Page 30 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 27 Final
P. 30
Community
rational and knowledgeable cravings and psychological generates in our society.
as consumers in a shopping well-being, and planned Therefore, these insecurities
mall? According to the feeling of uselessness when are the main source of our
Neoclassical model, in the mind of a child a relational disconnection
consumers allocate their mall becomes a measure of in all its forms. In our
limited resources to purchase success. The production of conversation with a parent
goods and services that flimsy products that hook who is a manager of one of
provide them with the children and add no value the malls, he has created a
highest utility or satisfaction. to their lives is becoming boundary for his children
In this market equation, a serious problem creating after observing that most
what resources do children addictions to the set-up. children who frequent the
have to become the target This is where we must ask malls are socially alienated,
“shoppers”? Lancaster’s ourselves: if consumerism is and the moment they
model emphasizes the role becoming an addiction, and exhaust what their parents
of product characteristics addiction is “escaping pain” had budgeted for, a sense
in shaping consumer then what pain are people of loneliness strikes. This
preferences, whereas trying to escape? It is this confirms that overwhelming
Becker’s model highlights pain that consumerism is children by introducing their
the importance of social maximizing on, the pain that social perception based on
and cultural factors in denies children and parents consumerism breeds a loss
influencing consumer human connection, the of relational meaning, and
behavior. pain that denies humanity creates social dislocation.
a chance to interact with It is this social dislocation
However, while seeking nature. What is the pain? and a conflicted child
satisfaction consumerism Instead of addressing and that we have targeted as a
may sometimes lead facing the pain, our society consumer instead of building
people into debt, rather has created false meanings relationships that enhance
than saving up for the rooted in materialism. connection. Diminishing
future. Are we preparing This falsehood promises human connection is the
children for consumerism satisfaction but often yields pain we are running away
or productivity, considering hollow dissatisfaction, from leading to increased
borrowing makes one a creating longings for preference for addiction
slave to the lender? Are we children to be in a shopping in our society, continuing
motivated by their human mall. This massive and self- illness, and mental health
developmental needs and perpetuating addictive spiral issues among the youth and
growth? Furthermore, is one of the mechanisms children.
there are concerns about by which consumer society
the unhealthy link between preserves itself by exploiting This is not in any way to
unnecessary material the very insecurities it suggest that shopping malls
WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM
30
| we tell the true afrikan story
