Exercise #1: Summary and Reconstruction
Thomas Frank’s “Commodify Your Dissent,” explains how consumerism has changed their approach for marketing products. Frank believes consumerism is using the idea of the consumer being unique and daring, rather than conforming to fit in with the majority, by purchasing the products. He mentions who he believes are the “patron saints of the counterculture idea”, the Beats, who in the 1950’s were few of many that lived a life free of what Frank called, “moral restraint”. During those times advertising was to convince people to conform. The major companies were seen as serious, were as today he believes the companies appeal to the rebel within the consumer. Displaying advertisements that endorse the counterculture idea and make the companies appear as the “sponsor of fun”. Frank believes advertising does not promote conformity anymore but endorses the idea of buying to be unique which is just a window to “never ending self-fulfillment”.