Davydov Dmitry
Abstract: the article analyzes relationship between the concepts of «consumer society», «risk society» and «postmodernism». Industrial economy promotes the growth of consumption by creation of new desires. However, excessive consumption leads to global risks such as environmental pollution. Some theorists suggest that overcoming of global risks is possible only through the struggle against capitalism and by creation of «new society» bonded by universalistic morality of some sort. The author expresses his disagreement with such radical thesis. In contrast to «the radicalized», the author suggests that modern society includes several self-renewal mechanisms. The main problem of the modern society is not consumption, but postmodernist area of simulations. Simulations (primarily in media) inhibit social reflexivity. Postmodernism is an area of illusions where actions lose their «real» consequences. Nevertheless, postmodernist simulations would be destroyed automatically when «world citizens» face a real risk of death. This threat would encourage seeking new solutions of global risks, which is possible within the existing social system.
Key words: risk society, consumer society, postmodernism.