Consumerism

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

@A Nonny Moose: I watched a TV documentary on the war and how the British resisted heavy bombing and shortages but they mananged to win the war, against a far more superior foe. Everything was in austerity, since the money was dedicated for the war, and the people held very high moral values. The same thing also happened in America. Nowadays, a simple budget cut by the government causes strikes here and there like in London and Wisconsin. America would be defeated easily if its citizens have extremely poor morale.

Nah. People always bicker internally. An external threat generally unites them and a lot of the BS is just shelved.

[Meastro444 1]

@A Nonny Moose: I watched a TV documentary on the war and how the British resisted heavy bombing and shortages but they mananged to win the war, against a far more superior foe. Everything was in austerity, since the money was dedicated for the war, and the people held very high moral values.

Somehow the British did carpet bomb Dresden, so I doubt the high moral values.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

@A Nonny Moose: I watched a TV documentary on the war and how the British resisted heavy bombing and shortages but they mananged to win the war, against a far more superior foe. Everything was in austerity, since the money was dedicated for the war, and the people held very high moral values.

Somehow the British did carpet bomb Dresden, so I doubt the high moral values.

Dresden was unfortunate, as was the whole carpet bombing program conceived by the allies. On the other hand, there is Coventry, so there is definitely fault on both sides.

[FreewayofFlight 41]

I work as a cashier at a grocery store and we are required to ask various customers if they are interested in a '1-2-3 Rewards Mastercard'. I personally don't like asking customers if they want a new credit card, since I only have 2 myself (bank card and credit union card.) Also, I don't have the details people want to know (interest rate, other fees, etc.) which doesn't give me confidence in what I'm being told to sell.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I work as a cashier at a grocery store and we are required to ask various customers if they are interested in a '1-2-3 Rewards Mastercard'. I personally don't like asking customers if they want a new credit card, since I only have 2 myself (bank card and credit union card.) Also, I don't have the details people want to know (interest rate, other fees, etc.) which doesn't give me confidence in what I'm being told to sell.

So, find out what the details are. If management won't tell you, then it is time for a new job. You can't sell something you don't understand.

[Easy Bakes 253]

I work as a cashier at a grocery store and we are required to ask various customers if they are interested in a '1-2-3 Rewards Mastercard'. I personally don't like asking customers if they want a new credit card, since I only have 2 myself (bank card and credit union card.) Also, I don't have the details people want to know (interest rate, other fees, etc.) which doesn't give me confidence in what I'm being told to sell.

So, find out what the details are. If management won't tell you, then it is time for a new job. You can't sell something you don't understand.

I hate upselling. Its one thing that really gets to me when im shopping. I like helpfull staff to point me towards what im looking for

or to tell me differences between 2 similar products.I dont even mind the idle chit chat from cashiers.

Unless they try to sell me somthing i didnt ask about.

NO i dont want a $150 service contract for my $39 printer. and no i dont want one your credit cards.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I work as a cashier at a grocery store and we are required to ask various customers if they are interested in a '1-2-3 Rewards Mastercard'. I personally don't like asking customers if they want a new credit card, since I only have 2 myself (bank card and credit union card.) Also, I don't have the details people want to know (interest rate, other fees, etc.) which doesn't give me confidence in what I'm being told to sell.

So, find out what the details are. If management won't tell you, then it is time for a new job. You can't sell something you don't understand.

I hate upselling. Its one thing that really gets to me when im shopping. I like helpfull staff to point me towards what im looking for

or to tell me differences between 2 similar products.I dont even mind the idle chit chat from cashiers.

Unless they try to sell me somthing i didnt ask about.

NO i dont want a $150 service contract for my $39 printer. and no i dont want one your credit cards.

Not only are these people poorly paid, but they probably would get fired if they diidn't do it. I don't know why it is, but the corporations abuse their front line employees far too often. "Thou shalt not bind the mouths of the kine that tread the grain."

[timmie 988]

Yes, consumerism has gone to far. On the tv-advertising front, we Belgian (Flemish) people are lucky: we have a public radio and tv company with a market share of over 60% (radio) and 30% (tv). There's no advertising on tv, except 5-second clips to sponsor programs. There are radio ads, but never more than 5 minutes per hour, I think.

