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RSSThese riots show the cost of consumption
If affluence is our marker of social power, it is no surprise that the high street is at the heart of the riots.
By Sean Carey Published 09 August 2011 18:39
In a 1965 essay, The Nature of War, British anthropologist Professor Sir Edmund Leach argued:
Every society must bring the aggressive instincts of its individual members under control. This can never be achieved simply by outright repression or by moral precepts, but only by sublimation, that is by providing legitimate outlets for dangerous feelings.
Different cultures -- traditional and modern -- achieve this in different ways of course. However, in market economies there can be little doubt that such sublimation is achieved mainly by consumption. It is the great driver of human endeavour and aspiration. Indeed, in an advanced economy like the UK, consumption makes up around two thirds of all economic activity.
But as anthropologists would point out, the sort of consumption most readers of this blog will be familiar with -- the simple and complex decision-making involved in the purchase of particular types of goods and services -- is far from universal. It therefore cannot be explained simply as a "natural" aspect of human behaviour by the sort of "rational choice" theory beloved by economists.
Instead, it is necessary to dig deeper and ask why certain categories of goods and services available in our society are valued differentially by different groups of people.
Yesterday and today, UK political leaders have been keen to point out that the looting of shops in London and other UK cities has little if any connection with the shooting by the Metropolitan Police's Operation Trident team last week of Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old black man from the Tottenham area of North London.
But are they right? I am not so sure. Whatever the truth of the matter, politicians are certainly wrong to fall back on a variety of explanatory clichés, like "mindless acts of violence and destruction" and "mindless criminality" carried out by "mindless thugs". Mindlessness would create randomness, but the events unfolding are far from being random.
Instead, I would argue that what we are witnessing is a significant symbolic statement about the way power -- the power of life and death exercised by police officers as well as the power to consume -- is arranged in British society.
There is a further point. Given the accusations of "mindlessness", it has been interesting to monitor the behaviour of the mainly young people -- predominantly male, but also female -- involved in the social disorder that has affected London and other major cities in England. One intriguing aspect of events has been the selection of targets by young people involved in the disturbances, which have mainly affected so-called "inner-city" areas.
There have been some odd choices -- last night on BBC TV, for example, I saw that a small shop selling items for children's parties had been ransacked in one part of London -- but by and large the focus has been on breaking into major electrical retailers like Currys and Dixons, mobile phone chains like Carphone Warehouse, supermarkets including Tesco, jewellers, and top-of-the- range "casual" and sports clothing stores.
This is why most of disorder has occurred either in high streets, shopping malls or out-of-town retail park locations. Put simply, these young people, most of whom I would guess live on the margins -- that is they do not come from comfortable middle-class homes -- wanted to access physical products which typically have high financial and symbolic value either within their primary peer group or because they can be sold on to others.
But they also wanted something more: the sort of social power -- even temporarily -- that is normally only exercised by affluent Britons equipped with nice houses, nice cars and credit cards.
The other interesting feature is that most of the violence has been directed by the rioters at the police, but not -- apart from one unlucky victim who was shot in Croydon last night and died in hospital today -- so far at ordinary groups or individuals. This may change as social tensions around race and ethnicity surface but at the moment these scenarios seem unlikely given the multi-ethnic make-up of those participating in the disorder.
But given the fact that property theft is a prototypical criminal offence in a Western-type economy, where affluence forms the bedrock of the dominant culture, it is little wonder that British Prime Minister David Cameron and Mayor of London Boris Johnson have cut short their holidays or that Parliament is to be recalled on Thursday. The political class and many other ordinary citizens evidently feel that the very fabric of society is under threat. Where now for the big society?
Dr Sean Carey is research fellow at the Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (CRONEM), Roehampton University.
