In the article by John Fiske, he argues that shopping is a form of cultural resistance. Women being in malls and being autonomous with their purchases is an expression of resistance in which they challenge their stereotypes placed upon their gender. Women are archaically thought of as belonging to the house, being responsible and in charge of domestic affairs. Their duties include cleaning, cooking, child-rearing, and other jobs that are confined in the home. Shopping is an outlet in which women challenge their traditional positions in the household and are able to exhibit acts of societal resistance. I feel like although women are making progress towards a more equal society, Fiske's argument is not sound.
Women are subject to the oppressive forces of consumerism. This includes the messages being conveyed, those being the ideals and standards of the higher class. For example, shopping can be thought of as women purchasing designer products, those that indicate higher socioeconomic status and class. However, these depictions of wealth are perpetrated by large media outlets and conglomerates. Although shopping does provide an activity outside of the household for women, it also comes with new problems that are associated with mainstream consumption of popular culture. Women are adopting hegemonic ideas that are continually portrayed through television, peers, society, and other forms of media. Consumption of these products are partaking in the continuous feedback loop, similarly discussed in Merchants of Cool.
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