From the Perspective of Amsterdam City- Explore How Criminological

Perspectives Can Be Used to Better Understand Leisure, Consumerism and

Harm

Introduction

The relationship between leisure, consumerism and harm is significant. To analyze this

relationship in detail, this essay will discuss Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

Amsterdam is rich in history and culture. Its network of canals, museums and art galleries

that contain original works of famous artists such as Van Gogh and historical places such as

Anne Frank's House lend it an air of sophistication and makes it a living proof of human

ingenuity. Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination because of its liberal policies and

outlook towards leisure activities that are normally criminalized in other countries. Tourists

come here from all over the world because of its history, beauty and the extensive availability

of leisure activities such as riding boats, access to marijuana through “coffee shops” and the

infamous Red Light District. Amsterdam suffers from problems such as exploitation of local

resources, negative environmental impacts, gentrification, over-tourism, and cultural

commodification because of its position as a popular leisure centre.

This essay aims to discuss how consumerism, leisure and harm are interlinked in Amsterdam

through the lens of criminology. It will incorporate the traditional theories of criminology,

with the addition of the new theories that put harm first, before the crime. It will also discuss

the social, economic and political factors in play that influence the current state of

Amsterdam.
Deviation Leisure and Consumer Culture: Capitalism and Social Issues:

Deviation and criminological perspectives have relatively common aspects when it

comes to exploring the idea of leisure, consumerism and harm. The consumer culture in

Amsterdam, and as a whole, the world has engaged with criminological perspectives.

According to O'Brien (2005), cultural criminology or cultural criminology associates itself

and finds “pleasure” or “desire”.

In the application of criminological perspective with leisure and deviance, cultural

criminology, green criminology and the idea of leisure and consumerism are involved. When

our mind often finds pleasure or leisure from any influence that supports a supposedly

"intellectual" aspiration while the logic is unheard of and missed out in action. O'Brien

(2005) claims that it is questionable whether cultural criminology represents a new

intellectual undertaking or just a logical development of earlier research on criminal

subculture. According to Young, Hayward and Ferrell (2015), the idea of cultural

criminology incorporates the notion of criminology with cultural studies or contemporary

studies. Human psychology attests to finding the utmost pleasure in everything hence the idea

of leisure, and consumerism becomes embedded within themselves. We consume products, or

the "commodities" that are a basic need. But leisure can be engaged with the “consumerist”

society. Where people's affordability will not be the focus, rather "leisure" will be in concern.

When someone looks out for leisure, often they tend to reach or experience the epitome of the

single aspect. As mentioned earlier, the impact of the mass media on culture, subculture or

leisure deviance has reflected in influencing the crime reality, and choices and forming new

social and legal control. Significantly, the idea of cultural criminology, and leisure deviance

is prominently seen affecting the Amsterdam city of Europe. According to Hillyard and

Tombs (2004), Amsterdam city, it has a prolific attitude in terms of finding leisure and ends
up as a by-product of the multi-faceted dimensional cultural influence and social identities.

Finding leisure in the red light streets, drugs, and exploiting the environment through tourism

are cultured in Amsterdam city. Here, the prominent consumer culture in these fields in

Amsterdam city exposes their socio-consumer and deviant leisure culture that seemingly is

toxic and harmful.

According to Briggs and Ellis (2016), consumer culture and capitalism have ingrown

a "social world" where an individual's persona is defined through his ability to afford these

harmful leisures and escapes. Their identity among others is portrayed through how much

they are into these "contemporary" practices. For those who do not attain to these consumer

cultures, it creates an "ontological insecurity" ( Beck 1992) The liberalist behaviour of the

people of Amsterdam city influences drug usage- which is much of a concern of

criminological influences. The leisure found within the use of cannabis or other drugs

consumption leads to tentative harmful attitudes and often criminology. The debate may

partake in, how can drugs increase criminal activities. Well, the capitalist society can give

rise to social issues. The consumption of drugs can question affordability. With that, once a

person gets into the habit of drug usage, it can lead up to criminal activities, once the

affordability of drugs is in question. Smith (2016) hence explains that deviant leisure today

has reached a creative dynamic level that is pacified and harnessed that serves to the

symbolic objects and experiences- desires that are converted as demand under the schemes of

consumption influenced by this leisure and capitalist economy.