Tags: Mark Duggan London Riots Riots social mobility
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78 comments
The Bankers work on the principal that greed is good and they continue to rob us all by an intricate web of complex banking rules that lets us the tax payer bale them out so they can continue doing so .. these looters work on similar principles that greed is good only they don`t have the intellect to do do it legally so they loot , maybe this article is getting at the underlying problems that society is based on greed and we are seeing the huge gaps that has created in the fabric of our society ? on top of this the politicans seemed greedy to when the expense saga unfolded , who are our role models today .. ?
All that preparation... and then this! Understandably Jeremy Hunt, the Culture MInister, is miffed. We all know what Rabbie said about 'counting your chickens', but still.
The Culture Minister's project 'National Brotherhood Week' was just about ready to launch.
Then instead of the 'Big Society' Jeremy is faced with the fragmented society.
Admittedly most of the ethnic vigilante groups have young black teens and in-betweens in their sights but any rioter, black or white, will be subject to 'citizen's arrest'.
Racial tension amongst ethnic groupings, as it has always been although somewhat suppressed, will now be out in the open.
No doubt the UK police will become the hammer of the rioters and try to ensure they are imprisoned on their estates together with the majority of their unfortunate neighbours.
To make matters worse, Mikey Gove, threw a toddler tantrum on BBC Newsnight and only simmered down when Harriet Harman put on her stern nanny face.
We think these riots have been a godsend for the Tories and their acolytes. A crisis and the country is overflowing with volunteers. The Tories have suddenly realised it's quite easy to whip up a multi-ethnic lynch mob.
And of course the police are coining it. Endless overtime - otherwise the streets might run red with blood - it's all the same colour!
Gadaffafi and Assad must be sniggering at the UK's civil disturbances.
Mission Creep Fox had been warned.
White Folks
PeteyMcPeterson and JJJS, there is nothing wrong with saying I will work for my iPhone. Unless the two of you are ascetic monks- and you're probably not, given your participation in an online forum- you also have items that you have worked for and items that you are working for. Phones, housing, cars etc...
So please get off your high horses and stop pretending that you have no need for material possession. I work for my stuff, and I'm proud of it.
High street store NEXT is offering apprenticeships to the "youth"...
...they are paying £60 for 24 hours per week. That is £2.50 an hour... less than half the minimum wage.
It's about the economy...stupid.
Hi andyg, I wasn't offended in the least! Calling me a shallow piece of shite said much more about you than it did about me. And what it said was this: "I don't like what you said, but I'm not articulate enough to put up a convincing rebuttal".
Consider my offer of help withdrawn then, you ingrate.
Materialism + Aquisitiveness = the making and the breaking of our 'society'.
Moi ? - settled on benefits, wanting for less, living quite comfortably !
MAKootage
There is no issue with working for your possessions- but you miss the point here. It is not an equal playing field. There are many hard working people who do not receive the full reward for their labour. There is little equity in the system we have. The before the GFC the wealthy were prepared to take without giving back. When it happened, tax payer dollars were needed to pay for their habits. It is the old story- privatise the good times, socialise the down times.
You do not know the employment situation of these people so please stop assuming you do. Our anger should be directed at those who created this situation, not those who will not take it anymore.
Dont assume these rioters are all stupid or dont know whats going on in Britain today. Anyone with half a brain can see how hard were being rubber ducked
The bankers steal billions through legalised fraud on the taxpayer, and then get clean away with it....Whats the difference?
The politicians steal money from their expenses (straight up stealing, that one) Again whats the difference?
The media stealing conversations off mobile phones, and getting all too friendly with the police and Prime Minister despite their thieving.
Torys steal their chance of a decent education to pay off their banker friends. Whats the difference?
The difference is they way its sold to the public. ANYONE who agrees that these people (rioters) should be shot with rubber bullets and water cannons should also DEMAND the same for bankers, politicians and the media. Otherwise you are nothing but brainwashed hypocrites.
And to top it off, we tell our children that these are the people they should aspire to be?!?!
No wonder they follow the example of the the banks, the corporations, the media, the police, the politicians, the Tory party and the rest of their so called betters.
At least the rioters only attacked business's (99% of cases have been business's) where as OUR government rob anyone/thing regardless of status……. EVEN THE HOMELESS FFS!!
