The Social Effects of Consumerism Prevalence in Society as Seen in Don Delillo's White Noise

The Social Effects of Consumerism Prevalence in Society as seen in Don Delillo's White Noise

Don Delillo is a playwright, novelist and an essayist of American origin. He was born in 1936 and brought up in New York in the Italian Catholic America neighbourhood. His novel, White Noise revolves around people and consumerism in the postmodern world. In his book, he portrays issues touching on consumerism, postmodernism, terrorist attacks, media and the toxic environmental events. The novel, White Noise describes the environmental effects resulting from the postmodern consumerism. The consumerism effect is defined in two ways. First, the toxicity of the postmodern consumerist environmental that is inescapable. Second is defined as logic consumerist. The logic consumerist is that which exist all over and affects all the behaviours in that given environment. The novel explains the consumerism of postmodernism environment as full of toxins. Jack is the main character featuring the entire book. His wife Babette Gladney has four children from the previous marriage. Babette participated in a trial of a drug, Dylar that was intended to cure and suppress the air born toxic, making an end to the fear of death. Therefore, this paper argues the ideology of consumerism has led to some social effects in Society as seen in Don Delillo's White Noise.

Drawing from the social-economical event as well as pervasive principles of consumerism, it leads to a massive world in which possession of products is necessary and supported by society members. The most important factor that designates consumerism lies with its focus on consuming more than the basic needs as well as ownership of comfy properties in a manner approximating it to a lavish lifestyle. The advent of the universal and revolutionized way of life can be traced in social transformations dating back to 16th to 18th centuries. In particular, the rise of middle-class during the 20th century was associated with the flow of globalization, which brought the ideas of consumerism. There are a number of movements during the 20th century, particularly the WWII that vehemently precipitated the ideology of consumerism in addition to blending it as a necessity.  This led to many ideas about consumerism and it's interlocked issues as manifested in the postmodernism period. Baudrillard is one of the keys and influential theorists, who contributed to the discussion about consumerism and its functions in the postmodern era. He exemplified the immersion of people into the abyss of consumerism and argued that though man nurtured consumerism, it comes back to threaten his very existence.

According to Baudrillard, the profusion of consumerism is not dominated by the natural laws or regulations; rather it is influenced by the law of exchange-value (367). Baudrillard continues to argue that the piling high goods, an exhibition of foods, as well as all the alluring packages work to stimulate and cause salivation (369). Theorizing his concept of consumerism, Baudrillard also says that the influence of products has led the direction of post-industrial communities to an environment encircled by objects.

This kind of profusion, according to Baudrillard has contributed to a revolution in the day-to-day lives of people (387). As far as humans have indicated queer inclinations towards enchanting objects, they no longer spend time with their friends, relatives or families, but are imprisoned by the apparently obedient goods/products. In fact, the influence is considered as the initial sign of this trend. This particular profusion shows itself in the stocking of products and their packages. For instance, the moment one enters into a departmental store and beholds, the stacking of luxury goods, and their desire gets stimulated to own them all.

          Consumerism effects in the health and the mental situation of the people are notably important in the novel. The postmodern consumerist toxicity and the logic of consumerism are fundamentally significant as far as both physical and mental health is concerned. This toxicity is usually found in products in the society and unidentifiable in that people are unable to recognize them. With the logic of consumerism, mental problems are prone to individuals in the community. Shannon and Graeme stated that consumerist schizophrenia is common in the postmodern consumerism environment.  The presentation the consumerist schizophrenia resembles that of the side effects of the Dylar drug. The drug is believed to cure and end the fear of death. Babette, Jack's wife, takes this pill on a daily basis. The project manager of the Dylar drug, Willie Mink is schizophrenic spending most of his time seating in front of the television (974).

