Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Marketing

First Advisor

Dr. Dan King

Second Advisor

Dr. Fuat Firat

Third Advisor

Dr. Michael Minor

Abstract

The author investigates an emerging construct called conspicuous asceticism expositioned from a narcissism-centric view. The understanding of this construct is approached by drawing an idiomatic semantic parallel in opposition to conspicuous consumption and by utilizing its current theoretical framework of narcissism. Moreover, this paper seeks to extend conspicuous consumption’s theoretical framework as synonymous with the construct of compulsive consumption. Furthermore, I illustrate that consumers must transcend narcissism through engaging in treatment modalities requisite to operationalize a pioneering effort in which consumers can engage in marketing campaign efforts to advertise conspicuous ascetic contexts. This dissertation gleans from extant literature in sociology, anthropology, psychiatry, nutrition, and consumer research to elucidate the history, implications, and difficulties of treating narcissism that are linked to narcissistic consumption, and to additionally explore a number of relief-providing treatment modalities such as entheogenic medicines, gratitude, twelve step efforts, meditation and how each program can minimize the expression of narcissism in consumers. My dissertation is divided into three studies: (1) Study 1 provides a comprehensive overview of how narcissism develops in consumers and maps the unsustainability of narcissistic states in which they then become open to treatment and the different treatment plans available to them, (2) Study 2 details the historical responses of how Native American cultures used nutrition to treat narcissism in its community members, (3) Study 3 deploys an experiment of how keeping a gratitude journal minimizes narcissism in consumers. The implications of this study provide key insights for the characteristics of a post-narcissism segment in response to growing and global trends of narcissism.

Comments

Copyright 2022 Ash Zareian. All Rights Reserved.

https://go.openathens.net/redirector/utrgv.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/conspicuous-asceticism-collapsing-consumers/docview/2748393882/se-2?accountid=7119

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