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Writer's pictureSoEun Park
Oct 21, 2023

Overconsumption: Alienation or Solidarity

By SoEun Park

Governance & Society


Introduction

Overconsumption is a phenomenon that is prevalent in the contemporary world, dominated by capitalism. As a critical component of capitalism, overconsumption reinforces the other side of production that underpins it. The accelerating interest in overconsumption is a relatively modern phenomenon. This tendency can especially be seen in developed countries like the United States, where “consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, shot up 1.8%” in February 2023 (Mutikani). According to World Centric, the American market system depends on continued and increased overconsumption; thus, this system nudges people to desire and ultimately buy more goods and services (World Centric). This showcases that overconsumption is prevalent due to the nature of capitalism. However, humans now consume not only for survival but also for entertainment and socializing with others. This combined overconsumption of both goods and services has exacerbated the issue of overindulgence and immoderation. Examination of overconsumption and its consequences through the lens of a class collectivist perspective versus a methodological holistic perspective may be an intriguing way to investigate the changing relationship between consumption and social integration. While Durkheim saw overconsumption as fostering the means of connection and identity, Marx saw overconsumption as reinforcing the base and superstructure while further alienating people. In this paper, my aim is to depict overconsumption and social integration patterns utilizing both Marx’s and Durhkeim’s perspectives.


Overconsumption: Marxian Perspective of Alienation

According to Marx, overconsumption should be initially viewed from the perspective of the superstructure and the base. He claims that society can essentially be split into two parts: the superstructure, which maintains and legitimates the base, and the base that shapes the superstructure (Marx 151). The superstructure includes everything unrelated to production, such as education, family, mass media, religion, and ideology. On the other hand, the base is everything related to production, including the means of production (physical resources to produce capital) and relations of production (social relations through which the production process occurs). Here, Marx would delineate overconsumption as the superstructure as it is viewed from the consumer’s point of view, yet highly intertwined with the base or production. Although consumption may not be part of the base, it is necessary for the survival of production since it is fueled by labor. In the modern era, there has been a growing importance and interest in both overconsumption and production. However, in addition to tangible products that were ubiquitous in the past, people now also produce and consume services such as media and entertainment. Within this base, Marx outlines that the bourgeoisie owns and controls the means of production, and the proletariat provides labor for the bourgeoisie without owning the means of production. Global economic inequality is rapidly increasing, “with the income share of the top 10 percent (and even more so the top 1 percent) rising sharply in many countries,” which gives the top 1-10 percent, the supposed “bourgeoisie” of our society today, more control over production means and resources (Qureshi et al.). In Marx’s view, two great hostile camps––the bourgeoisie and the proletariat––will eventually lead to an inevitable revolution. As a result, he may also view revolution as inevitable in a society where “the top 1-10 percent” own the means of production while “the bottom 90-99 percent” do not.


Furthermore, overconsumption is both a consequence and a product of alienation, according to Marx. Overconsumption can be regarded as a product driven by an inner void and exclusion of others and the absence of connection to others, including friends and family. Marx illustrates four significant types of alienation of disorienting sense of exclusion: product of labor, act or production, self and species and being, and alienation from others. The alienation of work in the worker’s product is when the “alien object is exercising power over” the worker, while the act of production is the worker’s alien relation to the product of labor that doesn’t belong to the worker, naturally leading to self-estrangement (Marx 74). Furthermore, this estranged labor alienates the species from the worker when free conscious activity––a species characteristic specific to humans––is denied when labor is alienated (Marx 75). Finally, Marx outlines the alienation from others, where “each man views the other in accordance with the standard and the position in which he finds himself as a worker,” viewing the other as a competitor. Here, the social relations mainly become the market relations that further estrange humans from each other. Overconsumption thereby perpetuates these four types of labor that Marx presents. Increasing labor requirements and economic and wealth inequality feed overconsumption, leading to a vicious cycle of alienation. Moreover, the notion of “success” has consistently been defined by the number of products and services one purchases, an indicator of wealth given in capitalist cultures. As a result, this encourages mindless overconsumption, motivated by the belief that this will make others view them as more successful. Each consumer views the other as a competitor, further increasing alienation, particularly Marx’s “alienation from others.” Thus, these four types of alienation stem from capitalism and maintain capitalism itself. 


Marx’s theory can also be extended to the understanding that humans have alienated themselves from the environment and planet due to overconsumption. According to the “Innocenti Report Card 17: Places and Spaces'' Report, “if everybody in the world consumed resources at the rate people do in OECD and EU countries, the equivalent of 3.3 earths would be needed to keep up with consumption levels” (Unicef). This outlines the rapidly increasing overconsumption levels in these partially affluent countries. Humans primarily contribute to environmental problems by over consuming, resulting in global warming, climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and so forth. Thus, this creates a new type of alienation as humans feel disconnected from their environment and planet. 


