We're all Consumers - why?

'Consumer' is a title used in neoliberal capitalist societies to dehumanise and depersonalise the bleating masses; it is odd to see it in use on a psychology board as a member title. Perhaps it could be changed to 'freak', 'sicko', or 'disturbed' - all more accurate and less offensive than consumer.

Lannibal Hecter wrote:'Consumer' is a title used in neoliberal capitalist societies to dehumanise and depersonalise the bleating masses; it is odd to see it in use on a psychology board as a member title. Perhaps it could be changed to 'freak', 'sicko', or 'disturbed' - all more accurate and less offensive than consumer.

WE ARE NOT FREAKS!!!! WE ARE HUMAN!!!! WE HAVE FEELINGS AND TEARS... AND.... AND WE LAUGH AND BLEED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!!!!! SEE!!! MY MUMMY TOLD ME THIS SO IT MUST BE TRUE... ISN'T IT?

LEAVE PSYCHOPATH'S ALONE!!!!!! *breaks down in Chris Crocker style"...

consumer is like say member, same idea.
and no they wont be changed to something silly like that....


sorry.

Butterfly Faerie wrote:consumer is like say member, same idea.
and no they wont be changed to something silly like that....
sorry.

You must make use of an unpublished dictionary. Here are the mainstream definitions for those respective words:

Main Entry: con·sum·er
Pronunciation: \kən-ˈsü-mər\
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Date: 15th century

: one that consumes: as a : one that utilizes economic goods b : an organism requiring complex organic compounds for food which it obtains by preying on other organisms or by eating particles of organic matter — compare producer 3

— con·sum·er·ship \-ˌship\ noun

Main Entry: mem·ber
Pronunciation: \ˈmem-bər\
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English membre, from Anglo-French, from Latin membrum; akin to Gothic mimz flesh, Greek mēros thigh
Date: 14th century

1 : a body part or organ: as a : limb b : penis c : a unit of structure in a plant body
2 : one of the individuals composing a group
3 : a person baptized or enrolled in a church
4 : a part of a whole: as a : a syntactic or rhythmic unit of a sentence : clause b : one of the propositions of a syllogism c : one of the elements of a set or class d : either of the equated elements in a mathematical equation

Which do you think best describes someone who joins a discussion board?

I know I've said this before but that post is buried somewhere by now.
This word is common within mental health communities and by the mental health industry.
It is a word used by mental health practitioners. It is applied using the viewpoint of the mental health worker.
The mental health clinician is the "provider of services'.
The patient or client is the "consumer of services".
I work in the mental health field and I've always thought the word 'consumer' is strange. I don't use it.
But it is very very common in the field.
Since this is a mental health board, I find the usage of the word "consumer" to be fairly typical.

I usually use the words member or user when needed, consumer means the same thing, just is sounds
more natural to use user or member. I like member best.

I hope all members: over 20 thousand, feel respected.
I got a great pm today where the member told me thank you, that it really helped to have
someone to talk to. That is the best thing, to know, someone got help today.

Interesting that I had a thread that wasn't locked. Must have been an oversight on part of the modz.

I can lock it for you if it makes you happy?

My contention is still that there ought to be a ranking system by which valuable posts are 'voted' against and therefore there will be both consumers and contributors, maybe adding incentive for better quality discussion on the board.

Or after a certain post count be given the choice to change it to a personalized title... Unless that is the case already.