The British Establishment have spent the last few years stealing anything they could get their greedy little hands on and making massive profits bombing and selling weapons to other countries and you lot moan about the riots?????? That’s the problem with the world today…..
Great article - I have also been thinking that the targets of the rioting are very telling about the wider values of our society. In a society which sells material goods as the markers of status, not really a surprise that those on the margins make a landgrab for apparently meaningless stuff as a reassertion of power. Or even just take it when they think they can get away with it, in not that different a way to traders shorting the system or politicians fiddling expenses. More violent of course (and certainly not condoning that, before anyone says so!) but still out for more stuff.
Well done a well wriiten articule that begins to look at the modern issues around our modern culture. what does it say when british individuals, including many "liberals" who read this paper call for greater force and violence towards our young instead of trying to understand where its all coming from.
We have corrupt leaders, corrupt business, corrupt entertainers, corrupted population that believes everything thats on tv and well... corrupt everything.
There are no more indivduals to look up to and no more trust. this is the pinicule of our capatalist society and I bet if I was 18 now I may well of been out rioting as well.
There is no morale or ethical heart in our country anymore this is reflective in the country's desire to consider the death sentence as well as the attitudes towards our youth, our old folk, women, immigrants,the mentally ill even our animals.
I am ashamed of this country and continualy shocked at how brain washed the majority of people are in this country.
When they start erroding more of our freedoms, and they will now, and things get worse as they will now I wonder how many of you "liberals" will start your sheep bleating again but do nothing as usual.
@LZ
just read your post bang on!!!
As usual, the pontificating sociologists read much more into events that are there, as so appear erudite and sophisticated in their own small minds. Sure, the yobbos want what the moneyed class haves, but unlike the genuine working poor, they aren't willing to make the effort to achieve it through any effort other than rioting or looting.
Cheers Suburbanmonk.
Great Posting from your good self also!!
Still feels like were banging our head on a brick wall tho....
People who attack the homes and businesses of innocent citizens do not deserve our 'understanding' only our contempt. I hope they get the hidings from the police that they deserve!
@lox; You're spot on about andgy. All he does is insult or evade when he can't answer you. He says things like 'I'll let you decide for yourself', 'we'll come to that point later' or 'or you don't like my answer' when he hasn't actually answered. Then he starts calling you names. Even his name calling lacks imagination ... he's only got a very limited vocabulary.
Nearly all the time he doesn't actually address what you ask him. He's got a simplistic anti-capitalist /anti-USA/anti big business/anti-government 'model' of the world that he can't defend when someone puts the hard questions to him. He's like a member of the Socialist Workers from the 80s screaming and shouting that it is all unfair. He doesn't realise that the pension funds of the world's workers are the biggest shareholders of companies, and that time has passed his ideas by. He's a relic of the past.
@ Bill; you write;"And another point. So people are destroying other people's livelihoods instead of working? Can the people whose livelihoods have been lost not seek out some of these alleged jobs"
class man, class. Geezer works 14 hours a day 7 days a week building a corner shop (rich bastard!!), it gets trashed by the kids of the parents he serves, and u reckon the problem is his attitude cos there'e always a job down the road...
Hey, I know! Let's stop all those jewish financed films reminding us about the holocaust cos it was a while back innit, and anuways bruv can always have some other kids.
You were kidding right? Please, your point CAN'T be that you think there are no jobs...
@ Suburbanmonk
loved it. u sum it up perfectly;"There is no morale or ethical heart in our country anymore"
Well, there's a few of us I reckon.
@ Mr Divine
LOL
So A.Cole
Which criminals do you refer to?
The corrupt Establishment or the rioters?
Pls answer!!!
LZ
The rioters who have destroyed peoples homes and businesses.
Do you have a home or own a business by the way?
@andyg: You don't have to point out your failings, they are obvious for all the world to see.
