Goods culture
Goods culture is a system of values, rules and beliefs governing the production, distribution, and consumption of goods in society. The concept of goods culture includes such diversified elements as the production context, symbolic representation, cultural exchange, and images associated with goods. Thus, goods culture seeks to understand why societies produce and consume certain goods, the shared values associated with goods, and the impact of goods on society.
The production context of goods shapes our perception of goods and the way we interact with them. For example, in the industrial revolution the use of machines to produce goods resulted in a shift from manual labor to mass production. This introduced a new type of power over people in the production process, but it also gave rise to new possibilities in terms of the availability and prices of goods. This changed the way goods were viewed and produced, and also resulted in new values and beliefs surrounding goods.
Goods often have symbolic representation, which can be seen in how a certain type of good is associated with a certain group or ideology. For example, the development of luxury goods such as jewelry, cars and fashion items is often associated with higher social classes, as these goods are seen as possessions that embody status and wealth. This symbolic representation can be seen in many different contexts, from luxury goods to products associated with certain religious or political beliefs.
Cultural exchange is another important element of goods culture. Though goods have been historically produced in one area, they are often exchanged and consumed in different areas. This type of exchange has allowed cultures to influence each other and develop new meanings and values associated with the goods they receive. For example, tea originally from China became popular in Europe after it was exported by the Dutch in the early 1600s, and by the end of the 1700s tea had become a widely “Europeanized” product.
The images associated with goods, such as advertisements and packaging, also reflect values and beliefs of a society. These images are used to convince people to consume certain goods and are often targeted to certain groups in society. For instance, marketing for certain types of toys, clothing or food products is often designed to appeal to children, while other types of goods might be marketed to adults in order to persuade them to purchase the product.
Goods culture, then, is a complex system of values, beliefs, and rules that shape the production, distribution, and consumption of goods in society. It is shaped by the production context, symbolic representation, cultural exchange, and the images associated with goods. Through understanding goods culture, we can gain useful insight into why societies produce and consume certain goods, the shared values associated with those goods, and the impact those goods have on society.