Inna Mazurenko: The logic of constructing identity through consumption

Inna Mazurenko
Chita State University, Department of management, chair of political science and management, assistant; Russian Academy of public service at president of Russian Federation, chair of social philosophy, post-graduate student.

Among all problems actualized by the processes of globalization the main one is the problem of constructing national and cultural identity. The formation of identity suggests such an internalization of customs, traditions, values and norms that a person identifies himself (herself) with a group «we». The processes of globalization weaken state barriers and, as a result, make communication free. Cross-cultural communication promotes the consumption of cultural norms and standardizes them.
The formation of new type of identity – global – is going today. The intensification of economic, politic, social and cultural processes between countries makes the world «a global village». People identify themselves with a global organism. This «dialogue» makes consumption of new customs, habits and norms.
The modern phase of globalization may be called Americanization because Internet and information revolution, transnational companies and vanguard technologies, cultural brands have American origin. Proamerican identity forms everything «American» through consumption.
The history will show us the readiness of people to identify themselves with the USA. Nowadays many people are ready to mix in global collage and remaining «different» be united.