why do people follow the trends and social standards?

II.INTRODUCTION A science fiction

novel

written by Philip K. Dick with the title Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep has thousands of lessons for its readers. The

novel

talks about the human nature. The story underlines several matters that people may face in their

life

which reflects on how human lives their

life

in the future. Starting from people’s dependency to the technologies, the influence of

mass

media, false religion,

consumerism

, less empathy, false identity, mind control, and many more. When I read the

book

, I noted that

Deckard

, the main character in the

novel

is living with the

idea

of

consumerism

whereby he has an

envy

feeling for the other people who can afford exotic animals. In the

book

, people use the real animal to raise their social rank. They buy fancy things even though they do not really need it.

Consumerism

is the talking point in the

novel

that will be discussed in

this

paper along with the main character in the

novel

, Rick

Deckard

, a bounty hunter who wants to kill the nexus-6 in

order

to buy real sheep to impress his neighbours.

Consumerism

refers to the

idea

of purchasing goods which is always increasing and it makes people being obsessive about it and feels that their well-being and happiness depends on the obtaining those goods, specially fancy things. In relation, their thoughts

is

Suggestion

are

influence

Suggestion

the influence

by

Suggestion

of

the

mass

media through the advertisement that

.

Accept space

.

In addition

, the meaning of

consumerism

in the

novel

is

also

related to the sense of

envy

within the

community

in real

life

. Normally, self-esteem, prestige, and

life style

a manner of living that reflects the person's values and attitudes

lifestyle

are the internal factors that lead someone to

consumerism

and

competition

. Rick

Deckard

represents the

idea

of

consumerism

that categorize into

life

standard in the humanity described in the

book

whereby Rick

Deckard

is obsessed to

consumerism

, in

this

case

to buy real animal as by having a real animal is confirming that his social rank is high according to the living standard that exists in that

society

(Dick, 1968, p. 5). In Indonesia, social

competition

among the people happens. The

society

is competing to afford luxuries

such

as branded goods to increase their social ranks. The worst

case

is about those who are willing to do anything in

order

to achieve their goals which includes to lift their social

status

. The writer found that the subject

consumerism

and social

competition

is interesting because it reflects to the lifestyle of the people living in the modern

society

. Rick

Deckard

and

consumerism

in the

book

showing something similar on how

society

lives nowadays.

Additionally

, the question is about what is wrong with our

society

nowadays, Why

society

should care about the luxury goods and social

competition

?. In real

life

, due to the

consumerism

, many people are competing to evaluate their social

status

by buying fancy things.

For instance

, the latest release of branded

bag

, clothes, exotic animals, and many more.

This

shows that people follow the

community

standard, and using the

luxurious

Suggestion

luxury

goods and exotic animals to confirm their social degree. II.FINDINGS Rick

Deckard

in the

book

represents the

idea

of

consumerism

. The evidences of Rick

Deckard

and

Consumerism

can be seen in several chapters of the Philip K. Dick’s

book

. In the

chapter

one

of Philip's work, it is written that Rick

Deckard

in the morning thinks to afford a real sheep to replace the fake

one

that they have (Dick, 1968, p. 3). According to Philip Dick, “"Ever thought of selling your horse?" Rick asked. He wished to god he had a horse, in fact any animal. Owning and maintaining a fraud had a way of gradually demoralizing

one

. And yet from a social standpoint, it had to be done,”(5). In here, it shows that

Deckard

is being envied to his neighbour’s real animal, and he wants to buy the real animal as same as the

one

belongs to Bill Barbour as the

society

will be amazed.

Furthermore

, starting from

chapter

four until twenty two, in some part of the

chapter

always mentions having a real and an exotic animal is a centre point of Rick

Deckard

. As Rick

Deckard

had completed his mission as a bounty hunter,

finally

he went to the animal store to afford the real animal, a luxurious goat animal which confirms that buying the correct things is the only way for

Deckard

to be happy even though he does not really need it. It can be noted on

chapter

fifteen of the

novel

whereas Philip Dick, “I own an animal now, he said to himself. A living animal, not electric.” (Dick, 1968, p. 75).

