Consumer Culture

  copy and paste the URL below in" rel="nofollow">into your browser to visit a Washin" rel="nofollow">ington DC parentin" rel="nofollow">ing website and message board: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/ Spend ten min" rel="nofollow">inutes pokin" rel="nofollow">ing around to see what this website is and then read an article about a notorious conversation that took place on the message board there. It’s about a battle between two different groups of new parents: Washin" rel="nofollow">ington, DC residents and Washin" rel="nofollow">ington, DC-area suburbanites: http://www.washin" rel="nofollow">ingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/13040066/dc-mommy-fight-site Then, read some discussions, like this one. It’s full of stuff relevant to this class and status oriented consumption: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/134886.page What is goin" rel="nofollow">ing on here (in" rel="nofollow">in this particular discussion and in" rel="nofollow">in the discussion board in" rel="nofollow">in general)? Analyze these two different groups and how they discuss consumin" rel="nofollow">ing with a focus on issues related to brands, consumption and status. Can anythin" rel="nofollow">ing from class be brought to bear on this? Narrow the scope a bit. Can anythin" rel="nofollow">ing (readin" rel="nofollow">ings, lectures and videos) from sessions #3 (social class) and #4 (coolness) and #5 (authenticity) be used to explain" rel="nofollow">in or illumin" rel="nofollow">inate this? This in" rel="nofollow">includes readin" rel="nofollow">ings by Gladwell, Heath and Potter, McCracken, Potter, Seabrook, Stein" rel="nofollow">inhauer, Sternbergh and the documentary, People Like Us. Are there ideas from other weeks that can be applied? (Hin" rel="nofollow">int: yes) In between one-thousand and twelve-hundred words, explain" rel="nofollow">in what is happenin" rel="nofollow">ing here. Interpret what you read and what you see, usin" rel="nofollow">ing the readin" rel="nofollow">ings and class notes listed above to in" rel="nofollow">inform your thin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing. Formulate an argument you wish to make and in" rel="nofollow">integrate your thoughts in" rel="nofollow">into a cohesive and coherent essay. Make sure you explain" rel="nofollow">in the significance and the connection of any of the quotes you use.