Consumerism: From Luxuries to Necessities

Consumerism: From Luxuries to Necessities

Nowadays, consumerism has been a dangerous problem to human being, especially for them who live in big cities. What is consumerism? According to Oxford Dictionary, consumerism is ~{!0~}the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of goods~{!1~} (1). To me, consumerism is a way of thinking that increase consuming goods in bigger increment or change one~{!/~}s lifestyle will provide greater benefit without thinking of their true needs. Consumerism will bring more harm than good because it can lead to financial problem, reduce health, damage our environment, and damage our relationship with others in society.

Consumerism encourages people to buy anything that are up-to-date. They are most likely to change their things to the latest one, such as plasma TV, high technology cellular phone and newest fashion. These will help the country~{!/~}s economy to grow, because trading flows very well in that condition. The citizens will be all developed to a more modern community. People will try to invent more that can help to raise their standard of living. If the country is economically better off, then other area will likely be to be affected in a positive manner, then so does the other field; like politically and militarily.

However, if this happens for a long term, the local producers are unable to provide sufficient amt of good according to the demand. They will start to import goods from other country, which will increase the value of other currency. Automatically, this will lower down the country~{!/~}s currency itself. The result is inflation will occur.

Moreover, citizen wouldn~{!/~}t save so much money in the bank because they tend to spend their money for buying those goods. This will lead to financial problem and poverty because their income will be lower then their expense. When their savings cannot cover up their expenditure, poverty will come about in long term effect. Thus, this will put strain on the relationship between husband wife and children because of the lack in their economy, and it will be worsen by the arising criminality level in the entire country. Farmers from villages will be attracted to come to city because consumer will buy fast foods and instant food, make them bankrupt.

~{!0~}The mindset of humans as consumer objects triumphs when women, failing to meet the standards dictated by the availability of the above services, are traded in for a newer model. This same way of thinking allows parents justify entering their little girls in beauty contests as though they were prize livestock.~{!1~} (Consumerism 1). Women strive to beautify themselves by weight training, diet, breast enhancement, cosmetic surgery, permanent eye make-up, and liposuction. These all will guide them to these all will likely to lead them to malnutrition, various form of cancer, or unintended flaws.

Eating fast food is one example of consumerism. People who worship hedonism, which are individuals who lives only for pleasure, automatically wants to eat good foods and try new one. Somehow influenced by the advertisement, and most of them are addicted to it. The good taste or the excess flavor-enhancer masks up the unbalanced nutrition in the food. It is not good for our health because it is excess in carbohydrates and fats, but lack