consumerism

Priyanka Chopra, in white suit with black blouse, sits in red chair and speaks into microphone

Hot Mic: Priyanka Chopra’s Selectively Woke Stardom Is a Strategic—and Risky—Decision

by Mallika Khanna
August 29, 2019 at 3:09pm
Diasporas and communities of color often feel that we must pedestalize even the least bit of representation that comes our way. Read more »
Megan Thee Stallion, a brownskinned Black woman with a blue and green weave, performs on stage

Straight Capitalism, No Chaser: Brands Are Butting into “Hot Girl Summer” to Make a Quick Buck

by Brooklyn White
August 5, 2019 at 3:55pm
As the phrase #HotGirlSummer has gained visibility, an onslaught of brands attempting to commodify Megan Thee Stallion’s lifestyle. Read more »
A woman sits with her back to the camera in a pose of meditation. She's sitting outside and has her hair in a high bun.

From Butt Masks to Glass Dildos: The Commercialization of Self-Care and Wellness

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
July 24, 2019 at 11:40am
If your brand claims to value mental health and wellness, then it should go beyond lip service. Read more »
Person in a green shirt, wearing gloves and packing Amazon shipping boxes.

What Just Happened?: Amazon Workers Are on Strike

by Bitch HQ
July 16, 2019 at 10:38am
Amazon’s evolution over the past 20 years has put a spotlight on the human cost of rampant capitalism Read more »
Quilotoa, Ecuador

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Someplace Else: A Guide to Responsible Summer Travel

by Bani Amor
June 21, 2019 at 12:03pm
Too often, tourists engage in gross practices and act a mess. Here’s what to avoid. Read more »

Consumer Retorts: Are Anti-Hauls the Antidote to YouTube’s Cult of Consumerism?

by Andi Zeisler
June 18, 2019 at 9:00am
Swapping “whatever you are will never be enough” for “whatever you have will never be enough” is a lateral move at best. Read more »
a group of protestors stand outside Amazon with Scamazon written on brown cardboard

Day of Woe: Black Friday Has a Darker Message This Year

by Kim Kelly
November 23, 2018 at 10:34am
Anti-capitalism activism is so much bigger than one day, and Black Friday is hell, no matter which way you slice it, so do what feels best for you. Read more »
header image of article title on the right and a photograph of various makeup items stacked together into a pyramid shape with a bright pink, satin background

Behind the Pink Curtain: The Soft Sell of Multilevel Marketing

by Hannah Steinkopf-Frank
November 15, 2018 at 12:23pm
There’s no way to make money from MLMs. Read more »
a group of white people holding a bullhorn yelling a family

Home Run: How Neoliberalism Took Over Home-Makeover Shows

by Bree Kessler
September 19, 2018 at 1:38pm
One thing home-makeover shows have decidedly done is recalibrate what poverty looks like. Read more »
a brownskinned Black man with multicolored nipple covers, a gold grill, and his tongue licking his teeth standing next to a brownskinneed woman with green hair with yellow flowers and a striped black and white jumpsuit

Who Owns Afropunk?

by Vanessa Willoughby
September 6, 2018 at 1:20pm
The annual festival is no longer an enclave for Black punks seeking refuge from whiteness. Read more »

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Eat, Pray, Spend: Priv-Lit and the New, Enlightened American Dream

Elizabeth Gilbert, a white woman wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, leans forward and holds hand with and Oprah Winfrey, a Black woman wearing a gray cardigan and jeans
by Joshunda Sanders
Summer 2010 • Action
Even as reports on joblessness, economic recovery, and home foreclosures suggest that no one is immune to risk during this recession, the popularity of women’s wellness media has persisted and, indeed, grown stronger.  Read more »