Comments on: The “Post-Consumer” Era is a Fad. http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/ Translating Business Strategies into Financial Models Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:35:00 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: John Bardos - IdeaEconomy http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2852 John Bardos - IdeaEconomy Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:49:00 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2852 Another stimulating post Taylor.rnrnI agree that we will always consume things. We will always need food, clothing and shelter. The change that the post-work, post-consumer, post-capitalist promoters discuss is a more gradual one that will take decades to truly feel. rnrnAdvances in farming technology, forced us to seek work in factories. Advances in manufacturing, pushed us into offices. Mass affluence and abundance has started us questioning why we work so much in the first place. rnrnWhen our food, clothing and shelter needs can be met by 10 or 20 percent of our work hours, what do we do with the rest of our money and time? Physical consumption was cool for a few decades but how many fridges and sofas do we need? Now we spend huge amounts of time producing and consuming free content online (like your great blog). That is what the post consumer society is about. rnrnI admit it is a bit of a misnomer in the strict sense. Consumption will never be finished completely. It is just that we are moving to a stage of development when the consumption of experiences and ideas are more fulfilling than things. Often those experiences and ideas are free as well because producers (you on this blog) are not charging consumers like me. This new type of consumption is different than the old version so I think that is why that 'post' terminology is common. Another stimulating post Taylor.rnrnI agree that we will always consume things. We will always need food, clothing and shelter. The change that the post-work, post-consumer, post-capitalist promoters discuss is a more gradual one that will take decades to truly feel. rnrnAdvances in farming technology, forced us to seek work in factories. Advances in manufacturing, pushed us into offices. Mass affluence and abundance has started us questioning why we work so much in the first place. rnrnWhen our food, clothing and shelter needs can be met by 10 or 20 percent of our work hours, what do we do with the rest of our money and time? Physical consumption was cool for a few decades but how many fridges and sofas do we need? Now we spend huge amounts of time producing and consuming free content online (like your great blog). That is what the post consumer society is about. rnrnI admit it is a bit of a misnomer in the strict sense. Consumption will never be finished completely. It is just that we are moving to a stage of development when the consumption of experiences and ideas are more fulfilling than things. Often those experiences and ideas are free as well because producers (you on this blog) are not charging consumers like me. This new type of consumption is different than the old version so I think that is why that ‘post’ terminology is common.

]]> By: John Bardos - IdeaEconomy http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2774 John Bardos - IdeaEconomy Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:49:58 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2774 Another stimulating post Taylor.<br><br>I agree that we will always consume things. We will always need food, clothing and shelter. The change that the post-work, post-consumer, post-capitalist promoters discuss is a more gradual one that will take decades to truly feel. <br><br>Advances in farming technology, forced us to seek work in factories. Advances in manufacturing, pushed us into offices. Mass affluence and abundance has started us questioning why we work so much in the first place. <br><br>When our food, clothing and shelter needs can be met by 10 or 20 percent of our work hours, what do we do with the rest of our money and time? Physical consumption was cool for a few decades but how many fridges and sofas do we need? Now we spend huge amounts of time producing and consuming free content online (like your great blog). That is what the post consumer society is about. <br><br>I admit it is a bit of a misnomer in the strict sense. Consumption will never be finished completely. It is just that we are moving to a stage of development when the consumption of experiences and ideas are more fulfilling than things. Often those experiences and ideas are free as well because producers (you on this blog) are not charging consumers like me. This new type of consumption is different than the old version so I think that is why that 'post' terminology is common. Another stimulating post Taylor.

I agree that we will always consume things. We will always need food, clothing and shelter. The change that the post-work, post-consumer, post-capitalist promoters discuss is a more gradual one that will take decades to truly feel.

Advances in farming technology, forced us to seek work in factories. Advances in manufacturing, pushed us into offices. Mass affluence and abundance has started us questioning why we work so much in the first place.

