We are a nation of consumption. Every Modern American is so used to the notion of buying something, its engraved in our minds, and becomes an unhealthy ritual. Like Taylor and Tilford state in "Why Consumption Matters" 2000, we have been used to the Post WW2 notion of cheap conspicuous "consuming" for the benefit of oneself, the consumer, and our economy. But as they also state, that notion is worn out and the harm of this mindset is undeniable. Taylor and Tilford say "Soaring consumption of goods and services has been accompanied largely through increased resource extraction and waste production" (p.464), which impacts the environment to the point of regional ecologic disasters. We are making our planet more and more uninhabitable every day as we recklessly literally "consume" whatever the current worldwide producers throw at us, whether it be cigarettes or bottled water. Martin Lindstrom talks about this in detail in Chapters 4-7 of "Buyology". It was interesting how he stated all the causes, and reasons of our ever growing consumption. The supply is always growing because of the demand, and the product marketers always try new ways to promote ever growing goods. These goods all came from the Ground, the earth, in some way and will return to the earth eventually, but we are steadily running out of resources to create all these new goods. We are living, and have been living an unsustainable lifestyle, which eventually destroys our habitable environment and leaves a dull future scenario. In the "Story of Stuff(2010)" video, it explains where things come from and where they end up, and the waste generated is always larger and more negatively impactful. We have been living on a post WW2 method that simply cant work anymore. If society does not change for a better, less wasteful lifestyle, we are all in grave danger, and the bad part is, nothing is changing and markets, and corporations continue to want us to live this destructive lifestyle, because they're pockets get increasingly fatter, as seen in "The Story of Stuff".The general public is treated like guniea pigs, because as Lindstrom states, the marketers try everything from subliminal marketing and messaging, to product ritual and superstition, to sensory and faith and religious marketing, even crossing all racial boundaries and promoting stereotypes. As long as corporations are happy with thier ever increasing profits, we will continue to head on a destructive path as a global society, because U.S.A is the global role model, and everyone wants to be like us, in a lot of ways, and we continue to live an outdated lifestyle, which does not even make us happy or satisfied anymore, as we buy more goods, the more miserable and yet more dependant we become, and that creates global consequences that are catastrophic to our environment. The waste building up in the world is unimaginable, and resources are depleting at a maximum as a result of massive conspicuous consumption, it seems the only thing that can save us is a new mindset on life, and a new national policy, and "reformed" society. It seems we all need an intervention from the current lifestyle of materialistic values and norms.It is a miracle that the Occupy Movement is rising and becoming more of a global force. To see something started in New York, and capture all the cities attention of America, and eventually the world. Our society's young and educated are trying to reform our current greedy corporatism ways, where we continue to feed corporations and companies their wealth, while they destroy everything U.S.A stands for. Its impressive to see the global response to OWS, which started in US and is now everywhere globally. We need a new global reformation, and it may take a long time, but the first step is to continue to shed light on this topic. Is all the waste really worth the waste of our planet as a hospitable environment, which should be viewed as a miracle in itself, and we need to start understanding it more and living sustainable, happy lifestyles. Maybe OWS is the first step to try to take on this vastly important job of reconfiguring a whole nations, and globe's mindset toward a pleasant future.
Kirill Kushensky section 01
Although we are just now making attempts to better our futures such as "Go Green" campaigns, etc. I'm not sure if it is enough to help fix what we have already so negatively destroyed. As long as marketers and advertisers are making profits they will continue to go about manipulating society into buying these products that have such a harmful impact on our planet. The problem with society and where we are at is because our nation works around convenience. What can save me the most money, take the least amount of time, and get the job done? That's how the majority of America thinks which is sad, but true. Until we truly recognize how deep of a hole we are digging ourselves I don't think there can be a successful turn around.
ReplyDeleteIts sad but it is the truth that we as a nation are lazy and do go with what is the cheapest and the easiest way to consume and live a lifestyle where we are only concerned about yourself. The way that companies try and trick the consumers into buying their goods strictly for their own profit its sickening. That is the world that we live in today unfortunately. The steps in making our world better has to start with the knowledge that we are letting the companies get the best of us and we are not trying our best to be fair to our enviorment and ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIt goes without question that we are by far the laziest nation. We have all sorts of methods in the current day to minimize even the amount that we as humans have to move. Such as the automobile that literally takes us everywhere, and with that comes drive through fast food places to decrease even more the amount that we move. Interestingly enough we have continue to fall into this trap more and more.
