Ethical Pursuit or Personal Nirvana? Unpacking the Practice of Danshari in China

Charis X. Li (), Xiao-xiao Liu (), Jun Ye (), Siyu Zheng () and Songyin Cai ()
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Charis X. Li: Grenoble Ecole de Management
Xiao-xiao Liu: Xiamen University
Jun Ye: Xiamen University
Siyu Zheng: Xiamen University
Songyin Cai: Xiamen University

Journal of Business Ethics, 2024, vol. 191, issue 4, No 2, 675-695

Abstract: Abstract The rapid economic growth and surge of consumerism in emerging markets have placed significant pressure on the environment and consumers. While well-researched ethical consumption remedies may be effective in the Western contexts, they may not be readily translatable in emerging markets due to institutional and socio-cultural differences. This research examines the popular practice of Danshari in China and investigates how this self-oriented practice leads to other-oriented ethical consumption behaviours. Using qualitative data gathered from online sharing and interviews, we unpack how Danshari practitioners question and reshape their relationship with possessions and consumption to enhance their self-concept clarity. This clarified and elevated self-concept, in turn, leads to ethical consumption behaviours. Unlike Western ethical consumption concepts that are driven by principles or ideologies, Danshari’s essence of detachment, self-orientation, and action focus resonate with traditional Chinese teachings, providing a pragmatist approach to cultivating ethical consumption behaviours in China. This research adds to the growing body of pragmatism-based ethics research, expands the discussion of the link between consumption and the self, and offers valuable insights into promoting ethical consumerism in emerging markets.

Keywords: Danshari; Ethical consumerism; Anti-consumption; Grounded theory approach; Self-concept clarity; Pragmatism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10551-024-05663-6

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