Why do we use so much stuff?

Question

we need so little to survive, why do we use so many things that are unnecessary?

Answer 1

Carina, carina - you are so right. A lot of times, advertising creates an imaginary need implying "you can't live without this" or "this will make you happier or look younger or be popular". (How did you get to be so wise at a young age?)

Why do people need two or three houses and four vehicles when there are only two people? There's no good reason and, if we thought about what we would take with us if we needed to leave our homes in a hurry, there would be very little we would take with us. Very good question. The Salvation Army stores are filled with things that, at one time or another, someone "couldn't live without"!

Answer 2

If we minimise our consumption, we can make the whole world sufficient with the present supplies. In certain items like water - cloths etc. the consumption must be 5 - 10 times more than that required for a decent living. I have seen people keeping the water tap on while they shave, brushing teeth and so on. With less than 5% of the water he wasted another man can meet his need. All what we can do is grooming ourselves in the right path and tell our friends and nearby ones to follow. At least some of them will listen to.

Answer 3

Ask that again next time you're digging frantically at the bottom of your purse for a tampon, or sitting after a good poop in a public restroom that you find has no toilet tissue, or you've just sneezed on a date with your bf and a huge glob is hanging from your nose and you don't have any tissue or sleeves, or your breath smells like sewer water in the morning and you have no toothpaste, mouth rinse or even water...
I'd say because we are intelligent beings who are, to various degrees, able to manufacture and/or acquire stuff we enjoy or that make our lifes more pleasant, comfortable or just plain fun.

Why not?

Answer 4

Great question.
I blame myself for falling for all the wonderful advertising out there. I know I'm the perfect sucker, thinking I can't live without products.
After I get things, I really don't use them, they accumulate and clutter the place, my credit card takes a beating and I end up dropping stuff off at Goodwill or give to family members.
As soon as I vow not to fall for advertising again, it happens again. What's wrong with me?

Answer 5

Over time we have had to adjust to a very fast paced life that demands so much, particularly our time. Time we used to spend in planting and harvesting; spinning and sewing; singing and story telling have been replaced by, supermarkets and fast food, shopping malls and designer labels and plasma TVs, MP3 players and video games. These are big toys for big and little kids. We have become so accustomed to them, we have an addiction.

Answer 6

Because as humans will, we bore easily. We are always looking for the next new thing or way to amuse ourselves. Half the times we don't even use the stuff we create or buy. But because it's the latest fad we feel we must have it.

Answer 7

Because the society that we live in tells us that we need so much stuff. It's so the people that make those things we don't need can make money off of us.

Answer 8

so much stuff drives the economy...U could say thank god im buying sooo much stuff because it's helping another family put food on their table..even the poor benefit....so much stuff we buy helps others collect. It took me a long time to understand this concept, even though I'm against using too much stuff....maybe its too, too much stuff I'm against now. Especially if it gets thrown in the garbage.

Answer 9

Shopping.

Answer 10

Because we've all been seduced by the Capitalist concept- that the more we have, the "wealthier" & happier we must be. It's all fubar...- but nobody cares enough to give it much thought. It's SOOO much easier- to go shopping & out to eat at McDonalds afterwards...