Customer Reviews

Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption

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This book changed the way I view my own habits of consumption. I found his analysis of contemporary trends in consumption interesting and provocative. Also interesting was his conclusion that as people grow accustomed to the new means of consumption that they have to be continually impressed by something new. I thought his remarks on the architecture of the "cathedrals of consumption" were also very important. The most unsettling aspect of the book was Ritzer's comparison of modern styles of consumption with religious institutions, and even the conformity of religious institutions to this new means of consumption (i.e., the mega-churches of today). It was a good read, too, not too dense or pretentious. Very engaging.

This is an incredible read for anyone who is terrified of consumerism, but doesn't find the critique presented by zombie subcultures a satisfying alternative. Where zombie movies and posters are hypocritical (in that you're just consuming someone else's noise), inarticulate/vague, and present violence as the only alternative, this book is enlightening. It helps you to embrace your role as an active/informed consumer and better understand what it is that makes you consume.

Though this edition was released a few years ago, it still captures 'now' incredibly well. Here's an excerpt about Amazon, and even what I'm doing as I write these words:

"As an internet provider of books (and now many other things), Amazon.com (and other consumption sites on the Internet) presents an interest case of efficiency through putting the consumer to work. The most obvious point is that the customer does all the work involved in placing an order. Less obvious is the fact that customers are invited to submit thoughts on, and reviews of, books; these reviews are then posted on the Web site. Customers, therefore, not only do the work of ordering but also serve as unpaid book reviewers. Many other sites on the Internet invite comments from people (e.g., cruise lines), and those who write positive statements are serving as unpaid public relations people."
- Quote from page 73

Hilarious. It further notes that the success of sites like Amazon has in many way further spurred the emphasis of "blockbuster" books at book stores like Borders that have to compete with the success of e-commerce. Thus, quantity (of sales) over quality (of the material) is being further and further emphasized in our culture.

Read it, embrace its truth, and remember to breathe.

Ritzer does a good job of awakening the average consumer to the explotation they are undergoing daily.

It's interesting for five minutes...and that's when you are flipping through the pages.

He is always coming back to the same points.
This should have been a summarized and compressed phamplet.

this has to be the most superficial and simplistic account on the new means of consumption; i.e., malls, theme parks, casinos, etc. it is hardly believable that ritzer takes in a seriuos manner his naive arguments, that in several occasions turn into pure idle talk, or worst pure stupidity. just to give one example, when he mentions that malls have their roots in the ancient greek and roman markets. although he states that his work is heavely influenced by the writtings of baudrillard he never explains in his matter why we consume in the first place. even worse, he never gives a concrete argumentation of why this world is disenchanted in the first place and why it has to be enchanted. so please do not make the same mistake that i did and do not buy this book. it is the first time that i have read something by this author but i think i had enough of him for the rest of my life. i might be a joy-killer to use the term of ritzer to describe an anthropologist but i least i am not as simplistic and stupid as he is.

Well, he even talks Amazon.com as a cathedral of consumption, and brings up such facts as doing what I am doing, reviewing books on amazon.com. I found it to be hypocritical for him to badmouth consumption so much, yet he profits from the things he badmouths, such as my purchase of his book at amazon.com He claims most are subject to consumption. Well, unless you go around naked, live in a cafe and eat sticks, everyone is. This book serves as a valuable tool to look into the methods of consumption that rule our daily lives, but don't get too caught up it how bad it is, consumption feeds the author and his family also.