ReplyDeleteKnowledge is power. The more we know about how reckless production is affecting our globe the more we can do to try and curb it. Personally, I make attempts every day to try and make a smaller ecological footprint. I try to live simpler, by doing things such as purchasing a good deal of clothing from thrift stores and strictly restricting myself to public transportation when it can be helped. The first step is understanding what forces are at work around us. Once we have that knowledge, the climb to prevention can be much easier attained.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if anyone has the means to do so, planting a garden and growing some of your own food is a very good way to curb these sinister corporate tactics. It is also quite satisfying. Live simpler, and life will be simpler. What's better than simple?
I hate to admit, but I used to think that the "Go Green" campaigns were a fraud. Call me pessimistic, but it seemed a little far-fetched that out of nowhere A-List celebrities were sporting organic clothing, supermarkets were restocking their selves with all-natural products, etc. How could you not even think for a little bit that it was a conspiracy?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to believe I'm a little less foolish now and more informed. Do I think that we can reverse the damage we have done to the planet 180 degrees? No. (Forgive the pessimism again) However, I do think that by living simpler, recycling, conserving energy (not really drastic things) we can reduce our personal carbon footprints.
I agree and I’m also glad that portions of the world notice and are responding (OWS). As far as waste and such, my family and I have been recycling for years now as a way to lessen our carbon footprint and it gives us a good feeling when we do. When we drive past a landfill or see the destructive effect of human waste it makes us wonder why recycling isn’t mandatory. Funny you mention a garden, our next step is to plant and maintain one to reduce our carbon footprint even more.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with this post & Antoine comment about why recycling isn't mandatory. I agree that it should be, due to the fact that we buy, buy, buy & old things just get dumped into landfills really isn't right.I think that humans are creating more things then what they need to, there was a time when we used everything but now we waste more.
ReplyDeleteAnneMarie Esemplare sec 80
I'm not sure I see the connection between our consumption/waste and how the OWS movement can lead us to a less wasteful society, but it will be interesting to see how OWS moves forward. They didn't seem to care as much about what they used or how they used it as much as they cared about spreading their message of oppression.
ReplyDeleteWho knows, maybe the whole green movement can be seen as another marketing scheme because it tells us to convert everything we have into newer "greener" products and in a way that just extends the problem because now we have to buy more to change everything about our lifestyle, and the green movement could just be another grand marketing plan to sell huge amounts of new products on a consumer scale. It's the companies and corporations, and government that needs to go green, because they have the power to transform it on a larger scale than individual consumers who hold about 1% of our wealth. The green movement, and the initiative to go green should be targeted at the big players because they can do so much more than individual consumers, the regular citizens of USA. Going green needs to apply more to the corporate institutions who actually have the power to change our unbalanced world, because they have the money, the power, and can create a collective vision. So far, the green movement is pushing consumers to buy more goods that are "better" but end up as waste in the end like all the other products. We don't hold enough capital to change much in a green movement. We need to push our governments and large corporations to do more for the green movement, because it will be more impactful on their part, because they have got the country in the poor state that it is. We need a full transformation of our countries infrastructure, and make things more environmentally friendly, like the way we build buildings, create products, and deliver and transport these goods, because those are the most negatively impactful aspects of consumerism. Change needs to come from the top down, not from the ground up. Maybe the OWS movement can do something to spark that, and open up the eyes of our "big players" to help make these changes happen. It's about time we have another "cultural revolution and evolution" of us as a country, and largely, as a global force.
ReplyDeleteKirill Kushensky section 01
The point you make is a very legitimate one. The path we have led since WWII is crazy. Although we have managed to increase our economy to unprecedented levels, is that any good for the planet? Our generation may still be alright, but our kids? We are going to have to move to Kepler 22b, that new planet that was found.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Alex W, that knowledge is power. More people need to be educated and informed about how their actions affect our society and our planet.
