Spring Break
Consumerism plagues society
Patrick Barbera
Issue date: 2/17/05 Section: Commentary
The excess of consumption in this consumer society of ours has grown immensely over the past half century. Consumers have always wanted more for their money and as a result, companies have made it easier for consumers to make purchases without moderation in mind.
This kind of system creates a vicious cycle that has been causing damage to society along the lines of health, resources and everyday life.
While I am a red blooded American who believes in capitalism, democracy and the pursuit of happiness, I am not sure if the amount that we consume in our country is one that is actually reflecting what is best for the people. Sure, everyone in America loves apple pie, but how many think the pie of America needs to be as massive as we have made it? As we have become trapped in the vortex of desire due to the great marketing machine, we have given in to a certain degree of gluttony without respecting natural limits.
In the days of "Leave It To Beaver," and even further into the dawn of color television, the level of consumption of the average person was far lower than it is today. Over time, as businesses became more aware of what customers wanted, the rate of production and distribution increased and became more efficient. As a result of consumers indulging in what was offered, the "more is better" mentality became adopted. The station wagons have become SUVs and a can of soda is now a 24-ouncer.
The perspective of what was needed in the past has been redefined as a new perspective of what is needed today. Companies have essentially made it easier to buy products in higher total quantity which is not necessarily good for the individual. This can be seen through the rise of caloric intake from 1975 to 1995. Numbers have risen from 3,200 calories per day to 3,600 in the U.S., while in Europe and Asia the caloric intake has actually declined from 3,200 to 3,100. Comparatively, the world's daily calorie intake has actually declined from 2,750 to 2,400 in the 20 year time period, a statistic that our numbers dwarf. Since the 1970s, men and women's daily caloric intake in the United States has grown an average of 15 percent. According to the "New York Times"' website, this growth was mostly in carb intake, although surprisingly fat consumption dropped. Regardless, this figure has always been (and still remains) higher than what the government has been recommending. As a result of this rise in use of resources, the United States is in the top 30% of the world in terms of spending on health.
This kind of system creates a vicious cycle that has been causing damage to society along the lines of health, resources and everyday life.
While I am a red blooded American who believes in capitalism, democracy and the pursuit of happiness, I am not sure if the amount that we consume in our country is one that is actually reflecting what is best for the people. Sure, everyone in America loves apple pie, but how many think the pie of America needs to be as massive as we have made it? As we have become trapped in the vortex of desire due to the great marketing machine, we have given in to a certain degree of gluttony without respecting natural limits.
In the days of "Leave It To Beaver," and even further into the dawn of color television, the level of consumption of the average person was far lower than it is today. Over time, as businesses became more aware of what customers wanted, the rate of production and distribution increased and became more efficient. As a result of consumers indulging in what was offered, the "more is better" mentality became adopted. The station wagons have become SUVs and a can of soda is now a 24-ouncer.
The perspective of what was needed in the past has been redefined as a new perspective of what is needed today. Companies have essentially made it easier to buy products in higher total quantity which is not necessarily good for the individual. This can be seen through the rise of caloric intake from 1975 to 1995. Numbers have risen from 3,200 calories per day to 3,600 in the U.S., while in Europe and Asia the caloric intake has actually declined from 3,200 to 3,100. Comparatively, the world's daily calorie intake has actually declined from 2,750 to 2,400 in the 20 year time period, a statistic that our numbers dwarf. Since the 1970s, men and women's daily caloric intake in the United States has grown an average of 15 percent. According to the "New York Times"' website, this growth was mostly in carb intake, although surprisingly fat consumption dropped. Regardless, this figure has always been (and still remains) higher than what the government has been recommending. As a result of this rise in use of resources, the United States is in the top 30% of the world in terms of spending on health.