplification, and at
the same time, to the creation of a copy
(Bushanskyi, 2012). Consequently, the spread of
hedonistic values in mass society is accompanied
by the phenomenon of deprivation of the spiritual
and moral needs of man. We are talking about
when the process of “mass” affects the person
completely and becomes the center of his life. A
phenomenon is emerging that is associated with
a one-sided dependence on mass trends, things,
etc. (Boström, 2020). This, in turn, affects the
emergence of several psychological effects. First
of all, there is the effect of constant
dissatisfaction with one's standard of living,
which is maintained through the constant arousal
by the culture of mechanisms of social
comparison. Television and the Internet, where
an exaggerated, rather than real, the standard of
living is demonstrated, may be of key importance
in this system (Ishaya, 2020). At the same time,
this dissatisfaction is accompanied by an increase
in social isolation: individuals are less and less
likely to reach the level of personal relationships,
preferring to replace them with formal role
relations of the exchange type. This is observed
not only between employees, neighbors but even
between relatives. Thus, a new tendency is
emerging - the consumer isolation of family
members from one another. At the same time,
such things lead to a decrease in emotional
intelligence, since emotions are most intensely
involved when people communicate with others.
Among such processes that lead to so-called
psychological malaise, the main one stands out -
the loss of the true meaning of existence since the
phenomena of dissatisfaction and isolation are
mere manifestations of the mental emptiness that
haunts mass society.
At the same time, with the spread of mass culture,
there is no social distinction between social
strata, which has defined the specific limits of the
existence of high culture (classical art) and
folklore. They have become mostly materials for
kitschy replication. At best, they have become
materials for interpretation.
Consumer Society and Consumerism:
Worldview Features of Modernity
Consumerism and consumer society are often
synonymous. At the same time, there can be a
difference between the two. Consumerism is a
specific way of life associated with an exclusive
desire to buy and consume goods (Boström,
2020). Among its characteristic features is
shopping, understood as the direct
implementation of spontaneous purchases, and as
a form of sensual consumption, associated with
the consideration of store windows and goods,
but without the motivation to purchase them.
From this point of view, consumerism can be
seen as a certain component of consumer society,
connected directly with the process of purchase
itself.
Instead, consumer society is understood as a
form of social relations based on the mass
consumption of goods and services, which forms
the corresponding worldviews and behavior in
society (Lorenzen, 2017). At the same time, such
practices evolve and, as of today, the purpose of
buying things is not so much to satisfy certain
natural needs of an individual as to demonstrate
an individual's belonging to a particular social
stratum (whose representative can buy such a
thing). Popular among philosophers and
sociologists is the definition of “demonstrative
consumption”, which is also called “prestigious”,