Origins of Mass Consumerist Culture
Industrialisation during the Victorian era set the foundations for mass consumerist culture. Before the introduction of machines, the working class would have made money in a small shop or at home, using traditional methods, people essentially sold a skill or product on a very small scale. Survival was reliant on the power of man, nature, and animals, meaning most people were vulnerable to starvation. People of wealth did not see it as their responsibility to help this situation, meaning if you were poor it was a very difficult life to lead.
The Industrial Revolution is where the relationship between humans and the natural world began its transformation, instead of learning how to work in harmony with nature to maximise benefits the introduction of factories meant reliance on the natural world would not be essential, these organisations also called for employees. Small-scale production and craft were diminishing because of these new businesses and gave no option for survival but to work assisting machinery.
The integration of industrialisation would be seen initially as a requirement for human development, the poorer communities would not need to rely solely on the land and men, women and children would be able to work to make money for themselves, machines would also remove tasks that were difficult to do by hand. The vision was a new world where famine and want could be eliminated to benefit all humankind.
Manufactured products were being celebrated as new creations, time-saving, cheaper versions of more expensive items. Many would see this as a great historical achievement, trade also improved and some things were accessible to the working class where they hadn’t been before, the standard of living rose but soon began overcrowding, and wealth was no longer achieved by the skilled worker but instead business owners starting a capitalist culture beneficial only to few.
The industry gradually improved and the discovery of petroleum and electricity were further speeding up processes and removing tedious tasks from day-to-day life. Dramatic changes took place socially and economically, everything was faster and the speed at which money was exchanged would benefit from technology.
With exhibitions of art and works of the industry being shown publicly for education, Henry Cole, an inventor, believed that there should be an exhibition including international work on a large scale devised to expose British design to the competition. Although this idea was not welcomed by all, he managed to secure backing from Queen Victoria, it was to be a temporary site built in Hyde Park designed by Joseph Paxton, constructed from glass and iron it was called The Crystal Palace. The Great Exhibition ran from the 1st of May to the 11th of October 1851, it displayed works of the industry from all nations, specifically to showcase Britain’s industrial achievements, approximately 6 million people visited to view the vast collection of intelligent design. This exhibition highlighted technological advances, design ideas, inventions, progression, and a fast-developing nation, for some, this exhibition also highlighted a loss of what was truly beautiful. Since this time period, not only has it stayed on track but intensified, with global organisations offering incredibly cheap products that people buy with the knowledge that it is undeniably lacking in quality. Trends for lifestyle, home, and interiors are set at a rapid pace but this incessant need for new paired with a throwaway culture has caused and continues to cause catastrophic repercussions to the natural world.
Opening of the Great Exhibition, 1 May 1851 (1851) Eugène Lami (French, 1800 – 1890)