The Illusions of Consumer Society

This chapter examines the contradictions of consumer culture, critiquing flawed economic metrics like GDP while illuminating unmeasured labor that sustains it. It challenges the assumption that growth equates to equality and argues for systemic change, rather than mere consumption equality, to address socioeconomic issues. Drawing on Baudrillard's insights, it explores how consumption shapes identity and reinforces social hierarchies, ultimately leading to the alienation of individuals in a commodified world.