Oleg Morgunov Section 01
The unhealthy ritual we all so commonly follow is what keeps our economy running. Although its not the best running machine at some points, if those whos job it is to keep us purchasing the newest and most wanted items fail, many people might not even be interested or even informed of new technologies. Instead of thinking of ways to stop people from buying things, we need to think of a way for the things people are buying to not harm the planet. If not for the toll our producing methods are taking on the planet there is nothing wrong with entertaining human desires. What I think needs to be done is a total reconstruction of our production methods.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that we cannot sustain the lifestyle of consumption that we as Americans have been trained to do for several decades. I, myself, had been used to a more "City Consumer" Lifestyle up until I had dormed at Rutgers (on campus), which drastically changed my way of life (because of the lack of commercialism on campus outside of food).
ReplyDeleteThis process is definitely dangerous because instead of finding fulfilment that we can simply find with interact with other human beings, we are finding dissatisfaction in the product arms race, trying to keep up with product lines that spew out new products every year. I think it really is because we've prioritized items over people that we are trapped in this system and find it so hard to get out.
I mean thanks to the internet, consumer culture has evolved for the worse, allowing people to even live their daily, personal lives without interacting with anyone (this isn't including work) so much to a point in order to maintain interest with the home environment, we buy a steady stream of products to make sure our houses are never boring.
I mean this has gone so far in my family as well. I mean, at first we only had 2 TVs in the house. Now...I have a TV in my room, a TV in my parent's room, a TV in the living room, the kitchen, and even the basement. Recently, because we bought a treadmill and installed it in the basement, we decided we needed an 50" TV (which we bought on Black Friday) and order a cable box just for downstairs just to have a "suitable environment" for the treadmill. Essentially, we just created another living room, which is definitely wasteful,yet it doesn't feel as such because we are used to it.
Consumption has definitely become a huge issue throughout the United States and really many other places throughout the world. However, many people seem to place focus on how big of an issue this is and very few people place focus on a realistic plan to begin changing things. This is a huge issue but really, to change the habits of an entire nation is a huge goal. If this articles placed less focus on the issues and more on real solutions then we might actually be getting somewhere.
ReplyDeleteIts true that we as consumers have been ruining our enviornment and for what to save a couple dollars. We have hormone induced food that has affected hormone in our children today and hasn't given us the proper nutrient that we all need. Slowly we are starting to go green with certain things and use organic food, but unfortunately it cost more and some people aren't willing to spend the money to make themselves healthier and our world cleaner.
ReplyDeleteIt boggles my mind that even with all the research and information out there that shows that we are living at an unsustainable pace and yet the corporations make no concessions or plans to slow down. As long as people are still willing to buy they will continue to use up all the resources until they are gone. All of them think for he now instead of the future and this is going to lead to the eventual destruction. So that means its us as consumers to stop consuming as much so that production is slowed. Demand has to be decreased in order for production to be slowed in order to save for the future. The shortsightedness of the large corporations will be the downfall of the modern era.
ReplyDeleteThe corporations care about money and only that. For decades, they've been putting profits before people for their benefit only, raping the environment and exploiting everything for personal gain. And yes, they are force-feeding us products filled with ingredients that cause cancer - and we're buying them! Traces of sedatives were recently found in NY's drinking water!!!
ReplyDeleteBuying organic foods are more expensive but it results in a healthier life and better environment. If you choose not to spend the money now, you'll be paying later for medical care and things of that nature.
We are absolutely lazy and terrible as a nation, and our glut will not be silenced until something terrible happens to the earth first. I sometimes think about what would happen if there was no America, there would certainly be a lot of resources for everyone else. I don't want to go to such extremes, but sometimes I feel like it might be necessary. Sadly, before it gets really awful I'll be dead, so I wont get to see people freaking out and pointing fingers as the world comes down around their ears.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I believe American society is one of the poorest excuses for an industrialized nation. I love our country, our freedoms, etc. But the fact that almost none of us commute to work or school by bicycle or public transit (as a nation, I'm aware college students are typically more active than the average American)is really frightening. Other nations revolve completely around modes of transportation that are not vehicles (ie Holland). It is our responsibility to be more responsible (redundancy intended)
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