Consumed Culture and Cultured Consumption the Diderot Effect on Consumers

Abstract

This paper argues that culture constrains consumption as well as gets itself transformed. Culture resists change as much as it is consumed by changes. Neglecting cultural considerations one would be unable to understand marketing in particular and business in general. Applying the theory of Denis Diderot who sees both unity and effect of culture consumption, the paper discusses the ways Indian consumers are both constrained and transformed by consumption by tacit communication of cultural meaning attributed to products. Studying consumption in Chennai city by youth of fast-food such as KFC and McDonald, the paper explains the ways in which Tamil cultural habits are fast transformed after the entry of the foods. It further confirms the fact that consumption is not just an economic activity but a cultural activity in that meaning transfer must be pain sufficient attention to realize what really happens in buying and selling consumer goods.

Keywords: Indian Consumers, Culture and Consumption

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