Overconsumption: Durkehminan Perspective of Soldiarity

On the other hand, Durkheim would argue that overconsumption will allow easier ways of expressing one’s identity. He particularly emphasizes social facts, which are “ways of acting, thinking, and feeling that present the remarkable property of existing outside the individual consciousness” (Durkheim 64). Durkheim alleges that every social fact has a function within a social organism. These social facts that serve a need––including roles, norms, rituals, customs, and laws––are created by collective forces in society. Overconsumption is a social fact as it is a phenomenon external to oneself that is an essential component in a capitalist society, especially regarding economic growth. However, it is simultaneously an action that the individual reinforces along with its fundamental external traits. It is also coercive as it nudges individuals to consume more due to others’ overconsumption and the societal norm of overconsumption. Moreover, identity is greatly tied to overconsumption; people consume and purchase certain items to express their identity and to create a societal representation of what they want others to see about them based on their consumption; excessive consumption makes this easier by creating more options for consumers. In addition, others interpret other consumer’s behavior that reveals their character, values, and societal positions depending on what and how much they consume. For instance, if one buys an expensive clothing brand, others might view this individual as someone with a wealthy, high societal position who might buy them regularly. Thus, overconsumption allows expression and can influence others’ perspectives on oneself.  


In addition to expressing identity, Durkheim would view overconsumption as enhancing the means of connection. Durkheim underscores that solidarity is the cohesion that holds these social factors and society together and that there are two types of solidarity: mechanical and organic solidarity. He illustrates the transition from mechanical solidarity (where “the mentality of groups is not the same as that of individuals” that functioned from commonalities) to modern organic solidarity (“where all social links which result from likeness progressively slacken,” and division of labor and specialization emerges) (Durkheim 70, 46). However, overconsumption allows for further mechanical solidarity within organic solidarity, as it can be utilized to form and express group identities. Consuming something specific to a group identity can tighten the solidarity among the members, and overconsumption creates more alternatives to these products and services. In addition, individuals consume for connection in a more tangible way through locations such as cafes, movies, and museums that provide a venue for people to interact with each other. Moreover, Durkehim designates religion as a social fact, “a unified system of beliefs and practice,” and “one single moral community” (Durkehim 223-224). Consumption during rituals and holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, and Eid al-Adha emphasizes the importance of gift-giving, encouraging overconsumption in religious contexts. These consumer goods also play an essential role in traditions and rituals, increasing a forum for connection and solidarity among those with similar belief systems and ideologies. 



Conclusion

Ultimately, Marx and Durkheim would have viewed overconsumption differently, as the former viewed it as a consequence and product of alienation, while the latter saw it as a means to connect and identify. Both these contrasting views should be considered when observing overconsumption as the power of capitalism is augmenting more than ever before; it is necessary not to disregard one view over the other. Acknowledging that overconsumption is mainly concentrated in wealthy, developed countries is also crucial. It ultimately will be valuable to consider the consequences of overconsumption and its impact on social integration: further alienation, solidarity, or both.


Works Cited:

Durkheim, Emile. 1972. "The Field of Sociology." Pp. 51-68 in Emile Durkheim: Selected 

Writings, edited by A. Giddens. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.   


Durkheim, Emile. 1972. "Forms of Social Solidarity." Pp. 123-131, 137-140 in Emile Durkheim: 

Selected Writings, edited by A. Giddens. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.   


Durkheim, Emile. 1972. "Religion and Ritual" Pp. 222-238 in Emile Durkheim: Selected 

Writings, edited by A. Giddens. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Page 224


Marx, Karl. 1978. "Manifesto of the Communist Party." Pp. 469-491 in The Marx-Engels 

Reader. 2nd ed., edited by Robert C. Tucker. New York City: Norton Press.


Marx, Karl. 1978. "The German Ideology: Part l," Pp. 149-163, 172-175, 186-188 in The 

Marx-Engels Reader. 2nd ed., edited by Robert C. Tucker. New York City: Norton Press.


Mutikani, Lucia. “U.S. Consumer Spending Posts Biggest Gain in Nearly Two Years; Inflation 


“Over-Consumption in the World’s Richest Countries Is Destroying Children’s Environments 

Globally, New Report Says.” UNICEF, 23 May 2022, 

ldrens-environments-globally. 


“The Rise of Global Consumption.” World Centric, 


Zia Qureshi, Cheonsik Woo, et al. “Rising Inequality: A Major Issue of Our Time.” Brookings, 




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