Many views have tried to come up in the last century; fascism, communism, democracy, religion (Islam), but only one has managed to creep up on top. It has challenged the very fabric of our society. Today it dictates who go to war with, who we call friend and who we call our enemy.
Consumerism, yes you have you heard it right.
Why?
Isn't Consumerism a high and posh way of saying Shopping. We all go buy things and we are consumers in that manner. So how is it bad. Well to understand what is bad in it, we have to get a little idea of how economics works in todays world.
In todays lame term, a economy is doing good, if we consume more and more every year. And everything is trying to convince us to consume more, advertisement bombardment. Buy this brand and not that brand, this is better and this is cheaper. In selling all this products they are selling us one sure thing; THE IDEA.
THE IDEA OF BUYING NEW THINGS and that our life would be somehow better if we have more and more things. Bigger home, bigger car, bigger and expensive things.
I have only come to notice this, when the other day I spent 60 dollars for a pair of shoes, that I did not need to begin with. I already have 2 pairs of shoes, and why did I need that brown shoe. Isn't it because they tell me I need it. My buddy every now and then calls me out to mall to take stroll. It has almost become our favorite pass time.
There is definately something wrong when our favorite pass time is walking around the mall and shopping centers. The devil in it is that it very seductive and its also very leathel.
We are shopaholics.
As consumers we dont really know what things really costs. If we dont demand things from India, for example mangoes and other things, then we dont have to worry about it. Just imagine the amount of fuel that was spent to get the magoes to USA. Each act of consumerism comes with a price tag to the environment weather you realize it or not. Now think about trees, Green house gases, the whole ecosystem is changing. And its all happening and happening through consumerism.
What has changed from the past that we have fallen pray to this. Well if you go back you will see power in the hands of very few and the similarly they being the major consumers of lavish things. The rest of the world was and poor and many of them did not care. Why? Well it was the fear of GOD.
Fear of God; religion told people not to focus on materials and to focus on spiritual and after life. When religion was the force in the past it set the trend.
During 17th century with new trade routes came new middle class and this unleashed an era of new middle class who liked the wealth and bragged their consumption. It was no longer a taboo to do so.
This brought about the philosophy of unleshing invidividual interest to move the economy forwards. By letting individual persue their worldly interest it will drive the economy faster and better. Came the existence of CAPITALSIM; with the help of consumerism.
Today consumerism tries to dictate who we should try to be like. What looks good and what does not look good. What you need to have to be part of the society. So if I refuse to buy new clothes because my old ones are still good then I have an outcast.
When the president of the most powerful country tells me to go Shop (Bush). I start to question what is behind all these shopping; and why is it important to the most powerful country in the world.
So is global terrorism the real big threat today, or is it consumerism. What will happen if a wave of ideas come out where people stop buying things they dont need, they stop shopping. What will happen to the world economy and super powers? What will happen to China, US and other consumer driven economies?
Trust me happiness is not how rich you are, today we have this relentless pressure to earn more and buy more and be better than someone else is self defeating. Feeling secure and good can not be solved by consumerism.
So for now there is no foreseen future rather than consumerism, but is there a way to redirect and change things. Can we get out of this and change our life style to get out of this economic machine.
Well I will tell you this my friend, the people that we give the power to make decisions on our behalf are not going to change it.
Consumerism, yes you have you heard it right.
Why?
Isn't Consumerism a high and posh way of saying Shopping. We all go buy things and we are consumers in that manner. So how is it bad. Well to understand what is bad in it, we have to get a little idea of how economics works in todays world.
In todays lame term, a economy is doing good, if we consume more and more every year. And everything is trying to convince us to consume more, advertisement bombardment. Buy this brand and not that brand, this is better and this is cheaper. In selling all this products they are selling us one sure thing; THE IDEA.
THE IDEA OF BUYING NEW THINGS and that our life would be somehow better if we have more and more things. Bigger home, bigger car, bigger and expensive things.
I have only come to notice this, when the other day I spent 60 dollars for a pair of shoes, that I did not need to begin with. I already have 2 pairs of shoes, and why did I need that brown shoe. Isn't it because they tell me I need it. My buddy every now and then calls me out to mall to take stroll. It has almost become our favorite pass time.
There is definately something wrong when our favorite pass time is walking around the mall and shopping centers. The devil in it is that it very seductive and its also very leathel.
We are shopaholics.
As consumers we dont really know what things really costs. If we dont demand things from India, for example mangoes and other things, then we dont have to worry about it. Just imagine the amount of fuel that was spent to get the magoes to USA. Each act of consumerism comes with a price tag to the environment weather you realize it or not. Now think about trees, Green house gases, the whole ecosystem is changing. And its all happening and happening through consumerism.
What has changed from the past that we have fallen pray to this. Well if you go back you will see power in the hands of very few and the similarly they being the major consumers of lavish things. The rest of the world was and poor and many of them did not care. Why? Well it was the fear of GOD.
Fear of God; religion told people not to focus on materials and to focus on spiritual and after life. When religion was the force in the past it set the trend.
During 17th century with new trade routes came new middle class and this unleashed an era of new middle class who liked the wealth and bragged their consumption. It was no longer a taboo to do so.
This brought about the philosophy of unleshing invidividual interest to move the economy forwards. By letting individual persue their worldly interest it will drive the economy faster and better. Came the existence of CAPITALSIM; with the help of consumerism.
Today consumerism tries to dictate who we should try to be like. What looks good and what does not look good. What you need to have to be part of the society. So if I refuse to buy new clothes because my old ones are still good then I have an outcast.
When the president of the most powerful country tells me to go Shop (Bush). I start to question what is behind all these shopping; and why is it important to the most powerful country in the world.
So is global terrorism the real big threat today, or is it consumerism. What will happen if a wave of ideas come out where people stop buying things they dont need, they stop shopping. What will happen to the world economy and super powers? What will happen to China, US and other consumer driven economies?
Trust me happiness is not how rich you are, today we have this relentless pressure to earn more and buy more and be better than someone else is self defeating. Feeling secure and good can not be solved by consumerism.
So for now there is no foreseen future rather than consumerism, but is there a way to redirect and change things. Can we get out of this and change our life style to get out of this economic machine.
Well I will tell you this my friend, the people that we give the power to make decisions on our behalf are not going to change it.
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