Did you prepare Christmas presents for friends and family already? 🎁 Be honest—how many presents did you purchase on Black Friday? In this episode, Harry, Robbie, and Costa discuss the wide topic of consumerism with the coming holidays in mind. We reflect on e-shopping, monitoring consumer behavior, planned obsolescence, reasserting the activist component back into Science and Technology Studies. 🛒 If you’re worried about being judged on this episode for your online shopping, don’t worry! We’re also very guilty ourselves. 🛍️ Have you heard of the social theory of Consumer Society (Konsumgesellschaft)? Actually, despite the negative association with the word “consumerism”, this social and economic order encourages the competitive environment among manufactures which led to many industrial revolutions and more quality and accessible goods and services for everyone. 🏭 Don't forget to check out Kyoobikel - a local startup and an excellent example of the hybrid systems we discuss in the episode. :)                                                     🎄⭐ The Science Slot Machine wishes you very HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 🎄⭐ Drop us your comments and opinions about consumer society and remember to share your highlights from 2020 on our social media channels: 🤳🏽 Instagram @science_slotmachine Facebook @TheScienceSlotMachine Twitter @SciSlotMachine  🗓️ This episode was recorded on December 12th, 2020. 🗓️ Last but not least: Let’s spin the science slot machine reels again and see which topic hits the jackpot! 🎰 Drop us your suggestions at [email protected] Sources: Music - www.epidemicsound.com Literature: Consumer Check: Black Friday & Cyber Monday Black Friday - Milliardenumsatz zum Start des Weihnachtsgeschäfts erwartet Book of Abstracts, Critical Issues in Science, Technology and Society Studies: 18th STS Conference Graz 2019 6th – 7th May 2019. (2019). TU Graz. Cutcliffe, S. A. (2001). The Historical Emergence of Sts as an Academic Field in the United States. Argumentos De Razón Técnica 4, 281-292. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-science-slot-machine/message