But that's just advertising, consumerism is more than annoying ads. I think people in general want too much things (myself included). They want (and thus: buy) more things than are needed. Always when I go to the restaurant on the campus of my university, I see how much food people just throw away! And most people don't eat everything they take. They WANT to eat all that food, but they don't NEED it, and when it turn out i'ts too much, they throw it away.

It's just one example, but I think it's a huge problem, because all this consumption is putting an enormous strain on our planet. For example: every year, 800.000 new cars are sold in Belgium (on a population of approximately 10 million people). For one car, 150.000 litres of water are needed, plus raw materials and the energy needed to collect them and to produce and transport the car.

I just looked around in my house and it's amazing how much stuff we have and we actually don't use (so: mea culpa). We produce a lot of waste, and then I go out of my house and I see my neighbours have even more bags of waste! But Why do we consume so much? Is it behaviour that we have internalised? Is it because we want to be 'normal'? And: does all this consumption make us more happy? I tend to believe it doesn't. Of course, some things CAN make you happy and , but there isn't per se a correlation between consumption and happines (as everybody probably knows).

[hamsterTK 93]

Nothing about the distribution of wealth or power in the world would be changed if you tried to "ban" consumption though.

An increase in oil prices might force Americans to drive more fuel efficient cars, or if food was more expensive, eat out less, but the harm it would do to economies in poorer countries would be devastating.

  Edited April 1, 2011 by hamsterTK  

[timmie 988]

Well, completely banning consumption would be quite radical I think

Of course, governments can take action to influence consumption (e.g. give a reduction to people who buy 'environmentally-friendly' cars, or taxes on petrol), but the only ones who can really make a difference are the consumers. People can decide to consume more rationally, but of course, what IS rational? Different people will come up with different things when all thinking rational. And do we even WANT to consume more rationally? I'm not even sure if I want it...

It's always easier to say that there's a problem than giving the solution to that problem, unfortunately.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The best restraint on consumerism would be strictly enforced credit limits. The credit outfits almost automatically raise your limit if you go over. I think a much more jaundiced view should be in force, namely, that if you go over, you should pay the overage + your regular payment. If you want a higher limit, you should have to negotiate it.

Right now, with the world wide recovery from the Wall Street adventurers, we need to keep bank rates relatively low, but as things improve the rates should be raised to tighten up consumer spending.

Some serious controls also need to be placed on the seniorage that credit card outfits charge to merchants for card usage. What they are doing is inflationary, and things are bad enough as it is. The same should apply to bank service charges since we all know that banks service their consumer clients only in the barnyard sense. The money cow is running dry.

People (consumers) are the only ones who can put the brakes on this. If you can't afford it for cash, think about the total cost before giving in to that "I want it 'cause its pretty, impulse". For some people this is a disease (hoarding) and it takes many forms from stuff, to animals, to cash. All of this needs treatment when it is discovered. Putting cash in a cigar box takes it out of circulation, and this is bad for the economy.

[EyeofMobius 27]

I've met and seen familes who have successfully overcome credit problems by going cash only for every financial aspect of their lives. It would be refreshing if I could manage to go cash only but I enjoy having only cards and not carrying cash.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I've met and seen familes who have successfully overcome credit problems by going cash only for every financial aspect of their lives. It would be refreshing if I could manage to go cash only but I enjoy having only cards and not carrying cash.

You can be your own credit bureau. Use only your debit card on your bank account. Put all your other cards away, and don't use them. If they charge an annual fee, close the account as soon as you can pay them off. If you are in over your head, seek help from a credit manager.

[Easy Bakes 253]

I've met and seen familes who have successfully overcome credit problems by going cash only for every financial aspect of their lives. It would be refreshing if I could manage to go cash only but I enjoy having only cards and not carrying cash.

You can be your own credit bureau. Use only your debit card on your bank account. Put all your other cards away, and don't use them. If they charge an annual fee, close the account as soon as you can pay them off. If you are in over your head, seek help from a credit manager.

there also needs to be changes in credit reporting.

