Tag Archives: inspiration

Consumer and Producer

Leave a reply

 

According to the ever popular Dictionary.com a consumer is defined as:

con·sum·er

noun

1. a person or thing that consumes.
2. Economics . a person or organization that uses a commodity or service.
3. Ecology . an organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals.

And a producer as:

 

pro·duc·er

noun

1. a person who produces.

2. Economics . a person who creates economic value, or produces goods and services.
3. a person responsible for the financial and administrative aspects of a stage, film, television, or radio production; the person who exercises general supervision of a production and is responsible chiefly for raising money, hiring technicians and artists, etc., required to stage a play, make a motion picture, or the like. Compare director (  def 3 ) .
4. British Theater . (formerly) a director of theatrical productions; stage director.
5. an apparatus for making producer gas.

Now what is so interesting about the internet is that a consumer can also be a producer and vice versa. In fact, it would seem that many producers play the role of consumer for inspiration, entertainment and information. The consumer, inspired by a produced work, can easily decide to be a producer themselves. In this way a producer in regards to the internet shouldn’t be concerns with economic value, but with creating. It can be that simple. Producers create. Consumers of the internet can choose the economic route with things such as online shopping and buying music, yet they can be free from those restraints as well. A consumer is like an attendee in an art gallery. They choose to browse, comment, view, listen, interpret, understand, hate and even destroy in some cases. The distinction between consumer and producer is less defined contrary to what Dictionary.com will tell you.