Consumerism

[LabR@t]

If you could, would you like to the end of a consumerism driven society? I don't know what kind of society that would be or how it would function but it is an intriguing proposition.

How would the world adjust to this, is it even possible, would it improve the human experience?

 

[itchy]

Just don't purchase what you don't need.

People buy things and never use them or wear them once.

 

[Caracus2k]

I wouldn't like to see the end of a consumer society. The only political positions arguing for anything approaching this sort of thing are the Greens and Communists (with the former category being heavily populated by people really in the latter). The acquisition of material belongings is a basic human impulse.

What are consumer goods? They are goods bought by consumers (i.e individuals) as opposed to businesses and governments with goods just being a term for merchandise or possessions.

To be honest I find the proposition of the question itself to be quite bizarre the world as it stands could not support its population of over 7.5bn people without consumerism any argument for the proposition would in practice push humanity back towards something approaching the stone age to what Marxists think was 'primitive communism!' .... because they think that a life characterised by the constant struggle to scrape about for enough food to live is better that the 'oppressive' capitalist systems that (naturally) arose when humans developed and individuals managed to produce of a surplus of the basic necessities of life (food mostly) which allowed this 'surplus' to be traded for other things and increasingly allowed people to specialise away from food production allowing for the mass expansion in the quantity and quality of 'consumer' goods

Of course nothing I have said above means I am not aware of the potential problems associated with rampant consumerism with billions of people consuming finite resources. I would support controls limited to reduce the impact of consumerism with the aim of making the overall cycle sustainable. I suspect a large part of this will however involve the commitment long term to reducing the overall world population

 

[QlimaxUK]

Just don't purchase what you don't need.

People buy things and never use them or wear them once.

THIS!

Nothing wrong with a society that can provide anything you NEED, just as long as you can 1. Afford it (without credit/loans) 2. Will actually use it proportionally to it's intended purpose or lifespan

and NEVER use a payday loan company!

 

[lude1962]

consumerism, isn't that just being persuaded by the ad men to buy things you don't need to keep up with 'the Joneses' who bought their things to keep up with 'the Joneses'

 

[QlimaxUK]

Oh yes I forgot 2 more rules

3. Don't buy stuff just to 'keep up' if it ain't broke don't fix it, if you are happy with your purchase before learning someone has something better then just keep the thing you have and be happy with it!
4. Make sure you have plenty of 'buffer savings' before making new purchases so you can fix things when stuff breaks

 

[Ayahuasca]

We'd probably be a long way up poo creek without it.

 

[fendi]

it would be good if they got rid of credit cards and buying things on credit. that would make things more interesting

 

[FortuitousFluke]

Meh. I quite like stuff.

 

[LabR@t]

Meh. I quite like stuff.

Do you need all your stuff.

 

[FortuitousFluke]

Do you need all your stuff.

Absolutely not, but I like it. In my opinion not needing something isn't a valid reason not to have it, If it were then my house furnishings would consist of clothes and a toaster.

 

[Spook187]

it would be good if they got rid of credit cards and buying things on credit. that would make things more interesting

Not gonna happen, it's what makes the world go around.

 

[LabR@t]

Absolutely not, but I like it. In my opinion not needing something isn't a valid reason not to have it, If it were then my house furnishings would consist of clothes and a toaster.

I like stuff, but I often think about not having stuff and how pointless it all is at the end of the day.

 

[itchy]

Meh. I quite like stuff.

Stuff is fluff, you don't need it. If you call it stuff then there is your answer. ;


0

 

[stopper]

Not gonna happen, it's what makes the world go around.

The world did fine before they were invented.

 

[Monkeynut]

Meh. I use credit cards for stoozing. If someone offers you 0% interest on an appliance for 24 months then stick it in a savings account and give it them after you've got a bit of interest off of it. Make money out of people who are trying to make money out of you, then don't spend it.

 

[stewski]

Just don't purchase what you don't need.

People buy things and never use them or wear them once.

I say, deliver me from Swedish furniture!

How about we all have a gas leak in our 'condo' and never sleep.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

it would be good if they got rid of credit cards and buying things on credit. that would make things more interesting

Imagine this one example of me wanting a loan for an item:
In 1984 I wanted a Ferguson 3V32 video for £599 so decided to have a loan.
I went to the loan shop (nothing to do with the video shop) to first ask for the money and if they agreed I would hopefully get the forms back within two weeks.
I'd fill the forms in and then go back to the shop with a Guarantor (usually my Dad) who would also have to fill a form in saying he would pay if I couldn't.
You could then wait up to around 6 weeks before the money was ready.
I bet @DXP55 can remember doing this.

It was around 1987 when things changed for the worse IMO.
I went to a music store to buy a £400 musical instrument but they could arrange the finance so I signed a couple of forms.
I started to walk out of the store when he called me back asking if I was going to take the instrument but I said it would take a month or so.
He said that when he went in the office he already arranged it and I could take it now

Now we're at the point where I can buy something in a shop and hold my card against a machine - scary.

 

[godinman]

The world did fine before they were invented.

There has pretty much always been 'credit' of some form.

I don't know why a certain proportion of people are so against it, as long as you don't over stretch yourself and do it intelligently credit can be a very good thing. I've taken out a fair bit for house renovations recently, a good amount of that was for things that needed sorting which I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford, and a good amount was for things which didn't 'need' doing but will make home be a more pleasant and functional place to be, and again I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. I don't see how either of those things are bad and I will eventually pay off the credit and be none the worse for it.

Especially fun are the people who oh so proudly say 'I only buy things once I've saved up for them', as if it's something special and matters in the slightest.

For the record, I don't go mad on credit but I'll use it when it's useful to me.

 

[Fishbait]

The amount of brand new stuff we get donated most weeks is, whilst handy, ridiculous.
I've seen a Burberry coat that was worth hundreds. Several Radley (Bradley? I forget) handbags woth £150+ still with price labels attached & so on.

Never will understand buying something you're never going to use or just because "It's a newer version of my current, perfectly working [item]".