Consumerism is defined as the tendency to excessively and unnecessarily consume products and goods. The document discusses how consumerism has changed over time, with families now buying more individual goods rather than inheriting items and only purchasing necessities. Consumerism affects society by promoting unnecessary spending and consumption as a status symbol, which can lead people to spend beyond their means or fall into debt. This unsustainable pattern of consumption treats items as disposable and harms the environment. The document suggests solutions like reusing items, using public transportation, only buying what is needed, and ignoring advertising.
2. 1- Definition of consumerism
The tendency to excessively and unnecessarily
consume products and goods.
3. 2- How does consumerism affect you?
When our parents were young they inherited things from
one another and bought only what was really needed.
There was one car per family and they ate the food that
their mother gave them. Today I have my things, my
brothers have theirs and we do not inherit anything. Most
of the time, we buy a new product, simply because we
have seen someone wearing it or we have seen it on the
internet and we want it. If we do not like our food, our
mother makes something else and if it is left over, it is
thrown away. Also, most families have 2 or even up to 3
cars.
4. 3- How does it affect society in a more global
way?
To survive, everyone must consume things: food, clothing,
housing. Therefore, we are all consumers. But when
consumption is the main thing in people’s lives, a problem
arises. In our society, people buy things to show off or be
stylish, for status, to feel different or be fashionable. We
need to realize how consumerism affects people. It can
become a problem when people spend all of their money
(even going into debt) on things that will not last long and
are unnecessary. Consumerism can become a disease:
compulsive shopping. We have become the throwaway
generation.
5. 4- Possible solutions.
•Reuse objects, clothes, etc. In this way, we avoid
buying things unnecessarily. Buy second-hand things.
•Use public transport, so we avoid having to have more
than one vehicle per family.
•Be a responsible consumer, buy what we really need
and do not buy just to buy.
•Ignore advertising. Ads try to make us buy their
product and in most cases deceive us and make us
believe what they want.
6. Downshifting
It is a social behavior or tendency in which
individuals live simpler lives to escape from
obsessive materialism and reduce the tension,
stress and psychological disorders that accompany
it.
8. Conservers
Person in favor of maintaining traditional political,
social and moral values and opposes reforms or
radical changes in society.
9. Criteria that we should use when choosing a
product.
-The durability.
-That its production does not harm the environment.
-That you really need it.
-That does not go out of style.
10. We use
I do not pay attention to
the price, I just like it
and it’s fashionable and
that’s what it takes for
me to buy a product.
We should use
When shopping we should
look at the price (that is
not exorbitant
according to what we
are going to buy), the
materials of which it is
made and that it does
not come from
countries where there is
child exploitation.
