The idea of consumerism is linked to the purchase of products that are not necessary.
The concept of consumerism is formed with the term consumption (the act and result of consuming) and the suffix -ism (which can refer, among other things, to a tendency or attitude). The notion refers to the predisposition to consume, buy or spend goods without any type of moderation or control .
It can be said that consumerism involves the acquisition, accumulation and use of products and services that are not necessary . This is a phenomenon that, although it benefits certain sectors, in turn causes multiple problems on a global scale.
Rise of consumerism
It is usually indicated that consumerism emerged in the 20th century from the promotion of consumption as part of the logic of capitalism . Overproduction and the effects of marketing and advertising are among the causes of this trend.
The American economist and sociologist Jeremy Rifkin located the emergence of consumerism around 1920 . According to this analyst, at that time there was excess production in the United States related to the increase in productivity caused by technological advance.
This overproduction meant that many products were ultimately not sold, since the high unemployment rate of the time threatened trade. Faced with this situation, advertising and marketing were used to encourage and direct consumption.
Another cause of consumerism, studied by anthropology , is linked to social status . The accumulation and display of goods became a differentiating element to achieve a certain position in society, with which excessive consumption emerged as a way to increase power and prestige.
Advertising and marketing are key when it comes to promoting consumerism.
Positive and negative effects
It can be indicated that consumerism brings benefits to many companies . That consumers constantly want to buy new products means that companies' production finds demand.
Many economists believe that increased consumption contributes to a virtuous circle . High sales help job growth, as companies need workers to sustain production. With more people employed, more people receive a salary and can, in turn, allocate part of their income to consumption.
However, there are numerous critical positions on consumerism. It is highlighted that this trend threatens the environment , causing natural resources to be excessively exploited and pushing up the amount of waste.
It is often argued that, if the consumerism that occurs in first world countries also reaches the rest of the nations , the planet would collapse. Therefore, consumerism is not sustainable .
Consumerism and advertising
The advertising and marketing industry is essential to the establishment and rise of consumerism. Its mission is to build a "need" in people: with advertisements, it makes many feel that they need the products in question.
Advertising leads us to associate success and happiness with the fact of possessing or consuming certain goods (a car, a telephone, sneakers, a beer, etc.). Thus, there are those who establish the acquisition of these products as a priority, even going into debt to satisfy that desire/need.
Advertisers also aim to encourage curiosity . The intention of discovering what a product is like or how it works encourages purchases, especially because it tends to be thought that new is always better than old.