When our food, clothing and shelter needs can be met by 10 or 20 percent of our work hours, what do we do with the rest of our money and time? Physical consumption was cool for a few decades but how many fridges and sofas do we need? Now we spend huge amounts of time producing and consuming free content online (like your great blog). That is what the post consumer society is about.

I admit it is a bit of a misnomer in the strict sense. Consumption will never be finished completely. It is just that we are moving to a stage of development when the consumption of experiences and ideas are more fulfilling than things. Often those experiences and ideas are free as well because producers (you on this blog) are not charging consumers like me. This new type of consumption is different than the old version so I think that is why that 'post' terminology is common.

]]> By: Taylor Davidson http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2773 Taylor Davidson Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:03:09 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2773 Interestingly, this loops into a more recent post and conversation about ethics and competitive advantage: <a href="http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2010/01/18/is-an-ethical-edge-the-new-source-of-competitive-advantage/" rel="nofollow">http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2010/01/1...</a><br><br>Also, highly related; <a href="http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2009/08/13/economic-organization-big-companies-entrepreneurship/" rel="nofollow">http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2009/08/1...</a><br><br>(both posts on my other blog) Interestingly, this loops into a more recent post and conversation about ethics and competitive advantage: http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2010/01/1...

Also, highly related; http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2009/08/1...

(both posts on my other blog)

]]> By: skmann http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2772 skmann Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:51:03 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2772 Yes, I certainly agree with that. Businesses will have to adapt to an ever increasing consumer demand for more conscience products and services...I do believe that, especially as younger generations come of age. However, I feel that there are many forces pulling consumers in multiple directions, and these larger changes in consumer behavior will be slower to evolve than I would hope for. <br><br>Although, I do agree with the assumption that socially/environmentally conscience business practices will be demanded by their consumers. It is a force that is already in motion. Yes, I certainly agree with that. Businesses will have to adapt to an ever increasing consumer demand for more conscience products and services…I do believe that, especially as younger generations come of age. However, I feel that there are many forces pulling consumers in multiple directions, and these larger changes in consumer behavior will be slower to evolve than I would hope for.

Although, I do agree with the assumption that socially/environmentally conscience business practices will be demanded by their consumers. It is a force that is already in motion.

]]> By: Taylor Davidson http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2771 Taylor Davidson Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:31:24 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2771 A thought: read <a href="http://bit.ly/boMmY1" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/boMmY1</a> by @umairh, and ask yourself what's really driving the change.<br><br>Consumerism doesn't mean buying expensive things, or being more / less green; consumerism is a function and an expression of competition within a societal structure. Consumerism is changing, but it isn't dying: visible consumption (whether by goods or experiences) is a part of human nature and will continue as long as humans compete against each other.<br><br>I hope this doesn't come out as a mixed message, but I'll try: I do firmly believe that "what we consume" will change, and I believe business will have to adapt to inject more "humanity" into their business and product decisions, and that "consumerism" as it's currently defined will change; but I that doesn't mean we move to a post-consumer state. A thought: read http://bit.ly/boMmY1 by @umairh, and ask yourself what's really driving the change.

Consumerism doesn't mean buying expensive things, or being more / less green; consumerism is a function and an expression of competition within a societal structure. Consumerism is changing, but it isn't dying: visible consumption (whether by goods or experiences) is a part of human nature and will continue as long as humans compete against each other.

I hope this doesn't come out as a mixed message, but I'll try: I do firmly believe that “what we consume” will change, and I believe business will have to adapt to inject more “humanity” into their business and product decisions, and that “consumerism” as it's currently defined will change; but I that doesn't mean we move to a post-consumer state.

