The etymology of excess refers us to the Latin word excessus . The term has various uses depending on the context.
Excess is called the part or percentage that exceeds a limit or measure , and that which transcends the barrier of what is permitted, what is ordinary or what is recommended . For example: “Once the mold is floured, we must remove the excess flour before continuing with pouring the mixture,” “The doctor told me that I have to eliminate excess weight since it could cause various health problems.” ” , “ They gave me a ticket for speeding ” .
Excess consumption of certain substances (such as alcoholic beverages, marijuana and other drugs) is harmful to health . That is why we usually talk generically about the dangers of excesses : “The boy had a promising career, but he gave in to excesses,” “The excesses damaged his body,” “My parents always warned me about the risks of excesses.”
Of course, the concept of excess can also be applied to products that are not harmful in themselves, as is the case with food . Although no one advises avoiding excess of the most nutritious products that are low in harmful components, it is true that nutrition should be based on balance, and that is why it is also necessary or advisable to eat certain products to stay healthy.
With respect to certain daily activities, we can also talk about the damages that arise from excess, although in some cases they depend on independent factors; For example, we cannot say that spending all day in front of a computer is necessarily negative, or that it generates the same problems for all individuals, since each person has a different degree of tolerance, as well as different reasons that drive them to do so. . To be more specific, spending twelve hours working on a programming project is not the same as watching other people's videos on social networks, even with the same posture, vision problems and eating habits, since the vocation reduces the negative impact.
In any case, the concept of excess always carries a certain negative nuance, since it is a percentage that should not exist, which is not contemplated in the rules or initial expectations, and therefore generates unsatisfactory results . When cooking, for example, excess of certain ingredients can ruin the food, something that happens with salt or pepper but not always with foods whose flavor is not so intense.
In the field of economics , excess supply or overproduction refers to what happens in a market when the quantity supplied of a good exceeds the quantity demanded of it. In a similar but opposite sense, excess demand or shortage occurs if the quantity demanded is greater than the quantity supplied.
Excess baggage , on the other hand, is the weight carried by a passenger that exceeds that allowed by an airline. Companies authorize carrying up to a certain weight: if the suitcases weigh more, the excess is billed and the traveler must pay an additional amount.
Although the regulations of each company regarding excess baggage are detailed in their public documents, their Internet pages being the easiest to consult, every day thousands of people are surprised by such a limit or feign surprise to try to Carry more belongings without any additional cost. The big problem behind this rule is that for many it is arbitrary, since each passenger evaluates the importance of their goods differently.