- 著者
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畑山 要介
- 出版者
- 経済社会学会
- 雑誌
- 経済社会学会年報 (ISSN:09183116)
- 巻号頁・発行日
- vol.42, pp.55-65, 2020 (Released:2021-04-01)
This paper aims to consider an implication of ethical consumption as a pursuit of self-interests from the perspective of Kate Soper's concept “alternative hedonism.” Ethical consumption has been regarded as an expression of anti-consumerism, but Soper recognizes that ethical consumers experience the intrinsic pleasure in their environmental and social preservations. Soper emphasizes that ethical consumption should be understood on the base of the theory of hedonism rather than asceticism, however it does not mean maintain of existing consumerism but renovation of the criticism of consumerism. This paper examines the theoretical structure of alternative hedonism through Soper's criticisms of Amartya Sen and Theodor Adorno. In the criticism of Sen, Soper insists that citizenship and individual living standard should not be separated but should understand the concept of living standard in the term of quality of life and regard environmental and social consideration as an improvement of the living standard. Then, in the criticism of Adorno, Soper supports the Adorno's hedonistic position against modern consumerism but points out that he excludes any personal experiences and assume “true&rldquo; need which located in the sublime culture. Soper attempts “de-naturalization” of Adorno's hedonism through the studies about symbolism and provides the perspective that the pleasure of ethical consumption is contiguous with esthetics of ordinary and banal everyday consumption. The perspective of alternative hedonism, therefore, has an implication that ethical consumption would play an important role in steady-state economy but based on consumer's pursuit of own pleasure.