Is mass consumerism a bad thing? Are we just creating (and using) things that we don't really need?

Answer 1

consumerism per se' isnt a bad thing, its driven by change, and technological development, whhich is driven by consumer demand.. thats us lot wanting this and that... and of course we want it yesterday!!

so we develop and manufacture, this is where it all starts to go downhill, both environmentally and economically. why can we now but a superfast PC for hundreds, when not so long ago it was thousands? and they get obsolete often before they get unpacked... (in teh case of PC's its because we demand incremental changes, instead of getting 5 10 15 20 % changes, we are expecting 0.5% as a minimum.)

we create and we make it obsolete..and we pollute as a consequence. does a 2.6ghz work any better than a 2.8ghz, the techno's will stan proud and say why yes..of course it is better to have a faster chip... what they wont tell you is, your software is about 3 years behind teh hardware... (aint no point in developing siftware that 70% of the people cant use..is there? and unless youre doing the accounts for Breat Britain PLC you might shave a couple of milliseconds of your tasking.. but we dont need it..

we strive for efficiency in teh workplace, and yet we throw caution to the wind when deciding we want to fullfil our desires... and we throw money away..

if you calculated what you dispose of every month on mere frippery, and add it up, youll be amazed at what you buy and chuck it in a cupboard. we succumb to the advertising, which says consume consume spend spend... personally, im broke, and stuck in a wheelchair, so their advertising goes a little off target, and i get to see it for what it is...rampant consumerism, driven by shareholders who demand dividends, and consumers with personal wealth which they wish to invest..in products... which will enhance their lifes...

this goes back to caveman days, read JEAN M AUEL clan of the cave bear. we as tribes created such frippery and personal jewellery..it said..we are successful hunters, we are so successful we need not spend all our days hunting to feed ourselves, we are so successful, that we can (essentially) waste our time and valuable resources (ie money)

and this is exactly what we do, we display our position with our house, the car we choose, the toys we have, the possessions we accumulate and the unused personal wealth we have...

the difference is, consumers generate debt... not being a consumer as such i have ABSOLUTELY no debt... for which im thankfull. my car is 19 yrs old (its a volvo so no one realises) last holiday i had was 1986... I built my own PC a swift (but old) 2.8ghz for 200 quid...

Gordon ramsay the chef summed it up on Tv (he didnt realise it of course) but he said (concerning food) weve grown up with fancy bells and stereophonic whistles, and weve lost sight of teh real world... good food is simple food cooked well... and its as good as it gets.. we no longer have a community based life, we isolate ourselves and play with our toys.. we dont give love and time to our kids, we buy them things instead..(mainly to ease our conscience) and why do we do this? so we can earn more..so we can buy things... and you cant buy time with your kids, you cant buy a sense of belonging in your community...

we need to remember a time not so long ago, when it was considered the done thing to want to better oneself, and take an active part in teh community... for we are tribal... we work better, and have better lives together...apart we are lonely miserable and innefective... and so we consume to feel better... ironic isnt it?

Answer 2

I don't think you can watch commercial TV and be in any doubt that most of what we want we don't really need. What chafes me worst is the way people pursue novelty in their computers, iPods etc, throwing the perfectly useable old model out and buying new. It's not good for the environment or the cheap labour in the third world that makes it all possible, and since a significant proportion of customers want novelty, manufacturers don't make products that last. So the rest of us have to change every couple of years as well.

Answer 3

yes we are creating and manufacturing many things we don't need, but many more things that we want. What sort of music industry do you think there was 10 years ago? Or transportation? how many varieties of fruit were in the store then?

In the 1950's and 60's when I was growing up,I was really glad for the tangerines in my Christmas stocking. It was the only time I had them back then.

Do we need electronics? Espresso? Restaurants?

It makes lots of jobs, and lots of desire for stuff.

Answer 4

We are just creating, and using, and dumping things we dont need. From one material desire to another creating a world garbage dump. Hurry consume all the worlds resources, so we can create more thing and make more money. Not all things are endless resources as behaviour presents itself. Who cares if there is nothing left for tomorrow, we got our slice. Create a monster but how to unwind it? Most two couple households need at least two cars, two Its mindless the earthly heap of metal. When your out of water or oil just beat another country for it, but dont let the general public know thats the real reason for doing so. Just take what you need. Self centered consumption. Thanks to the creaters of material things and profit seekers.

Answer 5

Goes to show the difference between need and want. Most items we don't need, we simply want them. That's mass consumerism.Is it a bad thing, I would say no. Is it shallow, vain, and silly? Yes, yes, and yes.

Answer 6

Yes. I can't believe how many things I've bought and thrown away as useless 2 or 3 weeks later.

Answer 7

It hasn't shortened the work week or solved world problems. At best ,it is a superficial existence, and in time must come to an end.

Answer 8

yes it is a bad thing, it is a major factor fueling the destruction of the habitat that sustains us

we are committing what i call a slow-motion suicide

and yes, for the most part we (capitalists) are creating things that we (the population) don't really need

Answer 9

It would be a sad life if we could only have the things we need and not a few of the things we want.

Answer 10

Yes it is, and yes we are, although the people who make them like to convince us that our lives would end if we didn't buy them. The worrying thing is that societies come to rely on them so much, that people forget how to perform basic functions without their toys.