Moralisation of Markets and Moralisation of Hedonism
Moralisation of Markets and Moralisation of Hedonism

Summary/Abstract: Production and consumption represent social phenomena in the process of market moralization, linking rationalized and instrumental economic processes with cultural, symbolic, political or psychological aspects of life. Moralization of markets and ethical consumption fundamentally question the images of modern consumers as dependent and passive actors. An ethical consumer is characterized by authentic decision-making strategies, civic engagement, or politically motivated behaviour, demonstrated by specific shopping patterns. However, ethical consumption is not necessarily driven only by external impulses of “green ideologies” or civic movements of politically engaged consumers but draws on inner motives of a voluntarily modest life, oriented towards the Epicurean values of alternative hedonism. Ethical consumption, as part of fulfilling the idea of alternative hedonism, may become an attractive objective of this lifestyle, based on a non-ascetic, but socially and environmentally friendly, way of life.

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