Shame at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Possible Experiences in a Consumer Culture Context

Abstract

All people daily consume products and services, irrespective of their income. The millions of people globally who still live in absolute poverty also need to purchase basic necessities for survival. Shame, an emotion that is generated both internally and externally, appears to be a characteristic experience in poverty. The term, Bottom of Pyramid describes the millions of consumers living at the bottom of the global economic pyramid. Estimates of their income vary, but their low-income restrict their consumption capability, generating possible emotional suffering and experiences of ill-being. Consumption plays an essential role in people’s participation in society. It provides an indication of their choices and the choices that they cannot make to other people and broader society, including retailers, advertising agencies and the media. Consumer culture is acknowledged as a dominant cultural trend in many societies and this trend may impact on people’s perceptions of themselves.