The influence of consumer culture on feminist consciousness in social media field

Abstract

In the era of consumerism, the establishment of a robust consumer culture becomes crucial. Within the realm of consumerism, women’s values are closely intertwined with their consumption patterns. The quality, quantity, and nature of women’s consumption, as well as their consumption habits and preferences, significantly impact their value system. However, Women’s Day is in a paradoxical situation. On the one hand, the name “Women’s Day” is progressively associated with entertainment, commercialization, and even stigma, leading to its perception as a “neglected celebration.” On the other hand, various merchants, particularly those in e-commerce, exploit the notion of “caring for women” as a marketing strategy, triggering a promotion frenzy that reinforces the strong link between consumption and feminism. To explore the relationship between the content of advertisements published by businesses on Women’s Day using the Weibo platform and the impact of consumerism, this paper adopts consumerism theory and employs Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis. Focusing on the content and format of advertisements on the Sina microblog platform during Women’s Day, the study examines the effects of consumer culture on feminist consciousness within the realm of social media. The findings reveal that the pervasive influence of consumer culture and the commercialization of social media platforms catering to consumerism have shaped women’s values and contributed to the erosion of humanism. This research holds significant academic and practical implications for understanding and transforming feminist consciousness and promoting women’s independence and empowerment.