[csaa-forum] RE: wanting to be effluent

[Russell Smith]

Regarding this (perceived) shift to the right in Australian politics:

1. Although the argument about Howard simply getting back some of the 
former ONP and Democrat voters seems pretty convincing in terms of the 
numbers, it doesn't address the other issue that the ALP in this campaign 
was significantly to the right of its former self (what about their 
appalling cooperation with Howard in the ban on gay marriage?).

2. Regarding the role of "aspirational consumerism" in this shift, one of 
the most significant factors no-one seems to have mentioned is the 
spiralling levels of domestic debt in Australia, particularly among young 
people. This applies not just to home mortgages, of course, but credit card 
fuelled consumption of mobile phones and cars, as well, of course, as Meat 
Loaf albums and fondue sets.

The issue is not so much what people decide to spend their money on (the 
sociology of taste isn't really relevant here), but that so many people 
(across the income spectrum) are being lured into financially precarious 
situations. And financially precarious situations make people more fearful 
and likely to vote conservative.

3. I had a shock the other day, re-reading the intro to Frow & Morris's 
Australian Cultural Studies Reader (1993). Didn't recognise the place....

Russell
-- 
At 10:40 AM 10/13/2004 +1300, you wrote:
>Kia ora Sally
>
>The neo-lineral discourse of the past 20 years, especially in New
>Zealand,  has constructed people as "consumers"  rather than citizens.
>We became "consumers" of the health system, ratrher than people, we
>became "consumers" of the education system, etc etc ...
>
>Is it any wonder that "consumer" has become the prime identity position
>of people within our society?
>
>Ian Stuart
>
> >>> Sally.Scott at curtin.edu.au 12/10/2004 6:16:57 p.m. >>>
>What a defensive barrage has been creative by allusions to Freedom
>Furniture
>and fondue. Interestingly, for what it says about the discources of
>cultural
>studies, I was using the list of aspirational accoutrements as symbols
>of
>consumerism rather than class. That is, Australians, irrespective of
>suburbs, are more interested in what they can buy and when, rather
>than
>issues like education and health reform, refugees or workplace equity.
>Are
>we consuming ourselves into an apathetic torpor? What significance does
>this
>have for both the political process and the future of the Left (as
>distinct
>from the Labor party)? (I understand my assumption here is that the
>Left are
>less concerned with a consumer economy)
>
>There is a wonderful doco doing the rounds about the big corporates and
>the
>many ways in which they are driving consumption - out of this all
>power
>leads to them. Where is our Left in this packet of Crispies?
>
>Sally
>
>
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Dr Russell Smith
Lecturer in English
School of Humanities
AD Hope Building
The Australian National University
Canberra  ACT  0200  AUSTRALIA

T: +61 2 6125 2660
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