Abstract
Consumption is a new central issue, globally, driven by more visible consumption concerns of citizens. For instance, entertainment & the environment rise as political issues, while workplace issues decline. To link individual choice with public & urban context, we outline a theory of consumption in specific propositions. They start with individual & personal influence characteristics in shopping & political decisions, & then add socio/cultural characteristics. Three cultural types adapted from Elazar are Moralistic, Individualistic, & Traditional -- which shift individual patterns. For instance, moralistic persons favor more environmentally sensitive consumption, even boycotting cars, TV & paper towels, backing green groups & parties. Such protest acts via personal consumption are ignored by many past theories. Individualists instead favor more conspicuous, status-oriented consumption, a la Veblen, or the modernism of Baudelaire & Benjamin. For traditionalists, consumption reinforces the past, via family antiques & homes, ritualized & less individualized. The three types help interpret differences in consumption politics by participants in different social movements, cities, & countries. 11 Tables, 1 Figure, 3 Appendixes. Adapted from the source document.