Consumption

[bogeyman]

Modern day society consumption is a daily occurrence. Economic growth depends on us consuming resources, even though we may not need them. This is tied in with the political process which also encourages us to use up resources to create more growth which may not be beneficial to us, yet people still want it, rather than need it. Eventually the material resources will run out and what we are left with is bits of paper called money, which you cannot eat or drink.

Need and want are two separate issues, some want way beyond what they need, and others don't have enough of what they need. Economics is not the best method to deal with the control of resources, but it is tied in with the political processes and this in turn motivates the consumption of the limited resources we have here, beyond a sustainable process.

[DeDukshyn]

I've personally already advanced the term "consumerism" to "consumptionsim" -- because the reality that is the new driver. All the **** you don't need but want, want want. That's consumptionism. Work OT, and get the "wants", etc, etc.

Even look at the food. I've been able to reduce caloric intake to ~500 for lengthy sustained periods of time (don't do it unless you are well trained in the area -- I have resources for safety guides for this process), and as long as I don't need to be dancing all night, fighting some guy, being an athlete, or a "weekend warrior" -- all my energy needs are met. People often forget that oxygen is a source of energy for humans, breath should be focused on and practiced to harness this fact.

Breath more -- eat less!! ;)

[GarethBKK]

Modern day society consumption is a daily occurrence. Economic growth depends on us consuming resources, even though we may not need them. This is tied in with the political process which also encourages us to use up resources to create more growth which may not be beneficial to us, yet people still want it, rather than need it. Eventually the material resources will run out and what we are left with is bits of paper called money, which you cannot eat or drink.

Need and want are two separate issues, some want way beyond what they need, and others don't have enough of what they need. Economics is not the best method to deal with the control of resources, but it is tied in with the political processes and this in turn motivates the consumption of the limited resources we have here, beyond a sustainable process.

This is the precise message of Karl Marx's contradictions in capitalism and his slogan 'From each according to their abilities to each according to their needs'. The 20th century experiments in alternative economics based on his theory of communism ended in disaster because incentive for labour was removed. Marx was wrong about people working for the love of it and the general good, it seemed. Perhaps times are changing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-socialism

[Flash]

Communism was a fiasco because incentive for labor was removed while incentive for power remained. THey had extremely corrupt governments. They were also very centralised governments.

The other thing is that people do not work for the love of it if they have corrupt governments, or if they are living under fear paradigms. The other thing is that nobody works correctly where there is no balance between personal needs and others needs/wants, which are always more in corrupt societies (more money, more power, more...).

Once the fear paradigms are gone and only the needs paradigms remains, work may become much more equilibrated and enjoyable.

[GarethBKK]

Yes. The pigs did take over the farm.

For Marx, the dialectical antithesis to capital was labour. We are now living in a time where ecology may rightly take the place of labour as antithesis to capital. Fear for the end of humanity becoming greater than the fear of government. What the catalyst is I do not know, but a synthesis has to be an economy based on social utility rather than individual, consumerist wants, doesn't it?

[Corncrake]

Perhaps it is time to be looking at 'Small is Beautiful' again.

From Wikipedia:

Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered is a collection of essays by British economist E. F. Schumacher. The phrase "Small Is Beautiful" came from a phrase by his teacher Leopold Kohr.[1] It is often used to champion small, appropriate technologies that are believed to empower people more, in contrast with phrases such as "bigger is better".

[korgh]

The consumption is needed and sustains the economy, but what's the price to pay for?
The economy today is played with loaded dice and global problems we all face today were manipulated so that we are victims of our own unbridled consumption. Is quite simple.
IMO, the mainstream cause is the Media (controled by the well known groups).
Television, radio, magazines etc. making massive bombardment day by day and affects even those who make economic plans thinking in the future of their lifes.
In the present days, is like a christmas every day if you are not prepared to say "no! i dont need it!" but children, young people who grow watching TV, playing video games and spend their days feeding with futility are the main target.
The market knows that and invests heavily in advertisement. In other hand, the banks gives more credit (easy money) to you make your dreams come true. High technology for your life become more easy and you do almost nothing..nor think by yourself.
Thats our poor reality, meanwhile another half of the world have no food, clothes,medicine for their children but they have Sat TV.
Some Indians in Brazil still regret not having food and medicines needed for their survival after the contact with the civilized world, but in their consumerist dreams they had SAT TV and DVD. I read a chronicle years ago about an explorer who visited a tribe in the Amazon. He brought some gifts such as mirrors and other trinkets. When asked what they wanted, a native came up and said, "I want this nike are you wearing"
Amazing, isnt?
Somebody is become very rich using this recipe.
My beloved grandmother usually said: "The best devil's trick is to make believe that he is not real."

[bogeyman]

Social conditioning, and peer pressure is another factor involve in consumption, such as fashion, and the need to follow suit to fit in with so called norms of the system, which many have been conditioned to follow.

May be material things are there to fill a purpose or gap in many people's lives, gives them a sense of purpose or a distraction from the routine of life?