In addition

,

consumerism

and social rivalry can be found in Indonesian

Society

mainly the celebrities and socialite groups in Indonesia. Many of the them value more the expensive items, having

envy

feeling and brag their belongings to the others, which in

further

leads to

competition

between them. Competing to buy branded goods, luxurious car, exotic pets.

This

is reflected in the

idea

of

Consumerism

.

Subsequently

, the majority of them are pleased to do anything to accomplish their dreams, including taking risks. In fact, there is a lot of proof that denotes to the existence of

consumerism

and social

competition

within the circle of Indonesian

community

as well as the elite groups. The

first

evidence comes from

one

of Indonesian singer who admitted on an interview session that she previously bought a branded

bag

just because to preserve her

classy

Suggestion

class

status

as her surroundings told her to do so (Ari Lasso TV, 2020). Many of Indonesian

community

obsessed with hunting the exotic animals (Emerson, 2018). It is proven by how the celebrities and elite exhibit their exotic animals on social media and TV (Detik, 2011). Those pets include Savannah Cat, Sphynx cat, tiger, and many more (Pasha, 2019). On the other side, there are

also

some people who willing to take risks just for the

consumerism

and social

status

. It is demonstrated by several cases.

Firstly

,

case

of Indonesia socialite who stole a Louis Vuitton handbag in Melbourne, Australia (Beers, 2020). Another

case

comes from the issue of prostitutions that often occurred.

Then

, a teenager that stole a laptop (Liputan 6, 2018). People nowadays and

society

described in the Philip’s

book

and nowadays try to follow the standard and trends created in their surroundings. The previous statement raised a question, “why do people should care about it?”. Perhaps they are lack of self-esteem and confidence which make them afraid to be not accepted by the

society

.

Therefore they

Accept comma addition

Therefore, they

follow the trends and standards. III. DISCUSSIONS The evidences of the manual Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep?

and

Suggestion

And

Indonesian news provided in the findings section has its correlations. The evidences lead to hypothesis that people nowadays and

society

described in the Philip’s

book

use luxurious animals and goods to measure their social ranks.

Therefore they

Accept comma addition

Therefore, they

compete and willing to do anything for it, even families.

However

, the question is why they should do it?. In the

novel

, Rick

Deckard

’s behaviours confirms that he is selfish and greedy for animals with expensive price just to impress his neighbours.

Hence

, he killed the Nexus-6 androids in

order

to afford a real animal. It is clearly indicated that Rick

Deckard

does not care how can he afford his desirable pet, what matter is to buy it as form the social standpoint it has to be done. It means that Rick

Deckard

indeed attempts to follow the standards in his

society

. Over here in Indonesia we can see the same points as written in the Philip Dick’s

book

, it is about the

consumerism

and

competition

in the

community

. There is considerable celebrities, socialites and elites who have a desire of owning fancy things and exotic pets (Pasha, 2019).

This

is proven by the news and references provided in the finding session whereby there is a trend and social standard created among them to possess luxurious stuff and pets.

For instance

, Marion Jola, singer who recognized that she ever bought a branded

bag

because of her sense of prestige as there is a

community

standard of owning luxurious things from her surroundings. The other

one

is a socialite who stole a Luis Vuitton handbag as her surroundings have branded

bag

as the social standard (Beers, 2020).

Furthermore

, the trend of owning an exotic pet within the celebrities and elite groups. It can be noted from the YouTube channel of several celebrities.

For example

,

mass

media and the YouTube channel that exhibit Irfan Hakim’s exotic pet, Aldabra tortoise, Alshad Ahmad’s Bengal tiger, Raditya Dika’s Sphynx cat, and so much more (Pasha, 2019).

This

asserts the correlation between the concept of

consumerism

in the

book

and Indonesian

society

whereby people’s

envy

feeling and prestige resulted them to follow the trends and social standards in

order

to their social ranks even though in fact they do not really need it. In conclusion, people's lifestyle nowadays is extremely

influential

Suggestion

influenced

by the

mass

media, trends and social standard. Many of their lives with the

idea

of

consumerism

as they have an

envy

feeling towards the others. They are obsessing of fancy things and exotic animals, they will not feel good if they did not have it and it is hard for them to be satisfied with all that they have.

This

show how greedy people are just to impress the public.