Economy, Happiness, Consumerism, etc.

[Bijo]

'lo there.


In this day and age wherein we constantly consume, does this actually make us happy? Why's there the need to consume and consume more? Commercial companies, general capitalism, force us to consume, to get more possessions, gadgets, TVs, computers, perhaps more than we'd actually truly need.

I think it doesn't really make people happy. How can one be happy if he constantly has something like greed on his mind, pursuing a false happiness, and probably never finding it? It looks like a disease to me.

"A new car is out. It has this, and this, and that, and this, and that. Get it, or you're a schmuck." Or how about mobile phones? I recall a time when people were laughed at if they had an old cellphone, or an old BIG cellphone.

This capitalism, this commerce, makes people unhappy in their pursuit for happiness, led by greed and desires, only to consume so that these people of commerce even make more money out of them, to squeeze them out like lemons, like a cow's udders. They create a need for something that is not really needed, but people will anyway follow it, as the sheep they are. They keep the ongoing flow of consumerism alive, and with that unhappiness, since people are trying to reach something that's unreachable this way.


Discuss!

[drone]

Discuss!
Meh, I'd rather just watch Fight Club.

The endless pursuit of gadgets and keeping up with the Joneses is not going to make someone happy, at least not for long. And caving in to marketing strategies or peer pressure won't do it either. However, the effect on the economy is good, the more money changes hands, the better off it is. The ability of a large portion of the populace to spend lots of money on non-necessities is a good economic sign, sociological effects aside.

[Blodrast]

"You are not your job. You are not your apartment. You are not your IKEA furniture" :beam:

drone, how do you reconcile your approval of this with the fact that a huge number of people in North America live beyond their means, and are in deep debt ?
I know, decency requires that I post some evidence on my claim, but you'll have to forgive me this time, I'm way too tired to go dig one up. But I'm hoping you'll agree with the claim, and answer the question consequently.

[drone]

"You are not your job. You are not your apartment. You are not your IKEA furniture" :beam:

drone, how do you reconcile your approval of this with the fact that a huge number of people in North America live beyond their means, and are in deep debt ?
I know, decency requires that I post some evidence on my claim, but you'll have to forgive me this time, I'm way too tired to go dig one up. But I'm hoping you'll agree with the claim, and answer the question consequently.
I don't know the numbers, but I'm sure there are too many people living beyond their means in this country. And I don't approve of it, living paycheck-to-paycheck just to support a gadget fetish is not the way to go. But a decent amount of disposable income sent into the economy is good, as opposed to storing it under the mattress. People who feel the need to waste money they don't have should either get help or run for Congress.


In this day and age wherein we constantly consume, does this actually make us happy? Why's there the need to consume and consume more? Commercial companies, general capitalism, force us to consume, to get more possessions, gadgets, TVs, computers, perhaps more than we'd actually truly need.I don't agree that we are forced to consume, everybody has a choice. Marketing folks haven't gotten that good yet. And hopefully they'll take Bill Hicks' advice before they get to that point.

[Blodrast]

Ok, I see what you mean. I feel kinda the same way myself, but I liked your Congress suggestion better. :2thumbsup:

I *think* that what Bijo may have referred to when he said we're forced to consume is very aggressive marketing campaigns, and advertisements that create false needs. One doesn't need <insert favourite obnoxious gadget/article here>, in most cases.
One of the problems is that you get ads where a so-called scientist "proves" to you why you need item x, or they claim that scientists have proven that people who don't have item x are somehow disadvantaged/miss out on whatever ****, etc.

You know what I mean, I'm sure. I wish I could come up with a specific example, but my brain has decided to go union-style on me for lack of sleep.

So in a sense, I agree with him. We may not be phyisically forced, but something very near to that. Of course it doesn't work on *all* people, but it must be working for a lot of them, otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it.

[drone]

I wonder how much of it starts at a young age in school. Growing up, I remember the "cool kids" (i.e. the rich ones) having cars, the latest toys/video games, designer clothes, etc. Peer pressure and image is huge when growing up. I can see how many people could grow up with a need to never be behind the curve once they have the means.

Maybe we need another Great Depression, people who lived through that tend to have a reputation for being tightfisted.

[Del Arroyo]

People living in the decadent consumerist societies are in need of a prophet. Their prophet will come. Then they will contort and abuse his teachings, like all the ones before. Cuz that's what people are like.

[RabidGibbon]

I've just finished eating a doughnut, with raspberry jam filling. I enjoyed eating it a lot. There is no need for society to produce raspberry jam doughnuts though, except the capitalist incentive of getting people to buy them. I strongly suspect good 'ol Karl would have been against Raspberry doughnuts - I suspect he enjoyed black maize bread, possibly dipped in water.

So I think I'll put aside notions of social and economic justice so long as capitalism keeps providing me with raspberry jam filled doughnuts.

I suspect, that come the revolution, I'll be first against the wall. Still, at least I'll get a free cigarette. Result!

[macsen rufus]

Gah! Peer pressure. Keeping up with the Joneses. Designer labels. The "In crowd". Poor fools deserve their debt if what other people think about them is more important than what they think about themselves. Whatever happened to the society of free, independent, self-reliant and self-realised individuals?


Their prophet will come. Then they will contort and abuse his teachings, like all the ones before. Cuz that's what people are like.

Made me think of:

Brian: "You are all individuals....."
Crowd: "YES, WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS..."

:laugh4:

I do fine with an old car, old phone and no TV. It's so liberating! And the cash I save can be spent on those jam doughnuts :beam:

Slide!!!

[Kanamori]

We're not kidding anyone... who here actually lives in the wilderness far removed from electronics?

[Bijo]

Meh, I'd rather just watch Fight Club.
Me too actually. Been a long time since I've seen that one. Ah, I'll guess this thread will have to do :P


@Blod
Correct, especially the emphasis on creating false needs.