Consumerism: Good or Bad?

In today's society consumerism is often portrayed to be a negative aspect of people's lives and purchasing behaviors which inevitably leads to materialism. Many of these viewpoints can be analyzed as being subjective in that they focus primarily on "frivolous" products and "debts" created, but yet fail to acknowledge the processes of the concept of Consumerism. Consumerism is defined as, "The movement seeking to protect and inform consumers by requiring such practices as honest packaging and marketing, product guarantees, and improved safety standards; and the theory that a progressively greater consumption of goods is economically beneficial." (dictionary.com). The definition of consumerism and the image depicted by a large majority of today's society contradict one another to a great degree. Consumerism is a part of a perpetual monetary cycle that fuels today's socio/ecological marketplace. Consumerism has been unjustly epitomized as some sort of iniquity that is demolishing today's society (Rosenblatt 23). This is also believed to be true by Judith Levine of Publishers Weekly. Levine considers consumerism to mimic "street drugs" in that they are very much addicting and are continuously destroying economies around the world (Levine). Consumerism is inexpensively apparent in the persistent buying of new goods and services, with diminutive awareness to their total value to the customer (McCormick). Consumerism is fueled by large amounts of money directed towards advertising that's intended to generate mutually a want to pursue fashions, and self fulfillment through acquirement of goods. A considered consequence of consumerism by anti-consumers is Materialism. Numerous anti-consumerism activists believe that consumerism hinders the mechanics of society through the substitution of normal aspirations for an abundance unneeded materials with small regard for the true usefulness of being efficient. "Out with old, in with the new" and "bigger is usually

Cited: Betts, Kate. "LUXURY FEVER." Time : Style & Design 1 Oct.2004: 50,52,54,56. Research Library. ProQuset. Z. Smith Reynolds library. 8 Feb. 2006 . Colvin, Geoffery Levine, Judith. "Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping." Publishers Weekly 2 Jan. 2006: 48. Research Library. ProQuset. Z. Smith Reynolds library. 8 Feb. 2006 . Lohr, Steve. "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?" New York Times [New York, N.Y.] 7 Dec. 2003, Late Edition (East Coast): 4.1. New York Times. ProQuset. Z. Smith Reynolds library. 8 Feb. 2006 . McCormick, Patrick. "Dying of Consumption." U.S. Catholic 1 Apr. 2004: 38-40. ProQuest Religion. ProQuset. Z. Smith Reynolds library. 8 Feb. 2006 . Rosenblatt, Roger, ed. Consuming Desires. Washington DC: Island P, 1999. Woolman, James. "Born to Buy." Dollars & Sense 1 Sep. 2004: 24-26,28. Research Library. ProQuset. Z. Smith Reynolds library. 8 Feb. 2006 .