ITESM CCM

Advanced English II
Thesis Defense

Consumerism
The excesive consumption.

Arturo Viguri
May 2009 Maximiliano Morales
Consumerism
The excesive consumption.

*We were born in a world driven by the economy of consumption.

*People taught us by the idea of “living for buying”, but basing our life
on, consuming more, can bring us to having serious consequences.

THE THESIS:
If people continue buying consumer goods in an excessive way,
basing their sense of life in the consumption, the planet’s well
being-will collapse.
Well being… Why consumerism affect
that?
Violence
between human
societies.
Destruction of
Economic ecologic
crisis, equilibrium:
poverty, EXCESIVE lost of
unemployment, CONSUME habitats,
fake ideals, contamination
social of water, air
segregation. pollution,
damages to
Violation of health.
human rights
1. Violence

* The insanity of excessive acquisition of consumer goods clearly can lend people to
hurt them only for satisfying created needs.

* People have the idea that buying more consumer goods will benefit producers and
consumers, instead of generating unwanted consequences such as violence. This
kind of consumption violence happens, since the point of extraction up to the
consumption.

Examples:

Wal – Mart War

riots
2. Economy
The actual financial crisis have its base in the excesive consume.

Economics logic:

You have money You buy stuff.

but the things are a little bit

different…

You dont have You buy many , If you dont have

You get a
money many stuff with money, who will
credit card.
money you do pay the stuff?
not own
Reasons
*The crisis exists because the infinite consumption economy
is based on nothing.

* The excessive credits given by the banks indebt people and

corporations and this stop the economic development.

* There is no enough capital to support all the consumer

goods produced by corporations.
3. Ecology

The wrong exploitation in the point of extraction of

natural resources and the inequity in their administration
and distribution cause serious damages on earth’s
natural equilibrium.

The sustainability and equity on the extraction of natural

resources without of wasting them in an exaggerated
way, contributing to the consumption; can stop the
damage to the planet’s ecology.

There is enough in the

world to meet the needs of
all men, but not to satisfy
his greed".

-Mahatma Gandhi
4. Human rights

Gold mines in Ghana

20 tons of mine
waste is the
result of the
production of
one gold ring.

Nike
factories
The Opposition
There are three main kinds of opponents. They argue that consumerism is
a made up claim that is used to scare people and spread socialism and
communism in contemporary societies.

1. Imperialists and corporations

Obviously corporations want to increase their sales, the consumerism

is a mechanism to gain more money.

2. Conservatives

People that do not want changes in their style of life. Mostly

fundamentalist nationalists and religious that believe that the world
was created for the pleasure of “the nation” and they have the right to
exploit it without consequences.

3. Misinformed people

The people that is not informed defend the arguments of the

corporations and conservatives. They are subjected to powerful people
interests and not to their own feelings and believes.
EXTRA:
For a better view about the third group of opponents, the
misinformed people, here is a link with a quite significant
example:

http://seoblackhat.com/2008/12/21/stuff/

If it does not work, the same at:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Story-of-Stuff-Or-Story-of-
Lies&id=1918754

Summary:

This web page asseverates it disgust with excessive consume

opponents. It contradicts the reasons about the dangers of consumerism
shown in The Story of Stuff. They claim that “The Story of Stuff” is a fake
and manipulated project. The objectives are not clearly established, and
the references of their arguments are not trustable. The commentaries
are referred to emotions and not to reasons.
 The reasons of the opponents

1. The consumption is the base of the economy. If people do not consume more,
the economy will go down. Powerful spending only increases the overall global
economy which is generally seen as a pro of consumerism.

Responsible consumption can lead to a balance in the global

economy; however excessive consumption today has brought a
giant economic crisis. It proves that the excessive consumption is
not the answer to a stable economic system. The current economy
can be adapted to the necessary and equitable consumption.

One argument related to the reason of the opponents:

“USA consumerism is good for Africa”.

If you want to check it: http://www.koiosllc.com/news.cfm/article/24

Conclusion of the article by the author (Isn't sarcasm):

“Without the American consumer, poor countries would be a great deal poorer. And the sacrifices
we make! Obesity, longer working hours, crushing debt, higher levels of stress. We really deserve
some thanks. Maybe you South Africans could share some of your generous leave time with us”.
THE FACT
Nowadays USA consumerism is above of all other countries in the world.

ANOTHER FACT
Nowadays countries of Africa are not really benefited for the excessive consume
of North Americans.

If the consumerism represent a benefit for Africa, why is this reflected right now?

Excessive consumption is the reason for the exploitation of countries with a lower
economic level. The demand for consumer goods is so large that human rights
and welfare are left behind in production.

