Veblenian Consumption in the Digital Age: Self-Image, Social Status, and the Performance of Distinction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26740/jsm.v10n1.p58-77Kata Kunci:
Digital Consumption, Self-Image, Social Status, Veblenian ConsumptionAbstrak
Studi ini mengkaji manifestasi kontemporer konsumsi konspikus Veblen dalam ranah digital, membahas urgensinya dalam memahami dinamika sosial yang terus berkembang dan presentasi diri di era internet. Permasalahan utama yang diteliti adalah bagaimana individu memanfaatkan platform digital, khususnya Instagram, untuk melakukan diferensiasi dan meningkatkan citra diri serta status sosial melalui konsumsi. Dengan menggunakan metodologi netnografi, data dikumpulkan terutama melalui observasi gulir profil pengguna dan wawancara mendalam yang dilakukan melalui Pesan Langsung (DM) di Instagram. Temuan penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa konsumsi konspikus digital, yang dicirikan oleh tampilan barang dan pengalaman yang dikurasi, berkontribusi signifikan terhadap persepsi diri individu dan posisi mereka dalam hierarki sosial. Fenomena ini dianalisis melalui lensa teori Veblen, yang menyoroti bagaimana ruang digital memperkuat aspek performatif konsumsi. Penelitian ini berkontribusi pada bidang perilaku konsumen dan psikologi ekonomi dengan memberikan pemahaman yang mendalam tentang bagaimana teori konsumsi tradisional beradaptasi dan bermanifestasi dalam lingkungan yang dimediasi secara digital.
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