What is Consumerism?
Official definitions associate the word consumerism with the act of buying, highlighting the specialty of the buyer's lack of need in most negotiations. This basically means that the word consumerism, in short, means the act of buying many things that, for the most part, are not necessary.
What is the difference between Consumption and Consumerism?
In consumption, the act of shopping is directly related to need or survival. When it comes to consumerism, this relationship is broken, that is, the person does not need what they are getting. Consumerism is linked to spending on products that are not immediately useful, superfluous. This habit has been discussed by many authors in its origins and dimensions. Some scholars point out the importance of advertising in building the obsession with the act of shopping. Other authors highlight the historical link between the possibility of purchasing and the good life, wealth and health. This means that over the years, people with greater purchasing power were considered better than people with less purchasing power.
Is consumerism a disease?
When the act of shopping is directly linked to anxiety and satisfaction, we can say that it is a compulsion. In some cases, this can represent big losses in terms of interpersonal relationships and quality of life. In order to be considered unhealthy, consumerism needs to represent a significant part of life and thoughts of the person, so that their emotional, psychological or even social and financial health are shaken. In these cases, the split between the need and motivation for the purchase is complete, that is, the person definitely does not need it, and often does not even realize what he is buying.
What are the origins of this consumer trend?
The origin of the compulsion tendency to buy has its origins in human history. After the events of the Industrial Revolution, the processes of production and circulation of goods were streamlined. With the advance of production, there was a great distance between people and knowledge in relation to the means of production. To understand how this happened, just think how much you know, for example, about the production processes of the things you buy. Do you know how hygiene products, food, decoration items and others are manufactured? Do you know the ways of distribution, import and export? It is precisely this lack of knowledge that has historically been called alienation. Alienation is the main dimension of consumerism, it is at the base of purchases unrelated to need and ignorance in relation to the value of purchase and use.
Still discussing the history of the consumerist tendency, we can highlight the link between the possibility of purchasing and power, since, for many years, consumption was a privilege of the richer classes. With the economic development, production and advertising, distances were being reduced. What can be seen today is a leveling of desires: poor and rich children want the same toys, classy adults Different social groups have the same desires, reinforced by the models and standards of life presented by the media, such as the tastes and habits of celebrities.
The creation and social enhancement of behavior patterns is another important dimension of consumerism. To reach the standard of success and good life, countless people invest their efforts to acquire goods they do not need.
How to find out more?
The questions about consumerism are quite broad and deserve more significant discussions. However, some films can be quite illustrative to understand the different dimensions of this alienated practice. Among them, “Love by contract” (The Joneses), by Derrick Borte, which tells the story of a family created to impress and sell a way of life. The documentary “Criança, the soul of the business”, directed by Estela Renner, is an interesting example. to discuss the issue of consumerism, with special attention to its effects on childhood and adolescence.
Juliana Spinelli Ferrari
Brazil School Collaborator
Graduated in Psychology from UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista
Brief psychotherapy course by FUNDEB - Foundation for the Development of Bauru
Master's Student in School Psychology and Human Development at USP - University of São Paulo