Hence, we can understand how the idea of deviant leisure creates this dilemma of persuasion

of the "cultural criminological" ideas and people are tending more to rely on this pseudo

leisure hence psychological errors.

 Nevertheless, in this discussion of criminological theories, green criminology is also

one of the inclusive theorems.

As mentioned before, Amsterdam is a city of tourism, so the hike of tourists in this city,

questions the morals of environmental consumption. With industrialisation, and capitalism

introduced to Europe, the city has embraced different developmental schemas. Such as

lowering air travel costs, improving hospitality, and making better changes to welcome

tourists. And Amsterdam as a tourist spot has been dominated by climatic changes. Gossling

and Peeters(2007) explain that only 12% of tourists believe that tourism has some practical

negative contribution to climate change while 50% of the tourists believed that tourism is

connected with climate change. The carbon footprint increment, more water and energy

wastage along with exploiting other natural resources are an example of how much a city

spends after tourism and the tourists that questions the "green" environment of a city. Hence,

here the emergence of "green criminology" enters this area of research.

Harms and Deviances in Leisure Activities

The leisure activities in Amsterdam contribute to significant harm and deviance in its area. In

the beginning, these effects were not apparent. But as time went on, the unwanted

consequences of Amsterdam's status as a leisure centre presented themselves. The key leisure

activities and their effects are discussed below.

Nightlife in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is famous all over the world for its nightlife. concerts as well as visiting the Red

Light Districts, and much more are available as leisure options here (Romão et al., 2015). The
increasing tourist visits because of the available nightlife activities in Amsterdam have

potentially influenced the city’s economy to benefit and flourish. Nevertheless, the

widespread adoption of these pastimes has unforeseen negative consequences for

Amsterdam. When heading out for the night in Amsterdam, it might be quite tempting to

partake in the abundance of alcoholic beverages available. As a result, it contributes to a wide

range of negative outcomes, such as elevated rates of violence, public disruption, and

antisocial conduct (Hughes et al., 2011).

Furthermore, the existence of the Red Light District itself is a hotly debated topic. Though

prostitution has been legal in Amsterdam for a long time, it opens up potential vulnerabilities

for women. Women in this line of work are often marginalized and disrespected. It also

increases the motive of human traffickers to operate in Amsterdam (Spapens and Rijken,

2014). Research has shown that the majority of sex workers in the Red Light District are in

fact, not from Amsterdam, rather they are immigrants. Many brothels in Amsterdam have

been shut down recently, and the city is in the process of renovating and repurposing them as

"more highbrow" entertainment establishments. Sex workers in the region who are being

forced out of their jobs have nowhere to turn legally (Van Liempt and Chimienti, 2017).

Environmental Harm Caused by Tourism, Fast Fashion, and Consumerism

Tourism has been a blessing and curse for Amsterdam at the same time. It has bolstered

Amsterdam's economy. But it has also done tremendous harm to its environment. The influx

of tourists year-round puts pressure on the natural resources of Amsterdam. The increased

need for accommodation, food, transportation and other services means rapidly diminishing

resources and pollution. Tourists come from all over the world, and the waste they generate is
harmful to Amsterdam's environment. Air, soil, water and every other part of the

environment suffer from the pollution that the tourists accumulate and leave behind.

There is a direct relationship with consumerism behind this phenomenon. Consumerism

influences tourists to buy fast-fashion clothes and other forms of goods such as celebratory

caps, decorative lacework and souvenirs. The very nature of fast fashion causes tourists to

discard these clothes and other things very quickly, causing environmental degradation and

contributing to the global issue of textile waste (Birtwistle & Moore, 2007).

Social Media and New Technologies as Sources of Harm and Deviance

Technology has developed in leaps and bounds over the past decade, bringing on unforeseen

harm and deviance in leisure activities. More and more people are visiting Amsterdam thanks

to the widespread use of social media, which has portrayed the city in a positive light.

