Post-Recession consumerism in the U.S.: the influence of cheap and chic consumer products on perceptions of income inequality
Resumo
A disparidade tanto nos ingressos como na ganância neta nos Estados Unidos
foi aumentando desde a década de 1970. Durante este período, o nível dos salários baixos
e médios dos estadunidenses cresceram a um ritmo mais lento que o crescimento do
PBI do pais, e a um ritmo muito mais lento do que os ingressos de 1% dos assalariados;
tendo aprofundado o fosso dramaticamente nos anos após da recessão do ano 2008. Neste
trabalho se discutem os fatores subjetivos e relativos que determinam a percepção de bemestar
financeiro.
Apesar da crescente desigualdade nos ingressos, os consumidores estadunidenses, em
todos os segmentos de ingressos, incrementam suas possessões, muito mais que em épocas
anteriores. Num ambiente em que a concentração do ingresso parecesse seguir favorecendo
no futuro ao segmento de ingressos mais altos, se discute o efeito psicológico do aceso
ao consumo de objetos de design e ao mercado massivo de bens de luxo. Examinamos
quatro dimensões da percepção de luxo e o discutimos no contexto de duas marcas
de luxo diferentes. Propomos que o aumento do poder de compra que o consumidor
estadunidense tem hoje é um fator que pode compensar ou amortecer os efeitos sociais e
políticos adversos do estancamento de ingressos e o stress econômico.
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