Skip to main contentSkip to search and navigation

UEF eREPOSITORY

    • English
    • suomi
  • English 
    • English
    • suomi
  • Login
View Item 
  •   Home
  • Artikkelit
  • Yhteiskuntatieteiden ja kauppatieteiden tiedekunta
  • View Item
  •   Home
  • Artikkelit
  • Yhteiskuntatieteiden ja kauppatieteiden tiedekunta
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Rethinking consumerism from the perspective of religion

Thumbnail
Files
Article (257.2Kb)
Self archived version
published version
Date
2018
Author(s)
Kurenlahti, Mikko
Salonen, Arto O
Unique identifier
10.3390/su10072454
Metadata
Show full item record
More information
Research Database SoleCris

Self-archived article

Citation
Kurenlahti, Mikko. Salonen, Arto O. (2018). Rethinking consumerism from the perspective of religion.  Sustainability, 10 (7) , 2454. 10.3390/su10072454.
Rights
© Authors
Licensed under
CC BY http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract

Due to the global challenges that are posed by the Anthropocene and the academic focus on the fragmented state of modernity, we extend an invitation for shared dialogue on the all-pervading nature of consumerism as the seemingly problematic ethos of Western consumer culture. To this end, we outline a way to approach consumerism as an implicit religion, theorized as having adopted functionalities related to explicitly faith-based traditions within secular settings. We suggest that a similar kind of holistic and multidimensional approach might be of great benefit in the implementation of sustainability, as this would allow, e.g., (i) a more holistic analysis of the all-pervading nature of consumerism; (ii) acknowledgement of the functional diversity of the phenomenon; (iii) recognition of the shallowness of the critique of consumerism as a way of life; and, (iv) shared dialogue across a spectrum of academic perspectives under a unified model. This approach problematizes standard interpretations of consumerism as being about the promotion of the individual against the collective and as leading to a general sense of purposelessness. The perspective of religion reveals how patterns of consumption become illuminated with meaning and connected to a shared way for individuals to articulate a sense of purpose in contemporary contexts.

Subjects
religion   secular   consumerism   consumer culture   consumption   sustainability education   sustainable development   Anthropocene   implicit religion   social change   digitalization   
URI
https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/6869
Link to the original item
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10072454
Collections
  • Yhteiskuntatieteiden ja kauppatieteiden tiedekunta [369]
University of Eastern Finland
OpenAccess
eRepo
erepo@uef.fi
OpenUEF
Service provided by
the University of Eastern Finland Library
Library web pages
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube
Library blog
 sitemap
Search

Browse

All of the ArchiveResource types & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsFacultyDepartmentFull organizationSeriesMain subjectThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsFacultyDepartmentFull organizationSeriesMain subject

My Account

Login
University of Eastern Finland
OpenAccess
eRepo
erepo@uef.fi
OpenUEF
Service provided by
the University of Eastern Finland Library
Library web pages
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube
Library blog
 sitemap