What are the global effects of excessive consumerism?
Excessive consumerism is both bad for the environment and it also stunts poverty reduction. Excessive consumerism has enlarged over time, as technology has grown, enhancing the way people look at consumerism.
Money is the main point of consumerism, and in this case, it literally “makes the world go round”. Studies say that, almost all "middle class income Americans" will buy things because they are cheap and inexpensive, more so than other similar products, opposed to "higher class income Americans," who, besides stereotypes, are more likely to save their money and avoid buying goods, as such. If more and more people think this way, there will only be a dying human race, and a lack of natural resources that the inhabitants of the world actually need–or in other words, a ‘poverty ridden’ world. Money is also easier to access, with online banking accounts; this has also made it easier for hackers to find ways through internet pop ups and viruses, to place scams.
Excessive consumerism provokes mass production of goods, that are in most cases, not even utilised or needed when purchased. Mass production of goods also leads to huge economic and natural issues, such as major unemployment and deforestation-a huge problem in both New Zealand and many other countries, that have slowly-growing economies. Also, depending on the problem, it can take years, and even decades to come to a solution, money-wise.
William Rees, a city planner of the University of Columbia, looked into this issue and found that consumerism has become over five times worse in the course of ten years. This huge change was due to the use and trading of natural resources that have driven workers and companies to produce more and more, as to satisfy customers. The production and processing of goods, then encourages the creation of factories and buildings, leading to pollution and an unstable environment.
Although, these reasons all seem overly bad, there is also a good side to consumerism, if not too excessive. Consumerism nowadays has been made much easier with the help of the internet, as it makes many options for consumers. It allows consumers to have easy access to almost every big company in the world, through websites, blogs and other social media.
The internet also gives consumers an opportunity to voice their opinion when purchasing products, through the use of "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)" pages in company websites, where your questions about a product or good are answered in detail. Though, if a company is lying, they can be easily ended by one consumer, through the use of the media, and television such as, 'Fair go' and 'Campbell Live' where local and national affairs are exposed and looked at, to make fair judgements and consequences.
Though excessive consumerism is harmful, consumerism itself is supposedly good for the economy. With a good economy, comes a good government, making it easier to tend to both national and international crises. Economic growth makes it possible for better education for children, better healthcare, and citizens that are well fed and clothed, with a roof over their heads.
Consumerism, like most things, have their positive and negative affects. My opinion on excessive consumerism, is that, it leads to poverty and contention in third world countries. I do not support excessive consumerism, and I think if we do not stop, the earth will become corrupt and materialistic, and eventually life as we know it will cease to exist.
Excessive consumerism is both bad for the environment and it also stunts poverty reduction. Excessive consumerism has enlarged over time, as technology has grown, enhancing the way people look at consumerism.
Money is the main point of consumerism, and in this case, it literally “makes the world go round”. Studies say that, almost all "middle class income Americans" will buy things because they are cheap and inexpensive, more so than other similar products, opposed to "higher class income Americans," who, besides stereotypes, are more likely to save their money and avoid buying goods, as such. If more and more people think this way, there will only be a dying human race, and a lack of natural resources that the inhabitants of the world actually need–or in other words, a ‘poverty ridden’ world. Money is also easier to access, with online banking accounts; this has also made it easier for hackers to find ways through internet pop ups and viruses, to place scams.
Excessive consumerism provokes mass production of goods, that are in most cases, not even utilised or needed when purchased. Mass production of goods also leads to huge economic and natural issues, such as major unemployment and deforestation-a huge problem in both New Zealand and many other countries, that have slowly-growing economies. Also, depending on the problem, it can take years, and even decades to come to a solution, money-wise.
William Rees, a city planner of the University of Columbia, looked into this issue and found that consumerism has become over five times worse in the course of ten years. This huge change was due to the use and trading of natural resources that have driven workers and companies to produce more and more, as to satisfy customers. The production and processing of goods, then encourages the creation of factories and buildings, leading to pollution and an unstable environment.
Although, these reasons all seem overly bad, there is also a good side to consumerism, if not too excessive. Consumerism nowadays has been made much easier with the help of the internet, as it makes many options for consumers. It allows consumers to have easy access to almost every big company in the world, through websites, blogs and other social media.
The internet also gives consumers an opportunity to voice their opinion when purchasing products, through the use of "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)" pages in company websites, where your questions about a product or good are answered in detail. Though, if a company is lying, they can be easily ended by one consumer, through the use of the media, and television such as, 'Fair go' and 'Campbell Live' where local and national affairs are exposed and looked at, to make fair judgements and consequences.
Though excessive consumerism is harmful, consumerism itself is supposedly good for the economy. With a good economy, comes a good government, making it easier to tend to both national and international crises. Economic growth makes it possible for better education for children, better healthcare, and citizens that are well fed and clothed, with a roof over their heads.
Consumerism, like most things, have their positive and negative affects. My opinion on excessive consumerism, is that, it leads to poverty and contention in third world countries. I do not support excessive consumerism, and I think if we do not stop, the earth will become corrupt and materialistic, and eventually life as we know it will cease to exist.