If they can put bad ratings on your credit score for late payments for cars,rent, phone bills, utilitys, credit cards they should also

put good ratings on these items if you are not late paying them.

People who have no debt have terrible credit ratings. that needs to change.

[Easy Bakes 253]

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

EB, that is the best laugh of the day. Some of these guys should read their Bibles, eh?

[-Lexus- 2]

Consumerism is what the keeps the economy working. Without consumerism, no economy = everyone poor and out of work. So in that sense, its quite necessary for our own good.

I hate the ads though. I hate how after every 20-30 minutes there is a 7 minute ad block on tv. And most of them are just so incredibly stupid to watch. They try to be funny but all they generally achieve is that I start to strongly dislike the product they are advertising. They could tone it down a bit. At least, I wish they would do that.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Consumerism is what the keeps the economy working. Without consumerism, no economy = everyone poor and out of work. So in that sense, its quite necessary for our own good.

I hate the ads though. I hate how after every 20-30 minutes there is a 7 minute ad block on tv. And most of them are just so incredibly stupid to watch. They try to be funny but all they generally achieve is that I start to strongly dislike the product they are advertising. They could tone it down a bit. At least, I wish they would do that.

My current favorite hate is the Gillette razor ad with the disposable vs. the new model using a "random" actor of color. Demeans everyone's intelligence, and especially colored persons.

[-Lexus- 2]

Consumerism is what the keeps the economy working. Without consumerism, no economy = everyone poor and out of work. So in that sense, its quite necessary for our own good.

I hate the ads though. I hate how after every 20-30 minutes there is a 7 minute ad block on tv. And most of them are just so incredibly stupid to watch. They try to be funny but all they generally achieve is that I start to strongly dislike the product they are advertising. They could tone it down a bit. At least, I wish they would do that.

My current favorite hate is the Gillette razor ad with the disposable vs. the new model using a "random" actor of color. Demeans everyone's intelligence, and especially colored persons.

Yeah, I never liked the Gillette razor ads either, but they are better then some of our beer ads. They have turned masculinity into some parody of itself, where the real man act like someone who has less brain matter then a retarded mouse. Then again, all our ads seem to be produced by a bunch of man hating feminists. Pretty much every ad these days has men either acting like stupid idiots or places them in some other submissive role compared to the female.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The advertising clan is waging war on the intellect of the public at large. It is getting to have the proportions of a feud. Let's see what they've been up to lately:

1. Must use a visible minority because we mustn't offend any one.
2. Must use the lowest level of the vernacular because we want to be understood.
3. Must use actors who will appeal to the young, mother my dog types, regardless of who may be watching.
4. Must be sure to pick up the turd at the clean end (politically correct).
5. Must choose the middle ground with respect to feminism.
6. Must sell the product, but don't let anything be objectionable.

With respect to 6, generally most commercials assure that I, personally, will never purchase the product because the folderol disgusts me.

Legally, most advertising has been defined by the courts as "mere puffing", but I find the putting has bad breath.

[airman15 4,111]

The advertising clan is waging war on the intellect of the public at large. It is getting to have the proportions of a feud. Let's see what they've been up to lately:

1. Must use a visible minority because we mustn't offend any one.
2. Must use the lowest level of the vernacular because we want to be understood.
3. Must use actors who will appeal to the young, mother my dog types, regardless of who may be watching.
4. Must be sure to pick up the turd at the clean end (politically correct).
5. Must choose the middle ground with respect to feminism.
6. Must sell the product, but don't let anything be objectionable.

With respect to 6, generally most commercials assure that I, personally, will never purchase the product because the folderol disgusts me.

Legally, most advertising has been defined by the courts as "mere puffing", but I find the putting has bad breath.

The best and easiest way to avoid consumerism: try turning off the TV/radio or get off the web and just play SC4 (unless your plugins include company names/product placement).

[FreewayofFlight 41]

Has anyone noticed the Carmax commercial with the gas station employees servicing a guys car has no voice sound, only music? Intentional or not, all TV commercials should be like that!

[airman15 4,111]

If you want the full explanation on how consumerism works and affects both people and the environment, there is a 20 min. video on YouTube called The Story of Stuff

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I always take stuff on U-tube with a few grains of salt, usually a whole slab.

