SYED KAZIM comments on how consumerism is eating into the very vitals of human life.
Today’s society seems as though it is being taken over by consumerism. The term consumerism is defined as the tendency of people to identify strongly with products they consume, particularly of name brands and status enhancing appeal. With the marketing world growing larger day by day, it seems more and more people are attracted to the advertised products and feel the need to have them in order to keep in style with the rest of society. The term “conspicuous consumption” applies to those who show off their products in order to show their wealth; as per Maslow need hierarchy, this is an Esteem need. The people who show off their expensive clothing, jewellery or cars are trying to make an impression on people. Yet what does this impression hold?
In the past 100 years, world consumption has grown at a rate unprecedented in human history and especially the American economy is totally driven by the infection of consumerism. In 1900, a total of $1.5 trillion was spent by public and private consumers. By 1975 it was estimated at $12 trillion. By 1998 it doubled to $24 trillion. It continues to grow rapidly. Twenty per cent of the world’s people living in rich countries account for 86% of total global consumer spending. The US and Canada, with 5.2% of the world’s population, are responsible for 31.5% of consumption. South Asia, with 22.4% of the population, is responsible for 2% of consumption. The average African household today consumes 25% less than 25 years ago. In 2005, China used 26% of the world’s steel, 32% of rice, and 47% of cement. Though their per-capita resource consumption is low, with their large populations China and India look set soon to join the US and Europe as superpowers of consumption.
Today, the country’s economic health is measured more according to how much we are willing to spend, our consumer confidence and less in how much we produce, the gross national product, or even how we invest. If leaders in the past preached self sacrifice and service, our today’s so-called leaders of the corporate world send only signal and this is to consume and consume and consume. Since September 11, the American government has consistently told Americans that if they want to help the country, they must buy.
Even as we walk through the corridors of the colleges, we can see many people wearing the more expensive clothing with name brands stitched boldly across their chest. Why do so many people do this? If you ask them, they would most likely reply that it is in style or the latest trend. People strive for acceptance. However showboating is not a genuine way to go about gaining acceptance. Just because a person has the finer things in life does not mean they are better persons. From my experience, some people even grow shallow enough to think poorly of people who do not have the more expensive items or clothing.
Thanks to the software companies for paying huge bugs to the software professionals. After earning so much they do not know where to spend it. Even if they do not have the attitude of spending more money, the peer pressure stimulates them to do so. Also thanks to the credit card companies that have encouraged their customers to purchase more and more even if they do not have any money in their bank accounts.
The last two decades have witnessed an over-expanding interest in consumerism and which is in a very critical condition. The word consumerism has to be fully understood in its historical retrospect with reference to the consumer’s position in common law, main areas of regulations, controls on advertising, labelling standards, etc. We are a society consumed by consumerism. It is sad to say that, but it becomes truer each day. Think of how much consumerism has grown over the last 20 years or so. It is horrifying to think. Now the million dollar question: where will we be in the next 20 years at this level of consumerism?
In the 21st century, pleasure is equated to consumption. Consumerism has become no less than any cult or religion; it has the power to level individual difference and independence and render citizens into a homogeneous mass. Advertising companies, celebrity spokespersons, movies and TV shows conspire to render the consumer object, be it a Rs. 1 ice-cream cone or a Rs. 15 lakh luxury sedan, into a fetish imbued with magical, if not downright divine, powers.
Today, a consumer is called the king of the market. He is at the centre stage of all market activities. It is constant endeavour of producers that the production of a product must conform to the needs of consumers. In addition to the satisfaction of consumers, it is also the endeavour of the producer that their sale should be maximum. They therefore try to increase their sales by all possible means. Let’s take the example of the Dish TV ad, where Shahrukh Khan says, “Don’t be santusht, thoda aur wish karo”, where he addresses the general public and saying them not to be satisfied with what they have but rather they should wish for a little more.
Today shopping has become a status symbol. You are considered part of the society and you are considered up-to-date only when you do regular shopping. The question, “Do you go for shopping?” has become a prominent question when a family goes to see a bride for their son, brother, etc. In a true incident, a middle class family rejected a boy as a bridegroom for their daughters, saying that, “the boy is earning just Rs. 50,000 a month and nothing can happen with Rs. 50,000 in today’s world.” It’s really shocking, isn’t it? Because of this corrupt consumerism mentality, the whole bride/bridegroom selection criteria is based on the income and very less importance is given on the character of the person. One of the important catalysts of consumerism is the greed to have more and more. A person should purchase a particular good/service because he needs it not because he has the capacity to own it!
A person has a pair of shoes or two but wherever he finds discount or SALE he goes ahead and buys one more pair. This scenario is same for clothes and other accessories. The middle class is involved in consuming more and more clothes, the habit of purchasing clothes and footwear is more common in college going and young girls. One watch is enough to see the time and one can wear only one watch at a time on his wrist but man owns 5 to 6 watches or some people also go on to own even more than 10 watches. And especially the habit of watch collection is most commonly found in boys and men.
Consumerism infantilises us, alienates us from one another, and makes us apathetic as citizens. What’s ironic is that even if you base human worth not on social responsibility but on individual happiness, consumerism still fails us. But, given the global economic crisis and the rapid rate at which we are consuming Earth’s resources, how long can our little comforts last? It is just going to cause problems in the long run!
In other words, consumers are exploited, but still consumers feel they are the kings but they forget that only kings pay more. We are not against publicity and selling of products but we are against publicity and selling products by exploiting the general public. We are not against earning profit but we are against earning profit by unfair means. Customers need to learn to differentiate between luxury and necessity products and give priority to the necessity products over the luxury products. A policy of live and let live will make not only the individual live happily but also the people around him and the people who are going to come after him. God has designed the world mechanism in such a way that it can satisfy everyman’s need but not every man’s greed!