- Main causes of consumerism
- 1. Political causes
- 2. Social causes
- 3. Economic causes
- 4. Cultural causes
- 5. Advertising
- Environmental impact of consumerism
- Use and disposal
- Low quality
- Resource consumption
- References
The causes of consumerism can be political, social, cultural, economic or due to the advertising effect of the media. Consumerism is a phenomenon that arises in the 20th century, which is characterized by the massive acquisition of goods that are not essential for the development of the human being.
The need to acquire products or access certain resources that do not represent a priority, has unleashed this consumption problem, which has some consequences for the environment.
The origin of the word consumerism comes from the Latin “consumere”. Its meaning is associated with destruction and waste.
Modern society has adopted this scheme and its impact generates an imbalance in the environment that can be evidenced in drastic climate changes.
Main causes of consumerism
1. Political causes
When the political system of a country does not compensate for the basic needs of its population and does not promote responsible consumption, disorders are generated in the acquisition of products.
2. Social causes
It results when the members of a society are tempted to acquire some assets that project prestige or social status.
If only one sector of the population can access a particular product, when economic measures make it easier for the rest of the population to acquire it, their consumption is excessive.
An imbalance is generated in the distribution of wealth, due to social inequality between consumers and businessmen producing the product.
3. Economic causes
Financial crises often encourage people to purchase products in massive quantities. The need to stock up or the feeling of scarcity forces people to buy in large quantities.
This creates a conditioning that modifies consumption parameters and leads the individual to make excessive purchases, even if they are not in a contingency situation.
4. Cultural causes
Globalization has caused people to adopt foreign cultures, which prompts them to buy products that become a trend for a limited period of time.
In general, fashions have an expiration date and this leads to discarding the acquired material to be replaced by new trends.
As a result, a false identity is generated in the individual who commits the imitation.
5. Advertising
Advertising has been responsible for modifying people's thinking, prompting them to consume products they do not need.
What in the past were complementary or luxurious items, have become a necessity for many, thanks to this effect of advertising.
Environmental impact of consumerism
Use and disposal
Today's society has adopted a behavior in which no importance is given to the use of resources.
People can buy goods without needing them, which will later cause their disposal and increase the levels of accumulation of garbage in landfills or garbage dumps.
Low quality
To increase the numbers in the finances of the companies, they are tempted to lower the quality of the products, which reduces costs and increases the ease of acquisition.
By evading certain controls, they can be much more damaging to the environment.
Resource consumption
By increasing demand, the consumption of resources becomes much higher, which affects the environment through the production processes.
References
- "Consumerism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." es.wikipedia.org. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
- "Consumption - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." es.wikipedia.org. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
- "Consumerism - Wikipedia." en.wikipedia.org. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
- What is consumerism? definition and meaning - BusinessDictionary.com. » businessdictionary.com Consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.
"Consumerism - Investopedia." investopedia.com. It was consulted on Sept. 16, 2017.