England's consumer revolt

Last night while doing some after hours work I happened to hear an expert analyst on one of the post-evening news programs describe England's wave of rioting, arson and looting as a "consumer revolt". According to this reasoning, deprived English youths are rising up so as to secure the consumer goodies – mobile phones, trendy clothing and flat screen TVs – they can't hope to obtain in the current economic circumstances.

This nonsensical theme is echoed at The Drum:

Britain is a materialistic society, and young people the target of heavy marketing campaigns. High visibility brands dominate the high streets of every city, suburb and town; in the absence of any social means provided to achieve status, status is attached to the mere possession of these omnipresent, socially-hyped materialistic things. With their aspirations impoverished by a system that limits their access to cultural learning, cheapens their school experiences and makes university education financially unthinkable - not to mention enforces their deprivation through new controls on public housing and the removal of benefits – it is unsurprising that the rampaging underclass presently on the streets are seizing stolen sneakers with exultance. This moment, and these things, are all they have to enjoy.

This is utterly absurd, of course: lots of people grow up in less than ideal circumstances without finding it necessary to take the streets looting, burning and robbing.