The Introduction Of Consumer Society Theory And Its Methodology:From Perspective Of Critical Theory

The thesis is an attempt to give an elaborate research on the frame of Consumer Society Theory. Through retrospection on the history of consception of 'consume'and of 'consumer society', it tries to construct a general 'Consumer Society Theory'which does not belong to anyone. In the essence, this kind of theory is new form of Critical Theory in this time, which has its own particular method to critic the society. The thesis is composed of five charpters. Based on the article of Traditional Theory and Critcal Thoery written by Moriz Horkheimer, the first one is to draw out two criteria to demarcate which one belongs to Critical Thoery, which one is not. These two criteria are: the attitude of critic intervention and mode of alienation thinking. Through the analyse of theory of Marx and Hegel, the thesis generalizes three steps of mode of alienation and re-disscuse the theory of Frankfurt school according to it. The second charpter tries to put Jean Baudrillard's theory of consumer society into boundary of Critical Theory in accordance with the mode of alienation thinking, so that to prove that Consumer Soceity Theory should be one kind of Critical theory. From third to fifth charpter, the thesis begins to construct general theory of Consumer Society. It mainly disscusses the histry of conception including 'consume', 'needs of system'(chapter three), and 'consumer society'(chapter four), so that to put consumer society into the historical and practical view. At same time, with comparion of different theories of consumer society, the thesis has found the common idea and method in them, and one kind of general theory has been expounded. Theory should be descrited as a critical theory which from view of consumption, under the way of alienation thinking, put everyday life as critc object using method of sign expatiation. The first chapter is the foundation of whole thesis, for its dawing up two critia as demarcation of Critical Theory. The third chartper and fifth chaprter is the core of the thesis. The third chatper actualizes the conversion of meaning of consumption which is the premise to construction of general Thoery of Consumer Society. The fifth chapter constructs a systemical methold with integration with semeiology and post-structuralism to critic society. The aim of this thesis is not to end the theory of Consumer Society with a systematical method, but to direct the way of further research on it and to introduce a new methold and a new perspective to critic society. From this point of view, the whole thesis should only be regarded as introduction.