Tiara Amalia Wulandari

11170260000017
7 B – Cultural Studies

Scientific research paper: Tubuh Perempuan dalam Budaya Konsumen: Antara

Kesenangan Diri, Status Sosial, dan Nilai Patriarki

In this essay, I am delivering my understanding of Tubuh Perempuan dalam Budaya

Konsumen: Antara Kesenangan Diri, Status Sosial, dan Nilai Patriarki. In this study, the
researcher analyzes the Jakarta urban women in Indonesian consumer culture. The
researcher identifies how the Jakarta women body reflected as the construction of
capitalism, consumerism, and also patriarchal ideology.

The women’s life in Jakarta always relates to consumerism. There are many facilities
in the city, such as malls, cafes, salons, and so on in order to fulfil their lifestyle. Those
facilities become the sign of urban life which relates to consumer culture. The consumer
culture constructed by making commodities look important in society, especially in the
capitalism system. The consumer culture also developed by the influence of mass media,
which creates some commodities and giving the concept of the ideal body according to
capitalism ideology.

Miss Jinjing Belanja Sampai Mati (2008), the non-fiction book written by Amelia
Masniari, shows us the phenomenon of urban women in Jakarta live in Indonesian
consumer culture. Amelia tells us some her experiences that relates to her lifestyle in
Jakarta. Women use consumerism as the way to construct their body based on some
criterias. Consumerism relates to power in the culture practices. In this study, the question
that appears is how is the body of Jakarta urban women reflected which is seen from Amelia
experience in Miss jinjing Belanja Sampai Mati (2008) constructed in Indonesian consumer
culture.

The body has important roles in consumer culture because women can show their
identity based on what they consume. In consumer culture, body consumes commodities
offered by capitalism, and at the same time body becomes commodities because it
measured by its exchange rate and sale value. For example, wearing expensive brands can
show someone’s identity, such as where does he or she comes from and what is their class
in society. If someone wears expensive brands, they can get good service and more respect
from other people. It is same as Amelia’s experience when she wears expensive-branded
bag in a foreign country and Indonesia. When she was in Singapore, it was not a problem if
she dressed up casual, but it was a problem if she did not dress up properly in Indonesia.
Capitalism ideology appears when she was shopping in Indonesia, but not in Singapore.

Some commodities, such as shoes, kebaya, and diamonds always relate to women’s
body to show their social identity. When Amelia wears stilleto, a kind of high heels, she is
confident with her body because wearing stilleto makes her feels sexy and beautiful.
Diamonds also the commodities that relate to women’s body. Wearing diamonds and
kebaya also helps her to be more confidence, sexy and beautiful. Thus, we can see that
consumerism ideology appears in these experiences.

The Jakarta women’s lifestyle, especially about treatment for their body, aims to
make their husbands happy and satisfied. It means that body as commodities also relates to
patriarchal values. In Indonesia, women must do their fate as a mother, wife, and also to
satisfy their husband sexually. Amelia tells her treatments for her husband. In this case, the
consumer culture influenced by consumerism ideology and patriarchal ideology.

In this study, eating in a cafe or restaurant also can show their values. Eating in a
cafe or restaurant becomes one of characteristics of urban people. Amelia likes coffee, and
she spends her time hanging out or relaxing with her friends in a cafe. She can get her own
social room outside her house and do whatever she wants. Thus, we can see that Amelia’s
body constructed by having me time which created by capitalism industry.

The capitalism ideology also appears when women want to always seem beautiful,
by producing and selling the beauty products to women. Capitalism industries create ideal
body by having white skin, slim body, and many more which influence the consumer culture.
Women will do anything thus they look beautiful in society.

In conclusion, women body, especially Jakarta women, becomes the place where the
three ideologies, such as capitalism ideology, patriarchal ideology, and consumerism appear.
This study relates to cultural studies because it attempts to find a problem that happens in
one society. This study shows us that Jakarta women’s consumerism has some problems
which constructed by many complex factors. Thus, the cultural studies approach is
necessary to see this phenomenon.