There is no equity in the

production. Children in Congo
have to work very hard to
satisfy the production
demands.
The reasons of the opponents

2. There are not unnecessary consumer goods. All is part of human technologic
and creative development. These sorts of items make some people happy, at
least for a time.

The perceived obsolescence is an abstract mechanism that

makes quicken changes in the fashion and trends, in consequence
the consumer goods are variable not for its useless life but for its
marketing influence on the masses.

It is known that in human nature a need motivates to the action, so

the perceived obsolescence is a trick created for establishing a
constant consume in base of people’s necessity for feeling better by
shopping not products but social ideals of beauty and power that
are not necessary.
 The reasons of the opponents

3. The consumerism makes that poor people have access to cheaper consumer
goods, because the richer people acquire fancy products at a higher cost. So the
poor people can consume the same product with less luxury items at a lower price.

Externalizing the cost is the real mechanism of “making a product cheaper”.

The consumerism does not make products more cheaper. It is totally the
opposite, because the “fancy products” are always directed to satisfy fake needs
and obtain more sells. The increase of the cost of a product is not always for it
useless but for its mood in consumers.

One argument related to the reason of the opponents:

“Unpopular but true…Is Consumerism Good for the Poor?”

If you want to check it:http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-giB8A.U6erw5rvjBOnJ1OrE-?cq=1&p=234

Extracts of the article:

“The decadent consumer culture stuff of today becomes the next boost in the standard of living of
POOR PEOPLE, tomorrow. It's thanks to the free market that even people in abject poverty can now
have pet rocks”

“Consumerism allows a form of diversity that, like natural selection, allows "crazy ideas" to
eventually succeed and make our lives better. Especially for the poor, if only a few years later”.
The concept of “free market” allows to the consumer elect the best choice to
acquire. Consumerism is buying unnecessary products, if people consume in
a responsible way do not mean that all will have to consume the same
products, at the same price.

A poor family in USA is not the same as a poor family in Afghanistan.. The
argument about “the poor people will be better with the consumerism” is
privative of a determined social sector and country and do not represent
the real situation of the excessive consume around the world.
Evidence

1.The Story of Stuff facts.

Economic, social and environmental trustable evidence that show the
negative consequences of a life of excessive consume.

2. Variety of articles on the web

Critics, opinions, and more facts about the consumerism.

Big Ideas That Changed The World Consumerism (1/4), Youtube,

Broadcast Yourself November 18, 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=PZ29DQvopZo
The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard,
www.thestoryofthestuff.com
 
“Oil Spill in Black Sea Strait May Be Worst in Years”, National Geograghic
News 2007, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/11/071112-
AP-russia-oil.html .
 
Evidence

The Loss of Jdimytai Damour: Never Again, Annie Leonard, December 2nd, 2008,
www.thestoryofthestuff.com
 
 
Will the Financial Crisis Put an End to Reckless, Planet-Destroying Consumption?
Orion Kriegman and Richard Rosen, November 24, 2008.
www.alternet.org/workplace/.../will_the_financial_crisis_put_an_end_to_reckless,_pl
anet-destroying_consumption
 
 
Perceived obsolescence, Green Living Tips, January 9, 2008.
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/188/1/Perceived-obsolescence.html
 
Consumismo No Significa Felicidad, BBC Mundo, January 9, 2004
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/business/newsid_3383000/3383529.stm
Why care?

Consumerism has reached a critical point in damages to all the living on the
planet. The actual economic crisis, the violence present in human societies and
countries, the environmental pollution and the degradation of human values are
some examples that draw attention to the serious problem of unmeasured
ambition.

The linear system of consumption present in our daily life has expired right now,
and can be changed by the actions and ideas of people committed to the respect
of a valuable and worthy life for all. The end of human injustices is not a utopia.
Every single man or women can make a change in their lives, because the
development of fair human societies is a responsibility of all participants.

There are alternatives that exist today like green chemistry in industries,
responsible consumption, equity at production and fair jobs. Consumerism has
affected the lives of humans and all living beings on the planet. It is time to put
selfishness aside and leave it to make a change to stop excessive
consumerism; this will improve the life of the planet and all its inhabitants
10
Consequences
of doing
nothing
1. War and violence between societies.
2. Extreme poverty and human suffering,
3. Injustices an violation to human rights.
4. Inequity: the richest will be more rich, and the poorest more poor.
5. Lost of natural resources.
6. Lost of living species of animals and plants.
7. Climate change caused by the environmental disequilibrium.
8. Damages on human health caused by toxic industries.
9. Superficial ideals and segregation between people; discrimination.
10. Unhappiness, because people will never be satisfied with what their own.