The whole society needs to simplfy. Life has become far too complicated, and cooling consumerism would be a good start.

[penguin1634 43]

Well, when consumerism goes down the economy suffers. That's what is happening now. Gas prices go down and all of a sudden everyone's frugal, so now the waterpark resorts and aromatherapists are all out of business. It affects the whole economy, really.

  Edited April 23, 2011 by penguin1634  

[penguin1634 43]

of course now that the congress is pulling federal funding from PBS

I expect a slow decline then they will be gone. or them to switch to having more ads then just sponsors before the shows.

no more Brit coms

NOOOOOOOO!

Seriously, though, my hatred for conservatives is growing in logarithmic scale. They're just a bunch of narrow-minded, selfish, greedy and uncaring people who have no empathy and don't really care about society or their country. They want to create a two-class system - the poor and the rich. They want to control our personal lives. They want to remove differing points of view. Simpy put, they cannot see the forest for the trees.

And no, I don't give a hoot if that ticks them off because it is true.

Barbarossa

I'll just say that at least we don't get our opinions from "feelings" all the time. We know how things really work, and they aren't sweet. Things are the way they are, and unfortunately they will be for a long, long time.

And before anybody goes off on "SEE? PROVES MY POINT WHEN HE SAYS HE HAS NO FEELINGS." You don't like fossil fuels? Driving a hybrid and walking to work won't help. No, if you want to live green, you can turn off all your power, heating and water, because if you live in most cities, you're gettin' that via dead dino fluid.

Want to feed the hungry? Well, go ahead. Just don't buy anything organic because recent inquiries suggest that two billion people will go hungry if everyone switched. But... if we used GM (genetically modified) foods, then we'd have very bad pesticide runoffs. Oh....

And PBS funding cuts. I suppose we could just divert funds from medicare or social security to fund it. Or maybe education? Sounds better than commercial breaks every 9 minutes!

Just remember liberals... there's a consequence, good and bad, to everything. Even good things. We maybe a bit greedy, a bit selfish, but at least we know that everything affects something, good and bad. If men were angels, we wouldn't be here on this spastic little planet of ours.

PS. Save paper? As if! If we didn't use new trees, then forests would be lost to crippling diseases and pests. Get ready, get set, PRINT! Or not, or maybe, uhhh...

[airman15 4,111]

That's true, but here we think it should be limited, but not abandoned entirely.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The boreal forests did very well without us, and the ones we have saved in the parks do just fine thank you. I don't care if some tree in the boreal forest falls, because I won't hear it. The nearest boreal forest to me is in northern Quebec. There are applications to log it, and a group is trying to fight this off.

[zahrul3 471]

Boreal forest trees grow extremely quick, so you don't have to matter much about one. Most rainforest trees grow extremely slow due to the low-light conditions down here, so thats where the matter goes. Rainforest trees consume more CO2 than boreal, deciduos and desert trees.

Indonesian paper comes from whatever wood you can find... usually extremely low quality teak and cuttings from roadside trees sent to paper factories. The fact is, illegal loggers usually cut down slow-growing trees which don't have much use other than exotic furniture going to Europe and America.

Pest and diseases usually affects trees that are usually cultivated, eg. cottonwood, jarrah and elms. Cultivated trees(or wild trees that crosspollinated with one) are more vunerable to diseases since they have evolved to be reliant on pesticides.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Back to topic.

There are many ways to stop consumerism, unfortunately, there would be a ton of protests. Put in basically, Americans want more, more and more, now that most families have both the mom and the dad work. It creates more problem than it solves...

[adrcol 1]

I don't think that it could be classified as information overload though our tolerance to it, is already taking its toll. Don't you notice that some commercial breaks, especially on prime time, is already getting as longer as we could bear. Though we cannot blame the networks as these commercials fuel the funds for our favorite shows to continue being shown.

I myself, do not even mind what they show on commercials. Almost at every break, I stand up and do something else like get water or snacks and even read an article or two on the internet. But, as studies show, to majority of the audience who are not yet as exposed or savvy with those stuff, commercials are a really big thing. They can almost make a judgment based on what they are seeing on screen. Commercials working their charm eh?