I asked you for the names of the charity and the location of their irrigation projects in Somalia. You cut and pasted a book review of a book written in the 90s from someone else of an unrelated topic... that is not evidence. That is not an answer, there was no name of a charity nor no location. A book review of an unrelated topic is not an answer. And you did it in such a way that it appeared as if it was your own work... there was no quotation marks. Please stop telling fibs. Admit that you do not know certain things that you are assuming. Do not try to say something is evidence when it is clearly not. Stop wiggling like a liar.
Like I said you failings are obvious not just to me but others as well. You might win a few pub discussions but on here it is obvious that you are blustering with crap English and lies.
@ Makootage-
with you on the nobility of work. it's often derided by people who gloss over the fact that people come from all over the world to clean outr toilets... cos simply thay are above all that.
@ mcpetey paterson-u write"My message to those politicians is the same as the rioters. 'fuck you and your saville row suit gentlemen. I'm going to bag me a rolex'"
do the overtime and earn it son, you'll enjoy it more.
PROTESTS vs RIOTS
It was only a few months ago that there were very healthy and robust demonstrations against government cuts on education, health and social services etc. I was in full support of that and while I conceed that there was vandalism on the fringes there was virtualy zero looting.
This is different this is active criminality to steal and destroy people's livelihoods. OK the corporations and their corrupt politicians are short changing the people but two wrongs don't make a right do they.
It is likely that these rioters are being manipulated by agents provocateurs of the far neo liberal right in order to discredit the left.
Conspiracy theory? I used to know of one such agent who lived in Christchurch (New Zealand) who was very active in the protest movement.
This character would always incite and goad fellow protesters into doing illegal acts, like smashing windows etc. But he never participated in any of the acts he incited.
This raised much suspicion among the protest movement.
He eventually blew his cover when he gave his girlfriend (Green activist)his log on code to his computer so she could rectify some problems. She discovered some e-mails between him and the SIS (NZ equivelent of CI5?)giving them all sorts of details about certain protesters he had suspected as being 'subversive'.
Well that relationship was very short lived, but there could be operatives working to undermine genuine movements for reform.
What I said was true so I hope that it helps to put some perspective on these riots.
Yes i own my own home. NO i do not agree with or condone these peoples behavior. But there is NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN the thugs on the street and the thugs in power....I can see that why cant you?? pls answer this Question
What excuses do the Establishment have for stealing??
What should thier punishment be?
do you agree that the chief of police, David Cameron, Tony Blair, the banks and the media should be held accountable for thier actions aswell??
"The rioters who have destroyed peoples homes and businesses"
funny how you could swap the word "rioters" with the word "Politicians" and it would make more sense but who cares right..... obviously not you
The is the fruits of your 'Labour'. This has absolutely nothing to do with that Socialist buzzword 'du jour', "consumption." The Socialist dream is over. It's failed. It has always failed and will always fail. Multiculturalism, as a vehicle to Socialism, has failed. The criminal mob rules for now, but resentment will reach critical mass within the minds of the indigenous populations of Europe and the RIGHTeous mobs will take over. All the Anarchists, Socialists, Criminals, Union thugs, Islamists will all be swept away in a sea of rage. I'm not saying this because I desire it, but we have historical precedents to go by. All the signs are there and all the left's polarising strategies to oppress dissenting views, in fact, fuel the flames. You can't oppress human nature with political correctness, social engineering and propaganda forever.
The language of the Right is TOTALLY REDUNDANT in explaining the riots. It is out of touch, out of date and obscures more than it enlightens.
I thought Kelvin MacKnezie came across as a sick right wing ex NI nutter last night on Newsnight when discussing the riots with very articulate, young Englishmnen who understood the world that MacKenzie knows absolutely knows nothing about. He is symptomatic of the Right wing lunatics who want curfews, rubber bullets, water canon used in so-called Liberal democratic Britain. They are sick joke. Don't lose sight of the fact that this chaos was precipiated by a gang of thugs called the Met who shot dead a Black Englishman on the streets of London last Thursday. There lies the REAL problem!