]]> By: skmann http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2769 skmann Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:47:17 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2769 I agree with you on the fact that human nature will always have a social benchmark, whether that is a house in the burbs or the latest n greatest green gadget, but I disagree with you on Consumerism. Why? I feel that real change only takes place when it is forced upon us. As was the age of consumerism by new financial instruments allowing people to purchase things they cannot afford. The same is true for the death of consumerism. We have been forced to curtail our spending not b/c we want to, but b/c we have to. The "no money down" era is a thing of the past. Just take a look at recent corporate earnings. Over the past year, corporations have done a good job at increasing profit margins. This has been accomplished not from selling more stuff b/c most of their revenues are down from previous years. It has come from cutting cost, which we all know translates into job losses, which in turn translates to people spending less. Another example is the green revolution. This has been forced upon us by higher gas prices, increased natural disasters, etc. Change is a force of nature and nothing else. I agree with you on the fact that human nature will always have a social benchmark, whether that is a house in the burbs or the latest n greatest green gadget, but I disagree with you on Consumerism. Why? I feel that real change only takes place when it is forced upon us. As was the age of consumerism by new financial instruments allowing people to purchase things they cannot afford. The same is true for the death of consumerism. We have been forced to curtail our spending not b/c we want to, but b/c we have to. The “no money down” era is a thing of the past. Just take a look at recent corporate earnings. Over the past year, corporations have done a good job at increasing profit margins. This has been accomplished not from selling more stuff b/c most of their revenues are down from previous years. It has come from cutting cost, which we all know translates into job losses, which in turn translates to people spending less. Another example is the green revolution. This has been forced upon us by higher gas prices, increased natural disasters, etc. Change is a force of nature and nothing else.

]]> By: Taylor Davidson http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-1601 Taylor Davidson Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:52:28 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-1601 I'm doing a bit of disservice by the unnecessary over-restrictive definition of "why" I'm harping on; the real "why" (i.e. "I need to eat", "I need to be like everyone else", imagine a Maslow Hierarchy of Needs) won't change, but the routes we take to getting there will change, drastically even, as technology and cultural shifts will open and force different routes to get to the real "why".<br><br>As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, <a href="http://twitter.com/tdavidson/status/1527419060" rel="nofollow">"even as we buy less "stuff", I expect us to spend more on "experiences" that still don't change our lives"</a> because <a href="http://twitter.com/tdavidson/status/1527439037" rel="nofollow">"our fundamental inability to predict impact of spending on happiness applies for material possessions and experiences"</a>.<br><br>Condensing that, there is a lot of play / variability in the routes of consumption (i.e. the "form" referenced in <a href="http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/?success#comment-8074650" rel="nofollow">Chris's comment</a>, and that combines the what and why that you brought up so relegantly. Those themes you outlined are how will we understand these new routes, they are the frames we will use to understand and make our best guesses of what to create for people to consume. It's how we'll make our bets in business and life :) I'm doing a bit of disservice by the unnecessary over-restrictive definition of “why” I'm harping on; the real “why” (i.e. “I need to eat”, “I need to be like everyone else”, imagine a Maslow Hierarchy of Needs) won't change, but the routes we take to getting there will change, drastically even, as technology and cultural shifts will open and force different routes to get to the real “why”.

As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, “even as we buy less “stuff”, I expect us to spend more on “experiences” that still don't change our lives” because “our fundamental inability to predict impact of spending on happiness applies for material possessions and experiences”.

Condensing that, there is a lot of play / variability in the routes of consumption (i.e. the “form” referenced in Chris's comment, and that combines the what and why that you brought up so relegantly. Those themes you outlined are how will we understand these new routes, they are the frames we will use to understand and make our best guesses of what to create for people to consume. It's how we'll make our bets in business and life :)

