This house would embrace a life of mindless consumerism - moderator's introduction

Consumerism is often defined as a lifestyle where people purchase goods and consume materials in excess of basic needs.  This concept is as old as the first civilizations, where the wealthiest had way more than they could possibly need for survival. Most of people dreamt of acquiring such purchasing power, whereas some men started preaching that poverty was a path to heaven. There is multiple meanings to this modern word which describes human behaviors. (Continues below the break…)

by CRP

The 18th century saw great increases in the goods manufacturing, and more and more people gained access to luxury products. But the word consumerism, as it is often used today, is mainly relevant for the last century. What may separate the extravagance of the rich from simple consumerism is the proportion of the population that can consume more than the "basic needs". At the beginning of the 20th century, only a happy few could afford more than one car. Today the two third of the American households own at least two cars. The emergence of a large and wealthy middle class in western country deeply changed our relationship to consumption.  "Basic needs" highly depends on the background culture of people, which is linked to the country you live in. Do a refrigerator that makes ice or a pool belong to the basic needs when you live in a hot country? And why should people even care about what they consume? People work to earn money. That money is meant to be spent one way or another. One can say that it's not one's fault if one earns enough money to access a large variety and amount of goods. It is even the basis of the economy, which provides jobs to people and allows technological progress.

But consuming is not only about buying large amount of goods, it also implies the pleasure to buy for itself, and the identification to the products you buy. It has sometimes become a goal in itself. Consume to consume, buy a device that will work 6 months before becoming technologically obsolete. Because the act of buying is a source of pleasure, millions of people go shopping to feel something. Sometimes knowing that you have the last gadget is more important than actually using it. Think about the American lifestyle: it is the symbol of mass consumption, it is both a dream and a nightmare for a foreign viewer. The Americans are said to consume with excess, and mindlessly. They buy stuffs without thinking that it might hurt the planet or degrade their health. And some of them borrowed money to buy houses and cars they could not really afford, leading the world into the subprime crisis. Indeed some behaviors such as over-consuming may seem absurd. Maybe they only affect a small proportion of a population. The issue is to find a model of development that appears legitimate and doesn’t frustrate people who have different needs and interests.  What if I need ten jackets? Indeed one is for rainy days, one for winter, and one for spring… It can be disrespectful to people in needs, who fight to survive, but that makes no difference for some wealthy people.

Those few examples show that defining and judging consumerism is both complex and interesting. And you, dear reader, would you embrace mindless consumerism?

CRP