           The action of Wink responds to what Jack reports to be indicative of the way the consumers are blinded to what the media is feeding them. Jack states hail of bullet and fusillade to portray the actions of Wink that simplifies that of a person being shot. Wink hits the floor and crawl heading to the bathroom signifying real terror. With the hands above the head, he tries to wriggle beside the bowl while his legs tight together. With this in mind, the general public consumes whatever the media delivers to them without questioning. According to Babaee, Ruzbeh and Wan shared among many media fans is the inability to question the things being aired on the television (283). To the teenagers, action movies and terror inculcate a behavior that simulates what they see. The impact of the media is so powerful in that the people go to the extent of ignoring reality and totally believe in what they see and experience from the media. They believe everything the media entrust them.

          Self-illusion is another effect that comes with consumerism in the novel Behrooz, Niloufar, and Hossein argues that people in the book believe that death is as a result of the products they purchase (vol.16.1). They attribute the mental and physical suffering they go through as a consequence of these commodities. With this, they try to avoid the facts and conform to the false comfort brought about by consumerism. They entrust the consumer products because they think these products act at their despair situation. Doubly important to this point is the drug Dylar. People believe that the drug cures the fear of death. Despite proving ineffectiveness in the so-called treatment of fear of mortality, Babette takes the drug on a regular basis to cure her death anxiety. With the bogus and false promises, desperate people are dedicated to taking the drug to the last asylum in the postmodern world. Jack argues that the power of suggestion is significant than side effects of any given consumerism product.      

          Notably famous is simulation being portrayed to replace reality. Delillo represents a quintessential consumerism postmodern idea that simulacra have taken over reality. Significant visible example relies on the simulated evacuation. Despite the first run-through being for an actual emergency, simulation evacuation views it to be the practice of the real emergency. Its status of being a simulation takes the precedence over actual use as the actual emergency. Baudrillard in his book presents people behind SIMUVAC to worry most over simulation and not the reality (356). Another scene for dominance of simulacra is when Jack together with Murray visits the populous photographed barn in America. Murray notes that people pay much attention to the signs rather than the actual shelter. They are wrapped for the simulated barn to forget the real picture of a real barn. Interestingly, simulation dominating reality presents also when Babette is aired on the television. The entire family was frightened but later came to terms with what was happening. Wilder who is not schooled continues to believe that it is Babette to the extent of crying by the television.

Materialization of triviality is an offspring of any given consumer society. This is represented by Babette family as being the consumer. According to Behrooz, Niloufar, and Hossein, the novel the significantly petrifying concept of consumerism revolves around the Dylar drug (vol.16.1). Babette devours to the drug and hides the reality of her consumption from Jack. The drug makes Babette weaker and having poor recollection strength that her daughter becomes worrisome about the health status of her mother. It is the concealed secret of the drug that makes it terrifying. Doctor Mink who is the inventor of the drug is adamant to divulge the chemical ingredients of the drug. The consumers of the drug become ignorant and even don't make any attempt to discover the chemical components of the drug. Even with the name having no meaning, people take the drug blindly expecting miracles to happen in their curing of fear of death.

Moreover, consumerism results in migration of people from their original residence. Robinson in his book argues that consumerism comes with air pollution (53). With the knowledge of effects of air pollution, people decide to switch residence to a lesser polluted environment. Air pollution results from the deposition of toxins in the environment. Common in many consumerist environments is the existence of industries. Manufacturers usually release industrial gases to the environment. These gases have a myriad of health consequences with some being fatal. People will migrate to clean environments to escape these consequences.

Additionally, Shannon and Graeme argue that consumerism presents as a defense against death (947). Station wagons arrive at school from the opening scene. Further, Delillo touches on the American impulse of buying and belonging to groups as a way to rid death threats. Jack argues that Hitler mobilized Nazi German in this similar way. He states that he arranged them and made them feel invincible. Often we see frighten individuals cling together in groups in the novel. The clinging together is evident when there was an airborne toxic event and after airplane scares. Contrary, consumerism creates its death. It normally amasses waste that is a kind of natural death. Ultimate is when people are left feeling empty as noted when Jack presents after his shop spree. Specifically, people like Wilder could grab goodies from the supermarket fulfills consumerism. Delillo argues that this lucky worked for such because of the inability to think or speak abstractly.