]]> By: Taylor Davidson http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2264 Taylor Davidson Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:52:28 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2264 I'm doing a bit of disservice by the unnecessary over-restrictive definition of "why" I'm harping on; the real "why" (i.e. "I need to eat", "I need to be like everyone else", imagine a Maslow Hierarchy of Needs) won't change, but the routes we take to getting there will change, drastically even, as technology and cultural shifts will open and force different routes to get to the real "why".<br><br>As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, <a href="http://twitter.com/tdavidson/status/1527419060" rel="nofollow">"even as we buy less "stuff", I expect us to spend more on "experiences" that still don't change our lives"</a> because <a href="http://twitter.com/tdavidson/status/1527439037" rel="nofollow">"our fundamental inability to predict impact of spending on happiness applies for material possessions and experiences"</a>.<br><br>Condensing that, there is a lot of play / variability in the routes of consumption (i.e. the "form" referenced in <a href="http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/?success#comment-8074650" rel="nofollow">Chris's comment</a>), and that combines the what and why that you brought up so relegantly. Those themes you outlined are how will we understand these new routes, they are the frames we will use to understand and make our best guesses of what to create for people to consume. It's how we'll make our bets in business and life :) I'm doing a bit of disservice by the unnecessary over-restrictive definition of “why” I'm harping on; the real “why” (i.e. “I need to eat”, “I need to be like everyone else”, imagine a Maslow Hierarchy of Needs) won't change, but the routes we take to getting there will change, drastically even, as technology and cultural shifts will open and force different routes to get to the real “why”.

As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, “even as we buy less “stuff”, I expect us to spend more on “experiences” that still don't change our lives” because “our fundamental inability to predict impact of spending on happiness applies for material possessions and experiences”.

Condensing that, there is a lot of play / variability in the routes of consumption (i.e. the “form” referenced in Chris's comment), and that combines the what and why that you brought up so relegantly. Those themes you outlined are how will we understand these new routes, they are the frames we will use to understand and make our best guesses of what to create for people to consume. It's how we'll make our bets in business and life :)

]]> By: Taylor Davidson http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2278 Taylor Davidson Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:52:28 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-2278 I'm doing a bit of disservice by the unnecessary over-restrictive definition of "why" I'm harping on; the real "why" (i.e. "I need to eat", "I need to be like everyone else", imagine a Maslow Hierarchy of Needs) won't change, but the routes we take to getting there will change, drastically even, as technology and cultural shifts will open and force different routes to get to the real "why".<br><br>As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, <a href="http://twitter.com/tdavidson/status/1527419060" rel="nofollow">"even as we buy less "stuff", I expect us to spend more on "experiences" that still don't change our lives"</a> because <a href="http://twitter.com/tdavidson/status/1527439037" rel="nofollow">"our fundamental inability to predict impact of spending on happiness applies for material possessions and experiences"</a>.<br><br>Condensing that, there is a lot of play / variability in the routes of consumption (i.e. the "form" referenced in <a href="http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/?success#comment-8074650" rel="nofollow">Chris's comment</a>), and that combines the what and why that you brought up so relegantly. Those themes you outlined are how will we understand these new routes, they are the frames we will use to understand and make our best guesses of what to create for people to consume. It's how we'll make our bets in business and life :) I'm doing a bit of disservice by the unnecessary over-restrictive definition of “why” I'm harping on; the real “why” (i.e. “I need to eat”, “I need to be like everyone else”, imagine a Maslow Hierarchy of Needs) won't change, but the routes we take to getting there will change, drastically even, as technology and cultural shifts will open and force different routes to get to the real “why”.

As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, “even as we buy less “stuff”, I expect us to spend more on “experiences” that still don't change our lives” because “our fundamental inability to predict impact of spending on happiness applies for material possessions and experiences”.

Condensing that, there is a lot of play / variability in the routes of consumption (i.e. the “form” referenced in Chris's comment), and that combines the what and why that you brought up so relegantly. Those themes you outlined are how will we understand these new routes, they are the frames we will use to understand and make our best guesses of what to create for people to consume. It's how we'll make our bets in business and life :)

]]> By: Bonifer http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/2009/04/10/post-consumer-era-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-1597 Bonifer Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:02:23 +0000 http://www.unstructuredventures.com/uv/?p=1283#comment-1597 Good note. The basic motivations won't change. Those you cited, along with 'I need to eat," etc. I'm trying to spot the 'play' or variability in the equation, and I think most of it is on the 'why' side. Would you agree? Good note. The basic motivations won't change. Those you cited, along with 'I need to eat,” etc. I'm trying to spot the 'play' or variability in the equation, and I think most of it is on the 'why' side. Would you agree?

]]>