Pollution, gentrification, and social unrest have all been made worse by the presence of so

many visitors. Furthermore, the rapid spread of social media without the necessary awareness

in the populace has led to crimes such as cyber-bullying, blackmailing, online harassment and

privacy breaches (Näsi et al., 2015). The emergence of these deviant behaviours is a reminder

of the need for a comprehensive understanding of social media and new technology in the

context of leisure activities in Amsterdam.

Impact of Tourism on Amsterdam's Cultural Heritage and Identity through the Lens of

Cultural Criminology

Tourism is a facet of leisure activity that affects Amsterdam the most. This particular leisure

activity has caused great harm to Amsterdam in the form of “Disneyfication”. The term was
first used in this manner by Zukin (1995). It means the transformation of a place to cater to

the desires of the tourists. The transformation involves turning the destinations into

commodified environments that the tourists consume. Amsterdam has gone through this

process already and it can be seen through the presence of souvenir shops, themed

restaurants, the Red Light District and other attractions that commodify the local culture

instead of preserving its original essence.

Consumerism is also involved in the “Disneyfication” of Amsterdam. According to Ritzer

and Liska (1997), Consumerism drives the demand for cultural experiences and souvenirs. A

big part of the appeal of Amsterdam is its local culture, and tourists come in droves to

consume (and experience) its authentic cultural traditions. However, to cater to the

expectations of this huge number of tourists, the capitalist businesses of Amsterdam

commodify culture itself, creating a “staged authenticity” that is a superficial representation

of the local traditions. Tourists who do not know better take this commodified culture at face

value and consume it happily, unbeknownst to the harm that is happening because of their

desires. MacCannel (1976) discussed the same process in theory, the real-life representation

of which can be seen in Amsterdam.

The commodification of the local culture of Amsterdam can also be explained through

Zizek's perspective on consumerism and culture. Zizek argues that the desire for enjoyment

drives the phenomenon of consumerism. Following the logic of this argument, Zizek arrives

at the conclusion that the true nature of local traditions is obscured by the creation of a

"spectacle" that comes from the fetishization of cultural experiences. The result of this drive

for enjoyment fuelled by consumerism is the commodification of the cultural heritage of the

local communities for tourists. In the context of Amsterdam, this phenomenon can be seen in
the way the city's culture is being repackaged and sold to tourists in the form of so-called

authentic cultural experiences and souvenirs.

Analysis of the Social, Economic, and Cultural Factors Contributing to Harm in

Leisure Activities

Different factors are working in tandem behind the emergence of harm and deviance in

Amsterdam. These include socioeconomic factors such as income inequality and

unemployment, cultural factors such as a liberal outlook towards drugs and prostitution, and

consumerism that influences tourists to buy and discard things that are of no lasting value.

The socioeconomic factors mentioned affect the nightlife of Amsterdam, as people who are

already suffering from economic problems are more likely to cause harm and engage in

deviant behaviours. Cultural factors contribute to the normalization of harmful behaviours

that are normally unwanted in other cultures and countries such as frequent drug use and sex

work (Engelsman, 1989). In addition, multinational corporations and international tourists

affect the local practices of Amsterdam significantly. The influx of tourists year-round means

that the policies and practices of Amsterdam are often catered to the tourists, rather than the

environment or residents of Amsterdam itself (Mowforth & Munt, 2016).

The attraction of Amsterdam as a city having a rich culture, history and liberal laws pulls

affluent outsiders as well as tourists. Most of these affluent outsiders are interested in

Amsterdam only because of its leisure activities and commodified culture they consume.

When these newcomers become interested in the historical neighbourhoods of Amsterdam, it

increases the property values and rents of that area. This process forces or otherwise
influences the historical residents of that area to move to less desirable or more modern areas,

which in turn contributes to the erosion of the local culture in Amsterdam. Additionally, it

highlights the socioeconomic disparities that already exist and damage vulnerable groups

including immigrants, the elderly, and members of the working class (Newman & Wyly,

2006). Amsterdam's gentrification process also brings up conflict and deviance between the

natives and newcomers/outsiders. The changing dynamic of the socioeconomic state in the

historical neighbourhoods forces them to change very quickly. The change in the social

networks that make up these neighbourhoods disrupts cultural practices and bondings

between the local people. In conventional criminology, this kind of harm is often

disregarded. Critical criminologists contend that these structural harms, however, show how

the current capitalist society is a significant source of exploitation and oppression and should

not be disregarded (Lynch & Michalowski, 2006).

