Material Culture: Everyday Life

 When I think about what kind of consumer I am, I would probably have to admit that I am a sceptic. My parents, particularly my father had their influence on me. They always taught me not to judge products, especially food, based on the brand and packaging. Moreover, they even taught me to hate certain brands, like Nestlé for example. So I would never take any popular brand of food for granted, and consider it good just because everyone else says so. I have never liked Milka, Nutella, Najlepse zelje chocolate, Balans yoghurt, Always pads, Imlek and other popular brands. My favourite domestic brand of chocolate is Banat, of Swiss Lion Takovo, because it is the only milk chocolate that actually snaps when you break it, indicating that the cacao crystals have been formed properly, and in addition it is not too sweet. I buy milk products from a local dairy farm, Mlekara Maglic, because their products have remained natural and cheap, even though they have increased their production. I guarantee that they have the thickest and most tasteful sour milk in all of Novi Sad. They are certainly not the best dairy farm, they cannot compare to real home made dairy products, especially more south in Serbia, where recipes have been passed on for generations, but it is the best easily affordable brand, and it is enough to satisfy my needs. I never buy Always pads, because the plastic irritates my skin, so I resort to cotton pads like Naturella or some off brand pads. I try not to associate quality with brands, but in doing so, I am still being influenced by brands, which I am aware of. Even so, I appreciate my parents teaching me to always think about what I am eating, and always opt for home made, if I can. They also always tried to raise my awareness of "evil" corporations, like Nestlé, and urged me to avoid consuming their products as much as possible. What they were not aware of was the fact that many smaller brands get bought off and eventually fall victim to these larger corporations. One such case is C mustard, which is my favourite brand of mustard, but it was bought by the aforementioned Nestlé company. Now whenever I buy this product, I feel as if I am betraying everything I believe in, and succumbing to commodity, just because it tastes fairly good. So, currently I am on a never ending quest to find a different brand of mustard. In this way my life is being controlled by large corporations. The only time I allow the packaging to influence my shopping is when I am buying products I am not familiar with and when the ingredients are not on the label. Like wine, for example, or liquor. This is when, I must admit, I shop for meaning, and not stuff, like Laura Oswald said. I am even worse when I buy presents for others. Because people often rely on brand authority, and if I bring some unknown brand of chocolate or coffee or wine, people often think that I am trying to be mean with money or that I do not care enough or that I am trying to be a smartass. And the thing is, people often do not care about the product itself. I have often tried to convince my friends that Najlepse zelje is a terrible chocolate, by all standards, and no one ever believed me. They just see the familiar chocolate their grandparents and parents used to buy them when they were children. No one can taste the sugar crystals that crunch between your teeth, or the lack of salt, and no one can notice its bad melting point. Do not get me started on Bajaderas, with no taste or salt what so ever, they are just blocks of fat and sugar. But I buy them for people. Because of the meaning behind them. Because of the fancy wrapping. Because it is what you are supposed to do.