What is the culture of consumerism?
Consumerism is a term used to describe the tendency for people to want more and more goods, regardless of their value.
More than an attraction towards goods in general, consumerism is the misuse of other people's money. Consumerists turn ethics on its head by creating new products that can only exist because they're bought with credit card debt or financed through loans.
A true capitalist would use available spare capacity (factories and workers) efficiently while providing something desirable for consumers as a result - not try to stimulate demand for worthless junk that adds no value (but is monetized).
What this means is that companies push their sales up by creating artificial needs for products that are unnecessary.
Positive and negative effects of consumerism and materialism
Consumerism is a social and cultural phenomenon. Its central principle is the idea that an individual's happiness is determined by the consumption of goods and services.
Today consumerism has become one of the most important forces in society, as evidenced by huge sales figures, advertising budgets, etc. It has also affected other areas: science (psychology), religion (the cult of material things), art (consumerist themes in painting) - in short almost all areas of life are influenced to some degree by consumerism.
Consumerist psychology deals mostly with information processing taking place in the minds of the target audience. There are many ways to present products or services; advertisements are placed on television, radio, or billboards, but they are only one instrument of influence over people.
The positive and negative effects of consumerism can be easily summarized:
1. Consumerism contributes to economic growth
2. It also creates jobs and stimulates the economy in many other ways
3. Consumerism reduces shortages and improves the productivity of labor and investment, which helps improve standards of living around the world
4. It makes it easier for people to obtain information about different products
5. With consumerism there is a higher standard of living as well as more choice in goods and services available -- This allows an increase in leisure time enjoyed by most people in the developed countries
6. The variety of products available raises social status (Ie.. something that will make you look cool or smart)
7. Higher levels of income also translate into more leisure time, higher educational attainment rates, better health care.
The Negative effects of consumerism can be summarized as follows:
1. The desire for more does not end. It is a never-ending process of 'more, more, more': people all over the world want to own branded goods to show how materialistic they are or look successful and important (i.e., Louis Vuitton).
2. The true value of something has become less easily discernible because people are focused only on the price tag.
3. Due to the constant demand for newer and more expensive goods, innovations in technology to solve real-world problems have become less frequent because they lack consumer interest. Therefore, society/technology is becoming more primitive because of this ' craving for fancy things' by driving fewer technological advancements as a result.
4. The Bigger-Better Nature: Everybody wants to be better than others. So people tend to buy more expensive products simply due to their names being familiar or just because they want something bigger than other people's possessions (i.e., Ferrari). Everyone tries very hard not to get stuck with last year's product as it shows that you can't afford anything else but cheap outdated stuff.
Why is modern society often called materialistic?
Modern society likes this label because it makes people feel bad about themselves. We live in a society where most people don't know their roots, so they try to make themselves feel better by buying more stuff.
Conspicuous consumption is a term that was coined by sociologist and economist Thorstein Veblen. It explains how the excessive spending of higher-income individuals is often done to display power or show off wealth as seen through impulsive purchases and wasteful use of goods, services, and time. Basically, buying expensive items for no other reason than to impress others. This behavior impacts the economy by making consumers buy things they may not need with money they do not have but believes that those around them will also become consumed with envy for what they have.
How possible is it to avoid the culture of consumerism?
It is possible to avoid the culture of consumerism by making different choices in our lives. We can choose to live more simply, focus on experiences rather than things, and value quality over quantity. When we make these choices, we send a message to the world that we don't need to keep up with the Joneses. We can be happy and fulfilled without all the stuff.
Do you think consumerism is a positive or a negative development?
There are pros and cons to consumerism. On the one hand, it can lead to over-consumption and wastefulness. On the other hand, it can provide people with more choices and better quality products. It can also spur economic growth.
I believe that, overall, consumerism is a positive development. It gives people more control over their lives and what they buy. It also encourages businesses to innovate and create new products. However, it is important to be mindful of the potential negative effects of consumerism, such as over-consumption and wastefulness.
Consumerism advantages and disadvantages
Consumerism has both advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the main ones:
CONS
Prolonged high consumption levels of inorganic resources such as oil can result in a shortage, which leads to increased production prices and scarcity. This situation is exacerbated when consumers use things like cars or gas-powered stoves as their primary means of transportation and heating. If people don't exercise self-control, these actions could lead to natural disasters through depletion and the resulting rise in production costs.
The problem with excess consumerism is that it taxes our planet's capacity for replenishment. The earth grows weary, but we still want more because we have become slaves to consuming without making economic decisions based on sustainability.
PROS
The advantages of consumerism include products made with the latest technology, which can improve quality of life. For example, if a person wants an ideal cat for their lifestyle and wants a certain coat color, breed, size, or shape, they may be able to find someone willing to breed the perfect cat and, in turn, make a profit on its offspring.
Another advantage of consumerism is increased competition among businesses. If particular companies cannot keep up with customer demand for better quality merchandise at affordable prices, they will lose business.
This motivates them to develop new products and services and invest in advertising campaigns designed around these offerings. The outcome of this could mean cheaper versions of certain items (like clothing).
Things you can say about money
Society and Money
- Today's society is very materialistic and consumer orientated
- Many people are always ambitious to earn more money
- People alwayd try to buy bigger houses and better cars
- Many people think material possessions will make them them happy
- Having a lot of 'things' is seen as a sign of success
- Luxury brand names like 'Mercedes' and 'Ralph Lauren' are considered status symbols
- The advertising industry always create new desires for people to spend their money on
- Many people are easily persuaded to follow the latest trends, spending money to keep up with fashion and the 'in crowd'
Good Things / Advantages / Positives of Consumerism
- When peope consume it creates employment and stimulates the economy
- It can help to reduce poverty
- Businesses are encouraged to be innovative and creative to remain competitive
- Consumerism can lead to a better quality of life or standard of living
- Some people feel happier when they buy things
Bad Things / Disadvantages / Negatives of Consumerism
- Societies and economies based principally on consumerism create much more waste
- Consumerism creates the need to use many natural resources
- The process of producing and consuming creates environmental damage
- Today's 'throw away' or disposable culture is a direct result of consumerism
- Advertising agencies try to persuade us what we need and what we should want in life
- Studies have proven that consumerism does not make people more happier or more satisfied in life
- Being materialistic can lead to greed which can lead to crime
- A consumerist society can quickly lose its traditional values