Today's topic - consumerism - was offered by Ramana. According to Wikipedia, consumerism is a social and economic order and ideology that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. Sounds like a definition offered by the Marketing gods.
We are assaulted daily by people/companies trying to separate us from our money. Better ingredients, better pizza; he went to Jareds; the beer that made Milwaukee famous; the champagne of bottled beers. All of these marketing phrases are designed to help convince us to purchase a particular product. Spend, spend, spend.
One thing often lost in the crazy world of consumerism is the cost in terms of resource use/misuse, labor abuses and the like. Everyone likes to get the best deal, the best price. So what if a 12-year old child earns a whopping 50 cents an hour making the product. Who really cares about Nike worker abuse as long as they get those Air Jordans on the shelf. And no, Nike is not being any worse than many others in the clothing industry.
The importance of the element lithium to the battery industry and its limited supply/availability raises important issues for the electric car industry. Can the limited availabilitybe dealt with peacefully? Wars have been fought ovdr limited availability before. Japam went to war in WWII because of limited oil resources.
Who knows what the future may hold.
The consumerism pendulum swings the other way as it drives the economies of the various nations in the world. Economic growth is on the mind of every leader of every country. One can only hope we effectively manage the appropriate resources to ensure an adequate supply.
I confess that I am subject to the same attacks of rampant consumerism as are most of us. Fortunately for me I am not in a position financially to take advantage of them often so the earth's resources are safe from me!
That is my quick shack-take on this weeks topic. So what do my blogging cohorts have to say on the matter? Check them out
Ramana Pravin Maria
Another nice song from the sixties. I remember it. I haven't heard it in maybe over forty years.
ReplyDeleteNice post, btw. Totally different to mine.
DeleteNo surprise there as you in India are literally in the eye of the storm for cultural change andconsumerism. We were there 50 years or so ago but without the cultural issues you face in India. I'd love to be in India these days.
DeleteI am delighted to learn that the world and its ecosystem is safe from your marauding ways due to financial constraints. Welcome to the club. I have just turned that necessity into a virtue by becoming a minimalist,
ReplyDelete