Creating what I'm consuming

A Prosumer? That's me.
Ritzer and Jurgenson (2010) discuss the aspects of Prosumption, but what I tend to be consistently drawn to is the term "user-generated". I spend considerable amounts of time using Social Media; Instagram, Facebook, Blogs, etc. and so it is clear to me that I am a Prosumer, creating what I am consuming. As a student I am a producer of both society as a whole and of my own identity, and it is this production and consumption that creates my identity.

For many students, like myself, Social Media is the height of where we 'Prosume'. Everything on the likes of Facebook and Instagram is 'user-generated' - we are creating the Status updates, the Photo's, the Check-in's that we are all consuming. We are both generating Fashions by producing what we like and simultaneously consuming what we enjoy, channelling our Identities in particular directions and defining who we are. This blog is a classic example...
When I finish this Post I will visit other Student's Blog's to gain their insight into the idea of Prosumption. I have already visited CloudDeakin (Our Student Portal for all those non ALC215er's, and I'm sure there are SO many!) and consumed the questions and sentiments that have been produced by my fellow Student's, to help guide me on this Blog Post.

Ritzer and Jurgenson do highlight that the growth of the Internet and Social Media has allowed Prosumption to flourish but that it was "clearly not invented on Web 2.0", this makes me think, had it not been for my generation and our obsession with all things 'Web' would I still be a Prosumer? And then I think, ahhh YEP!
I go to Lectures and I contribute to the atmosphere of being at a live lecture, whilst I consume that same atmosphere, that's Prosuming, no? I am no Fashionista (I wish) yet I follow Fashion trends by purchasing the next big item and in doing this I help to create that Fashion trend (so technically, I guess I am a fashionista...that's what I'll tell myself anyway). Just two examples but the list goes on!

All in all I think I am very much a 'Prosumer', and what interests me the most is that I am probably more of on than my Parents, and their Parents, so I can only imagine how much Prosuming will following generations partake in.

References

Ritzer, G. & Jurgenson, N. (2010). Production, Consumption, Prosumption: The Nature of capitalism in the age of the digital 'prosumer'. Journal of Consumer Culture, 10 (13), 13-35. doi: 10.1177/1469540509354673