"Seasons
are not a trend, they’re a part of a fragile eco system that we need to focus
on preserving, not Instagramming” - Sirena Bergman (2018) on the impact of
Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte.
If you
follow me on Instagram, you will see that on the first day of Autumn, I created
my bullet journal set up for the season. Doodling and writing in “autumnal”
colours made me reflect upon the commodification of the season. Commodities are
things that are seen as useful or hold a particular value. Autumn can be
seen as a production of commodities, conceptualised by Marx as commodification.
For instance, Bergman (2018) writes that just like any other millennial,
Bergman finds satisfaction in “stomping around in a pile of leaves”, wearing
woolly scarves, eating a variety of pumpkin based foods and partaking in
Halloween. Indeed, when I reflect upon my own Autumn bucket list, I too have
found satisfaction in autumnal activities such as pumpkin picking, watching
Harry Potter, wearing plum toned lipsticks and mustard coloured clothing items.
However, Marx’s conceptualisation of commodification refers to a process in
which the capitalist companies such as Starbucks, MAC makeup and clothing
brands deceive their customers into buying these products for their financial
gain. The issue I have with this is that it disregards the reflexivity that
consumers have to think about their role in the commodification of Autumn.
Although
Bergman writes about their favourite autumnal activities, Bergman is still
aware of their involvement in the commodification of Autumn. Focusing upon the
Pumpkin Spice Latte, Bergman discusses the impact that this capitalist product
is having upon the environment and how, ironically, it could affect the Autumn
season the most. My own reflection via this blog post, without getting too
meta, as well as Bergman’s article highlights the reflexivity consumers can
hold upon their involvement within the season.
Therefore,
although it can be theorised that Autumn has undergone commodification, it is
important not to view these consumers as “cultural dopes”. Just like my
previous blog post surrounding #doitforthegram, interaction with capitalist
consumer culture is more than passive consumption.
Reference:
Bergman (2018) Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/starbucks-pumpkin-spiced-latte-environment-autumn-millennials-instagram-a8515706.html
