The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures (Published in association with Theory, Culture & Society)

"Now available in English for the first time, Jean Baudrillard's classic text was one of the first to focus on the process and meaning of consumption in contemporary culture. Originally published in 1970, the book still makes a vital contribution to current debates on consumption. Many of the themes which would make Baudrillard famous appear here for the first time. The book includes Baudrillard's most organized discussion of mass media culture, the meaning of leisure and anomie in affluent society. A chapter on the body demonstrates Baudrillard's extraordinary prescience for flagging vital subjects in contemporary culture long before others. This English translation begins with an introductory essay by George Ritzer." -- Publisher 'The young Baudrillard at his best... a sociological study of the society of consumption of the finest order, this text continues to shed light on the subject and object of consumption, around which contemporary societies are organized.'- Douglas Kellner, University of California, Los Angeles Jean Baudrillard's classic text was one of the first to focus on the process and meaning of consumption in contemporary culture. Originally published in 1970, the book makes a vital contribution to current debates on consumption. The book includes Baudrillard's most organized discussion of mass media culture, the meaning of leisure, and anomie in affluent society. A chapter on the body demonstrates Baudrillard's extraordinary prescience for flagging vital subjects in contemporary culture long before others. This English translation begins with an introductory essay by George Ritzer. Introduction / George Ritzer -- -- Pt. I. The Formal Liturgy Of The Object -- 1. Profusion -- 2. The Miraculous Status Of Consumption -- 3. The Vicious Circle Of Growth -- -- Pt. Ii. The Theory Of Consumption -- 4. The Social Logic Of Consumption -- 5. Towards A Theory Of Consumption -- 6. Personalization, Or, The Smallest Marginal Difference -- -- Pt. Iii. Mass Media, Sex And Leisure -- 7. Mass-media Culture -- 8. The Finest Consumer Object : The Body -- 9. The Drama Of Leisure, Or, The Impossibility Of Wasting One's Time -- 10. The Mystique Of Solicitude -- 11. Anomie In The Affluent Society -- -- Conclusion : On Contemporary Alienation, Or, The End Of The Pact With The Devil Jean Baudrillard. Includes 20 P. Introduction By George Ritzer. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Now available in English, Baudrillard's The Consumer Society examines the process and meaning of consumption in contemporary culture. It makes a vital contribution to current debates on consumption as Baudrillard demonstrates that consumption is the axis of culture. This text includes a systematic discussion and application of key themes in Baudrillard's work, such as simulation and the simulacrum, through a rigorous inquiry into 'the social logic of consumption'."--Jacket This English translation of The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures (originally published in 1970) will be both a treat and a revelation to admirers of the work of Jean Baudrillard not fluent in French.