Ideologies of capitalism in modern society and the relationship between: Television real estate programs, the politics of consumption, the myth of the American Dream
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Revealing Consumerism and Materialism in Real Estate Programs
1. Move That Bus! Revealing
Consumerism and Materialism in
Real Estate Programs
Evan Kropp, Graduate Student
University of Hartford – School of Communication
2011
2. Introduction
Ideologies of capitalism in modern
society and the relationship between:
◦ Television real estate programs
◦ The politics of consumption
◦ The myth of the American Dream
3. American Consumption
Americans participate in an artificial
consumer culture
Harder than ever to achieve even a
satisfying standard of living.
◦ Incomes have stagnated
◦ Gap between rich & poor widened
◦ Upward mobility stifled
◦ Economic growth rates reduced
4. American Consumption
“Income Solution” is not the answer
◦ Increased income = increased consumption
and exacerbates inequalities
◦ “Adequate” income in an elusive goal
◦ Do the rich need more?
True problem is not income, but our
attitudes towards consumption
5. Television
TV viewership increasing
Many shows based on theme of
“learning”
Real Estate programs teach the
politics of consumption and reinforcing
the myth of the American dream.
6. Real Estate Shows
Lost educational value of This Old House
Ratings bonanza
New program types are not realistic
◦ Flipping shows
Changing psychology of how homes are
viewed.
◦ Homes no longer viewed as shelter
◦ Views aligned with politics of consumption
◦ Shows acted as cheerleaders for the market
7. Real Estate Shows
Burton Jablin, Scripps Network
House Hunters based on false reality
Business Week Article on House
Hunters International
8. Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition
Premiered 2003
No educational value
Fairy tale
Aligned with dominant
ideologies
Provides false hope
9. Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition
Change in government structure to
NeoLiberal society
Highlighted by families chosen
But issues themselves not addressed
Three questions of each episode:
◦ 1. What kind of people are these?
◦ 2. If these families are “All-American” why are
they living in these conditions?
◦ 3. How can this problem be remedied?
10. Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition
Morality rewarded with material
possessions
Myth of classless society
Economic data:
◦ Decline in mobility
◦ 1979 ordinary income: $31,900 / 1997
ordinary income $33,200
◦ CEO pay from $3.45 million (1980) to $155
million (2001)
11. Conclusions
What is missing from these shows?
◦ Costs
Who benefits from these shows?
◦ Large corporations
◦ Small local organizations
◦ Networks & cable channels
◦ Show personalities
What about the viewers?
12. Conclusions
Harmful messages…
◦ Keeping up
◦ Low income households targets
◦ Increased work hours
◦ Decreased savings rates
◦ Decreased public funds
We must re-evaluate our social attitudes about
consumption and be aware how these attitudes are
shaped by and represented on television
13. Sources
Campbell, C. (2008). FLIP ALL THOSE FLIPPIN’ SHOWS. Maclean’s, 121(19),
58-60.
Gary, S. (April, 18, 2008). Real estate shows keep their value. USA Today.
Section: Life, p. 13d.
Palmer, G. (2011). Extreme makeover: home edition. In G. Dines & J.M Humez
(Ed.), Gender, race and class in media. (pp. 37-43). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Palmeri, C. (2009). Real Estate TV shows can’t keep up with the plunging market.
Businessweek. Retrieved from
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2009/08/real_estat
e_tv.html
Poniewozik, J. (2008). Pimp my real estate market!. Time, 171(16),27. Retrieved
from EBSCOhost.
Schor, P. (2011). The new politics of consumption: Why Americans want so much
more than they need. In G. Dines & J.M Humez (Ed.), Gender, race and class in
media. (pp. 205-211). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Stetler, B. (May 24, 2009). Realty check for real estate shows. The New York
Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/arts/television/24stel.html
Winsolw, L. (2010). Comforting the comfortable: Extreme Makeover Home
Edition’s ideological conquest. Critical Studies in Media Communication. 37(3),
267-290.