GREED is the real problem. Not just the greeed of the rioters, but the greed they grow up with and watch every day in the media: Banks, managers and governments taking whatever they can to get their hands on. None of the two is any better than the other though, as two wrongs don't make a right.Unfortunately the sense of "If they do it, it's ok for us too" seems to spread like wildfire. The deeper lying issue is that, banker or rioter, there's no morals and respect anymore.And where could it come from if it's not taught by parents and not by the education system, nor enforced by the authorities? It's always someone else's responsability, isn't it. And at the end of the day, everyone points their finger at everyone else at the blame game. Just because your outlook in life isn't all rosy that doesn't make you a yob. Nobody teaching you morals, respect and how to live within your means whilst putting effort into achieving your goals in life is. My parents never lived on credit to have all sorts of shiny things ...people need to be brought up in ways that teaches them it's not ok to just take what they want,and not to want eveything they see.
Society nowadays seems to forget the simple joys of life and it's always MORE MORE MORE. Role models that are publicly lying and cheating which seems widely accepted won't help the cause either.
"Let us all work for our iPhones, so that we may be morally and socially emancipated."
I work for my 'stuff' - I'm not proud. Better things than material wants to work for.
Rob a bank and you get 10 years The Bank robs you and they get a seven figure pension.
Factors that contribute to rioting are population size, the breakdown of respect for social order, poverty, the lack of opportunities for personal advancement and Debt.
Today the people that led the world into debt by their corrupt practises within the Banking, Insurance, and Financial sector have been reappointed by President Obama to head his financial team. No one has been brought to justice for the debt all the world is now paying and rioting about.
All the banks had AAA status just before they collapsed from Standard and Poor the same people who have just downgraded USA economy?
University Professors who advised the governments were working without declaring their paid interest for these corrupt banks etc. just before the crash.
If you check the facts you will find a transfer of wealth from the poorest to the top one percent and these crooks are still running all our economies.
This was achieved by getting companies like standard and poor to give false assessments of bad debt which was then sold to our pension funds as triple A.
Whilst ever these crooks go unpunished and are rewarded by huge golden handshakes and top government jobs, riots will get worse.
We all have a remedy it is our vote and a free press.
Make sure you give your vote wisely and all the politicians who supported crooked bankers, insurance companies, are swept from power.
To the press it is time to expose these crooks. Name and Shame
The recent rioters have done less damage to life, property, and the economy than Rupert Murdoch or any of the major western banks, and their small-scale criminality merely echoes the large-scale which is taught as good practice in business schools and lauded by the press. The vulgarity of smashing a shop in order to get a track suit disturbs because it mirrors the entirely acceptable practice of destroying the environment, raiding a company, or impoverishing a retiree in order to get a BMW and a rolex. We all hate crime, but who are the criminals?
LZ
For a start those MPs who were involved in the expenses scandal need to go to prison and lose their positions.
All corruption whether in the police force or in banking should be dealt with robustly.
The rioters also beed a hiding!
John Henry
Dont forget high criminality in the black community has exacerbated bad relations with the police.
If it wasn't for capitalism and consumerism society would be in a far worse state than it is now. Working hard for your lifestyle and posessions is a very noble thing.
What are the people stealing iPhones and jewelry protesting? That they want nice things that they can't afford?
Everybody has aspirations to eat nice food and have nice things. The decent folk in society work for it. Meanwhile, violent thugs take the shortcut, looting those people that belong to the former category.
Instead of highlighting the loss of livelihoods, NS is victimizing hoodlums.
I am male, 22 and liberal. But I will not sympathize with these thugs. I will work for my iPhone.
test
Why is it I can't post any comments on here that have any relevant content? Is there some odd spam-only filter?
"I will work for my iPhone" is quite possibly the most succint - and therefore the most depressing - assertion of capitalism's false economy I've ever seen.
Hmm. People complain about people not working, then complain when you get odd people in jobs, from phone hackers down to people refusing to sell soft cheese and wine gums.
