Consumer Class Reflection

Statistics show that today there are over 1.7 billion members of the so called “consumer class”- half of them being in the developing world (2011, the World Watch Institute). Being part of the consumer class myself, I believe it is crucial to dispense a great deal of money on goods and services to better the economy here in Canada. Does this mean that people can call me a consumer because of my views on world consumption? Yes, because I fit into the category of a consumer due to the fact that I am part of the endless cycle of supply and demand. From the moment I leave my house and walk the two minutes to the bus stop I’m already thinking about what I am going to buy. When I embark on the crowded bus I am immediately surrounded by other consumers
A few years ago when I visited Hungary, my relatives were shocked by the amount of money I spent to fund my trip. “You spent how much on WHAT!?” my relatives exclaimed when they found out I had spent over 150$ on ice cream alone. Not counting the other ridiculous amounts I spent on food, there was also gifts for my family back home and countless nonsense that I had bought for myself. I was even asked, upon purchasing snacks at a local grocery store, if I was preparing for an apocalypse. I’m taken aback by how different the views on consumerism are for people living in a developing country compared to a first world country like Canada. I only noticed how unacceptable my addiction to consumerism is when it was time to pack my luggage for the flight home and I wasn’t able to fit everything and thus I’m forced to leave nearly 70$ worth of goods behind. It was the first time where I legitimately felt unintelligent with what I was spending my money on and my relatives to this day make no shortage of teasing me about it. Upon arriving home my immediate family is thrilled and call it “Christmas in July” when they spot all of the goodies I brought whereas my relatives were upset and said that it is: “a waste of hard earned