You are a prosumer, I am a prosumer, we are all prosumers

Throughout today’s society, the act of both producing and consuming is based on what a successful society embodies. After reading the Ritzer & Jurgunsen article, (2010), I feel as though their foremost contention relates to the idea that producing and consuming are both equally as imperative in their role of successful capitalism. According to Ritzer & Jurgunsen, (2010, pp. 17), prosumption ‘involves both production and consumption rather than focusing on either one or the other. It is maintained that earlier forms of capitalism were themselves characterized by prosumption’. In stating this, Ritzer & Jurgunsen are arguing that prosumption has transformed the way in which capitalism functions, meaning that average citizens now possess a greater deal of power in society, especially in terms of user-generated content.

The emergence of web 2.0 distinguishes an increase in user-generated content, which contributes to a growing culture of ‘prosumption’ online. Social media, throughout today’s technological society, has developed into an integral element of our social order, and thanks to online platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, this form of new media has allowed for individuals to generate an ‘online identity’ by which they construct themselves in order for themselves to be constructed by others. Social media platforms have capitalized owing to the rise of a prosumer culture, as their success would be inexistent if it weren’t due to the ongoing production and consumption of user-generated content and identities. In terms of my own personal experience, I would argue that my contributions to online media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have added to the ongoing success of these respective websites. I am frequently updating my online profile on Facebook and uploading photos to Instagram, all of which are a factor in producing my online identity. We are currently living in a world which is dominated by free services, and due to this, the ongoing success of social media platforms and websites now rely profoundly on user participation and contribution.

Image source: Social Media Frontiers

Another norm which has come into view with the emergence of a prosumer culture is the idea of the ‘duty of the citizen’ (Ritzer, 2005, pg.16). Tapscott & Williams (2006 – cited in Ritzer & Jurgunsen), have expanded on this idea by noting that prosumers are ‘part of a new wave of acceleration where businesses put consumers to work.’ This is exemplified in the ideas of major food chains to cut costs by putting the consumer to work; in expecting the customer to collect their own food, go to the register to place their own order, and clear their own rubbish from their table. Other examples of industries that are introducing the ‘self serve’ module are supermarket chains such as Woolworths and Coles, in terms of their self-scan grocery checkouts, and self-print photography outlets such as Kmart and Officeworks. In my personal opinion, I feel that these ‘self-serve’ checkouts are a relevant case in point example of the dominating prosumer culture, and how our already technology driven world is expanding. These recent innovations have changed the way that we the consumer, or ‘prosumer’ conduct our weekly shopping or dining rituals, and has resulted in a considerably high number of job losses, as their positions have seemingly been made redundant.

                                                              Image source: Open revolt

Sources:

Ritzer, George & Jurgenson, Nathan, (2010); ‘Production, Consumption, Prosumption: The nature of capitalism in the age of the digital ‘prosumer’, Journal of Consumer Culture, Sage Publications vol. 10 no. 1, pp. 13 – 36 (accessed on 25^th August, 2013)