These riots are connected... (to everything else):
http://t.co/s2iocro
What they also showis that everyone has their limits.
You can argue all day long about who fits which label. Who's middle vs. upper class. Who's entitled to what. Do you really have to have three mobile phones?
Unfortunately, instead of dealing with the real economic problems, the focus will be only on prosecuting the rioters. Nobody's going to say, hang on a minute. We'll never be able to pay off this global debt.
JJJJS & Bill couldn't agree more.
Easy for those who have jobs, house etc to condemn.
I feel this is only the start of societies problems in this country.
Indifferent leaders being the main instigator.
"However, in market economies there can be little doubt that such sublimation is achieved mainly by consumption".
Only if you're very stupid or misguided, prof. I assume that your sense of achievement and status is achieved by, well, achievements. A good publication record, academic tenure, etc. Why do you think other people are different? Is it because they've never been taught or never realised-as you obviously have-that there's a massive personal and immaterial reward from getting something by your own efforts? And if they haven't been taught that, then why not?
JJJS, why is it depressing for someone to say that they're prepared to work for something they want? How did you the computer you wrote your post on? A gift? Is it in a public library? Would the world be a better place if a private company hadn't invested money into making it so that they could then make a profit? Honest-I simply can't see what's depressing about someone saying they're going to work for an i-phone.
Many low-income homes are early adopters of expensive new technologies such as the latest games consoles and TVs. Where is the exclusion? The rioters may not be afflicted with mindlessness, but the author of this piece is making a noble effort to achieve it. If this is the best it can offer, I propose the termination of the "Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism" in the next round of cuts.
Bullshit article.
The other interesting feature is that most of the violence has been directed by the rioters at the police, but not -- apart from one unlucky victim who was shot in Croydon last night and died in hospital today -- so far at ordinary groups or individuals.
Really, try telling that to the numerous people who had flats and houses burned to the ground or broken into, to say nothing of the poor old fella criticaly ill in hospital. It's opportunistic criminality which no rational person should attempt to condone.
Hopefully, crutchbender, they will be ex designers and social workers. When you get a minimum five year prison sentence for being a destructive and greedy little wanker, you really don't deserve to keep your job.
@ Mr Divine
You know that I don't lift other people's work. I have no need. You asked for an example and I gave you one and made the appropriate references. I see that you have tried to make a cyber friend of Lox; But he will learn.
Lox there's alot to be said of those who don't ask and just assume like yourself. I'm actually horrified by what I see unfolding but anyone who hasn't seen it coming then they can be excused for having such a disability. As for your help, no thankyou. Your new found friend constantly has to refer to money as I'm sure you will learn but he has the largest emptiest head that I have ever come across. He is destitute of serious debate and you will learn this also.
Hope you was offended.
The statement the rioters have made about consumerism was LOUD AND CLEAR.
Lets be glad that the rioters headed for the shops, next time it will be you and your smug iPhones (those who do not appreciate jobs and gadgets as the luxuries they truely are these days).
Sadly that will lose the rioters even more sympathy and we will still be having these same limited arguments about it.
In a world where some have too much, and some nothing at all, of course there will be big problems.
And the Society we have allowed to thrive values consumerism over morals from the top down. This has been going on long before Blair invaded Iraq for its oil, handing the country over to big corporations and saying it was to save the world from mass destruction. Blair did not go down to JD Sports, because in the world that he lives in trainers do not impress his friends. And his message was very clear, if you can’t buy it, take it.
This is all a perfect example of the modern globlised mantra of efficiency combined with the idea of doing what needs to be done to generate a profit. The consequences aren't really that important, just profit as much as you can as quickly as possible with as little effort as possible. Can you screw the local indigenous population out of the oil they're sitting on? Just do it. Can you steal those Nikes made in terrible conditions by faceless kids? Just do it. Reap the behavioural rewards of the seeds sown by our mindless economic doctrines of profit and consumption on a micro scale. There is no right or wrong, just profit or loss.
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