Consumption involves individuals purchasing goods to obtain meaning or value for the consumer, and not simply for the material benefit they provide. Instead, “commodities are not just objects of economic exchange, they are goods with which to think, goods with which to speak” (Fiske, 1989) (quoted in Bocock, 1993). This suggests that individuals use goods as symbolic props, as a means of creating and shaping their own identity. It is suggested that the individual has the capacity to create their own narrative and can draw on new developments in consumer goods. However, the individual remains linked to the market and the mass products of capitalism. For example: athletes buy equipment, clothing, etc., to promote the identity they wish to possess. Because they see these goods as a link to their way of life. Many theorists suggest that consumption is linked to an individual's identity and that by purchasing goods in the mass market, it allows us to visibly establish our position within society. This differs from previous eras where a range of factors such as family history, character and personal achievements played an important role (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). Instead, there is the idea that the consumer has the capacity to feel pleasure from objects, not only through the manipulation of the objects, but also through the degree of control over their meaning. The degree of control is developed and achieved through imagination and provides greater opportunities for pleasure experiences. This suggests that modern consumption can be seen as a device that allows individuals to “dream” of the desires they wish to achieve. (Campbell, 1989: 79) (Quoted in Gabirel & Lang, 2006)According to Scitovsky (1976), the desire to consume is...... middle of paper......ARLS, K., 1994. The impact of modernity on consumption: Simmel's philosophy of money. Advances in Consumer Research, 21, pp. 65-65.TAYLOR, L., 2013. Consuming Passions. BBC Radio 4 Thinking Out Loud. [Podcast] 02/01/2013. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01phj21 [Accessed: 10/12/2013] BOURDIEU, P., 1984. Distinction: A social critique of the judgment of taste. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. JAMES, O., 2008. Affluenza. Random House.SHANKAR, A., ELLIOTT, R. and FITCHETT, JA, 2009. Identity, consumption and socialization narratives. Marketing Theory, 9(1), pp. 75-94.WAGNER, P., 2002. A sociology of modernity: Freedom and discipline. Routledge. http://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference-proceedings.aspx?Id=7564 SASSATELLI, R., 2007. Consumer culture. London: Sage.SHIELDS, R., 2003. Lifestyle shopping: the subject of consumption. Routledge.