Age of Responsible Consumerism Begins
Matt Thornhill, Times-Dispatch Columnist
Published: December 25, 2008
Summary
According to many people, mass consumerism is now dead.
In his article, Matt Thornhill exposes the fact that for many American families, Christmas’ beauty isn’t about presents and money at all, but about happiness and friendship.
In fact, consumers of all ages are reducing their consumption of goods and services, especially the Baby Boomers, who “put mass in consumption”. As they grew older, they shifted focus from material to more spiritual end ethereal values.
Furthermore, the fact that, the largest demographic group of the American society is now buying less, poses an extraordinary trend toward sustainability. People are now more aware of what they buy and they concentrate on the impacts their consumption has on the environment.
Finally, the worst recession since the great depression of the thirties in which the American society just passed through encourages the death of mass consumption.
However, some say that baby boomers have dominated the consumer market for the past five decades and even if they are reaching a certain age, they will probably continue this way until 2016. In fact, by saving their money rather than spending it, they are transmitting new values to the future generations and this brings the panic of governments who are desperately trying to persuade people into a consumer lifestyle. According to the writer, it is probably too late, and the future of consumerism won’t be built at all on buying always more but on thinking before we do so.
Lilia Benaïssa
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSaying that mass consumption is dead is a little too far-fetched.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, this article was written last year, when the recession was still existant. I believe that it is the recession that made people think about their purchases, and as soon as people start earning like they did before the recession, consumption will rise again.
Also I think that the descendants of baby-boomers consume even more nowadays because of the world of constant changing technology. People buy more and more electronics, and technology is evolutating faster and faster. Thus, a computer (for example) gets quickly out of date, forcing the consumer to buy a new one sooner than expected because it is out of date and uncompatible with the newer models. It is a way for companies to get people to consume even more.
According to Matt Thornhill's article, Mass Consumption IS dying!
ReplyDeleteWho would actually agree with that? Who noticed any changing in the way people consume? It is propably a long-term phenomenon, but this author totaly gets how the side effects of Mass Consumption are affecting the environmental situation and people's values! Lilia Benaïssa