Does (consumer) freedom really end where that of others begins?

2023-05-04 20:15:39

My freedom ends where that of others begins… How can this well-known adage be applied in the field of consumption? Freedom is commonly defined by the following two conditions. First, the individual must have the ability to choose one option from a range of alternatives. Second, the individual must be the ultimate source of his choice and will. In this conception, freedom is therefore essentially centered on the autonomy of the individual.

But, is this conception of freedom sufficient? According to the political philosopher Isaiah Berlin (1969), this vision of freedom would reflect only one of the two facets of freedom. For Isaiah Berlin freedom is expressed in two forms: a positive freedom (the freedom to) and a negative freedom (the freedom from). In its positive form, the free individual is an autonomous individual, having the power to control his life. He has the ability to choose from a multitude of options.

In its negative form, freedom refers to the avoidance of constraints that emanate mainly from the behavior of the individuals around us. For example, a crowd of buyers at sales time can restrict our freedom of movement. Overly pushy employees can interfere with our freedom to choose. There would therefore be a social dimension to freedom. And the adage seems to mean: “if there weren’t the others, I would be freer”.

Freedom, a profoundly social phenomenon

Considering others is essential. In 1973, the philosopher Ivan Illich noted that freedom is expressed in the social fabric. Echoing the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1754), he recalled that an individual’s freedom is exercised within the limits defined by the individual freedoms of other members of society. For Illich, freedom is interdependent, and each member of a society has the power to limit or constrain the freedoms of other members of society. My freedom would end where that of others begins…

However, the others are not only a source of constraints. This is at least what studies carried out on “shoppers” suggest.

Our latest study from Morocco uncovers six essential roles that others play in order for us to enjoy our freedom. We show that family members, friends or market actors (such as store employees) promote consumer freedom. They are a presenter, protector, catalyst, facilitator, supporter, and/or freedom witness.

Each of these roles is essential for us to experience consumer freedom:

• the presenter brings the consumer into a new consumption space. This presenter can be a mother who brings her child for the first time to a new toy store and lets him wander the shelves;

• the protective establish safety rules. It can be a father taking care that his child does not hurt himself during his races;

• the catalyst allows consumers to develop their own purchasing tactics. It will be for example the employee who will do his best to find a product requested by a customer, or who will open an additional cash register to pass a customer in a hurry;

• the facilitator facilitates the purchasing or consumption decision process. A facilitator will help for example to calculate the amount of shopping, he/she will provide advice on certain products.

• the supporter helps the consumer to have fun while shopping and he/she helps him/her not feel guilty. The supporter can be a friend or a sister who will comfort the buyer and help her avoid feeling guilty when making certain purchases, such as that of a beauty cream deemed non-essential in the family budget;

• finally, the witness is an essential actor for freedom to be fully experienced. It will be for example a parent who sees his adolescent child buying and eating ice cream before a meal when this is strictly forbidden. The teenager who eats his ice cream in front of his parents, defying the ban, expresses his freedom. He wants to be seen, and he tries to make his release public.

The others allow to enjoy freedom

Studies conducted in other countries and times have shown how essential the role of others is in freedom. Our research is an extension of this work. In his work Shopping for PleasureAmerican historian Erika Rappaport examines how London women in the 19th^e century found in the new department stores of London West End, spaces where they could free themselves from the social constraints which imprisoned them. At that time, the social norms of society required women to confine themselves to their neighborhoods, or even not to go far from their homes without a chaperon. Women were heavily constrained by their domestic and family chores, and therefore spent most of their time in their homes.

Erika Rappaport thus describes the birth of a new culture thanks to the appearance of department stores, where women could experience new forms of freedom. While they were constrained in traditional commerce to buy what the store manager had to offer, shoppers in department stores suddenly found themselves encouraged to express their desires. The vendors, mostly men trained to serve female customers, encouraged them to express their choices, in other words to experience the freedom of choice.

Later in the United States, the social constraints exerted on contemporary American women remain closely linked to their place within the family. They are faced with a double duty: to hold a paid job outside their home while continuing to carry out the majority of domestic tasks. In 1990, a study showed how American women struggled to express their freedoms of choice while shopping at the supermarket. They can nevertheless count on the help of their best friends, who advise and support them in their choice, and thus free them from negative emotions such as guilt or the fear of making a bad choice. Through household errands, contemporary American women embrace their traditional role of foster mother, and are subject to social expectations regarding the budget spent and the quality of the products purchased. For these women, shopping, which was originally a pleasure, quickly becomes a chore.

Limit the harmful effects of consumption

The results of these studies remind us how much the expression of consumer freedom depends on the social context. The manifestations of freedom are closely linked to the beliefs and values ​​of the social group concerned.

The market and its new consumption spaces would therefore represent new spaces conducive to the development of forms of freedom. Through this freedom, women develop their preferences, a sense of taste and aesthetics. They forge new identities. Thus, these women, but also men, and their families, shape and adapt traditions through the opportunities offered by the market.

However, consumer culture lurks. Activists rightly denounce the harmful effects of the arrival of these new consumer spaces. New forms of commerce can contribute to the advance of materialism, and to the development of every man for himself, and the transformation of the family.

It therefore seems essential to give future generations the necessary skills to enjoy the benefits of consumption, while limiting its harmful effects. Teachers and researchers can help to acquire and develop these skills, and to understand their effects on society and its traditions. By training and informing the managers and consumers of tomorrow, they in turn contribute to the construction of freedom and the development of well-being in our families and societies.

1683381752
#consumer #freedom #begins