Reach of cultural criminology theory, alternates in leisure, harm and consumerism

Deviant leisure, harm and consumerism have been interesting subjects to look at to apply

criminological theories. According to Smith and Raymen (2018), deviant leisure is deeply

inserted in criminological theories and the updated contemporary ideologies and subjectivity.

Along with this, the concept of zemiology is also embedded. Zemiological concept identifies

social harm as a settlement of "human flourishing" (Pemberton, 2015). According to Raymen

and Smith (2019), as humans, we must cease declaring social harm as a presumption or

violation of the current negative imperatives fitting under the labels of human rights.

According to the perspectives of deviant leisure, zemiology, together with the theoretical
underpinnings in hyper-realism, gives deviant leisure its 21st-century distinction as a

criminological viewpoint (Raymen & Smith 2019).

As per this idea, social harm must be arising from the consumerist capitalistic society

trying to find leisure in criminal activities such as the examples seen in Amsterdam city. The

harms in concern here, are again, the by-product of the ultra-realist society, perpetuated by

the group of individuals who initiates harm to both society and their personal life by

submitting to the commodity-based leisure that's been shown as "leisure" in the capitalist

socio ideology. Hence, perpetuating harm via leisure is not just a mode of leisure but also the

consumerist behaviour of a certain city. Slavoj Žižek in his book The Sublime Object of

Ideology (1989) makes his remarks that human beings are much interested in finding

meaning in commodities, the social, political, religious and cultural traditions as they all

create and give a symbolic meaning to our values and existence. According to Zizek (1989),

ultra-realists defy the fact that ideology decapitates reality and under the idea of false

consciousness, disallows us to accept it as such solid truth.

When a person gives in to criminological consumerist behaviour, it creates a

disoriented idea of neo-pop culturalist society, "the fear of missing out". So, the otherness of

our persona, suppresses our superego, the ids and we indulge in contemporary "cool" ways of

enjoying life through such activities. Here, the real is avoided and we embrace the sublime.

The intended way of ignoring the "real" and enduring the environmentally and personally

harmful- negative ideas of leisure is pursued via "fetishistic disavowal" (Zizek, 2008). This is

a psychological and social concept that goes beyond the concept of criminology; where

humans subconsciously repress traumatic truths that are hard to accept or to blend into the

real world. This is a part of psychologist Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. This
systematic consumer culture is a part of the capitalist consumerist society and people are

setting up levels of structured 'leisure' ideas that are more related to causing harm at both

personal and social levels. But for the need for social engagement and approval, people fall

for the greed, commercialised social pillars of harm caused throughout the deviant process.

For example, someone may have a fully functioning iPhone 12. But to satisfy the consumerist

thrust, that person would buy a new iPhone 13 Pro Max. As a result, it causes harm to the

environment and pleases the capitalist hunger of society.

Conclusion

Currently, the world is under the terrible risks of atypical challenges that it needs to

overcome. But considering the brutal reality of the sublime, of the zemiology, and

criminological assertions from deviant leisure, it can only be traced that overcoming the risks

is going to be very difficult. The neo-social construction requires a complex structured

solution to the "harm" and it can be achieved through reconstructing consumer behaviour and

capitalist societal norms. By incorporating ideas collected from 'zemiology', ultra-realism and

different perspectives of criminology in the capitalist consumerist society, the relevant issues

surrounding leisure and harm- can be solved. According to Hall et al. (2008), the

inclusiveness of zemiology along with ultra realism's theoretical approach to tackle this

contemporary issue acts as a "return to motivation" from the social harms and climatic

disruptions seen in Amsterdam city. The city in concern here, Amsterdam has multiple
deviant leisure activities, as mentioned before, busy red light areas, usage of drugs, and

tourist attractions; these will also be resolved once, the capitalist structure of the society is

reconstructed. Lastly, the conflicts of undergoing questionable deviances as a means to

finding the 'self' may arise in criminal activities but understanding the tactics of this harmful

social construction, influences and global consumerist behaviour may as well work as a

defuser of the complexities in the society both globally and locally.

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