Do you spend more than $14 a day? This money could be spent on gas, lunch or entertainment after class. These actions are the barebones of consumerism. According to The World Counts, a website tracking global challenges, if everyone lived like western consumers, we’d need five worlds to support us.
While I’m not calling for everyone to cut power lines and burn our cars and start walking everywhere in digital darkness, there’s a few blatant issues right in front of students that shows maybe consumerism has gone too far.
Consumerism scratches an itch everyone has: a desire for praise and rewards. Did you finish a big project, complete a long drive or even just go to class today?
All these could warrant a reward for different people. So you go out and buy a tub of ice cream, a coffee on the way to class or get fast food after class. Bang! Consumerism. It’s already consumed our thought process through a reward system that is familiar to everyone.
A little treat here and there isn’t so bad, but consumerism is popping up in new ways. And the new ways we’re seeing consumerism fester might be much more insidious than those $3 coffees.
This desire for rewards is integral to a growing industry in our world: video games. Myself and other video game enjoyers have noticed a shift in just how expensive gaming can become.
Consoles aren’t as cheap as the Wii or a 3DS anymore, and the games have skyrocketed in price as well.
This need to be the newest, coolest thing has bled over from social media and is wreaking havoc in video game culture.
On top of that, companies will do anything to get you to spend money on their game through marketing and endless add-ons, like cosmetic items for your characters. You can play as Nicki Minaj in Call of Duty and Snoop Dogg in Fortnite, and Zac Efron was just in a Battlefield 6 ad.
Social media has become a consumerism machine, and it seems like every industry is in on it. It’s no longer just ads anymore. With the integration of buy buttons, it’s a whole different game. Buy buttons make buying from social media much easier, feeding consumerism and scratching that itch to spend.
You see all the likes and comments on products and it dawns on you: “I need this product.”
It’s called a target audience for a reason; companies are looking to hunt down your wallet and take every dollar they can.
Every business is now showing off their newest products online. This system has become a critical part of capitalism and the future companies you will work for are probably all in on it, too. Is there any escape?
You can barely blink without seeing product placement. Fans of the Transformers franchise saw a record 55 brands in the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction.
And where does fan favourite Avenger Captain America go when he needs internet access in The Winter Soldier? The Apple Store.
In my opinion, consumerism has gone way too far. So, the next time you are walking past a store window, just think: “How important is this item to me?” and see if that helps. I’m no pro at it myself, but sometimes I can make it through the day without stopping by Tim’s.
Sometimes.
Feature graphic by Amy St. Amand
