Major Impacts of Consumerism in Contemporary World History

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Capitalism and Industrialization
Technology
Terrorism
Environmental Degradation
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Consumerism is a social and economic order based on systematic creation and development of a desire to purchase goods and services in greater quantities. Stearns defines consumerism as the process through which consumers buy items in bulk, not because they had planned for, but because they have come across it and think the items are relevant to them (2009).

Consumerism can be traced back to the period of Industrial Revolution in Britain. Most companies gave importance to mass production of goods and services. These products flooded the market, making their prices fall to levels where normal people could afford.

They ensured that the products were attractive to customers. This resulted in a situation where people purchased these products in mass, simply because they could purchase them. Consumerism has an impact to various issues in the contemporary world. Individuals and groups are known to dedicate much of their resources on buying certain products, especially those of well known brands.

People buy luxury items like cars, perfumes, jewelry among other items, not because they need them but to show their status. There are individuals who have come out strongly to oppose consumerism. They advocate for simple lifestyle that entails buying only the basics and avoiding goods of ostentation. This article is based on how consumerism has influenced capitalism, technology, terrorism and environmental degradation.

Capitalism and Industrialization

Capitalism refers to the type of economy that advocates for individual ownership of wealth. Capitalism originated from the west. As opposed to communal ownership of properties, capitalism encourages the idea of possessiveness among individuals.

During the industrial revolution, many companies produced products that were very appealing to many individuals in Britain and later in the United States of America and other European nations. People wanted to buy these products for their own consumption because of their presumed value.

This heightened the need to have wealth. Everyone worked very hard to gain personal wealth. They developed the ideology of everyone for himself. This was the foundation of capitalism. Everyone wanted to own his/her own property. They shunned the idea of sharing, as they believed that after working hard, the benefits of that hard work should not be shared.

Consumerism encouraged everyone to work and amass personal wealth so that to purchase any item needed. This was spread to the rest of the world. As these European nations rushed to conquer new territories in the world, they took with them this ideology. They sold it through encouraging people to work hard as failure to do so was would have direct consequence to an individual.

This ideology has been popularized in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Countries like Russia and China advocated for communism. However, they are currently advocates of capitalism. It is only Cuba that practices communism partially. However, they also appreciate the need for one to possess personal wealth, which is the basis of capitalism.

Technology

Technology is accredited to many developments in the contemporary world. The world has experienced major technological advances over the past one decade. The reason behind this is none other than consumerism. Companies have realized that there is a huge market in the global world. They therefore make an effort of reaching this market much easier.

They must also produce attractive products to the market at cheaper prices, and in standardized form. The answer to these puzzles lies with technology. Consumerism has necessitated the need to have advanced methods of doing business because products must be delivered to the market in mass, in time and of the right quality.

Customers need technology. There has been an increasing desire among the customers to have new products availed to them in the market. A service like telephony was a preserve for the rich. This has drastically increased with the development of cell phone. China currently produces cheap phones, which are affordable to individuals in the lower class.

The United States of America became a world economic power because of its ability to commercialize technology. Having realized that the world was a large market that was able to consume its products, the country developed technology that would enable it produce standard products at low cost and deliver them to the market at appropriate time. Industrialization was therefore brought about by consumerism.

Terrorism

Terrorism has been on the rise as many inventions and innovations continue to take place. With development of new products, the desire to own them is also on the rise. Many people admire what is beyond their means. This leaves them with one option of using dubious means in order to purchase desirable items. Armed robbers in the cities of America are encouraged by the need to own some expensive items.

They have to rob other individuals in order to get necessary finances that would enable them purchase need goods. The September 11 attack on the twins towers can be linked to consumerism. Having realized how the US valued this world trade center as a business hub, the terrorist group wanted to distract the processes that took place at the center. They aimed at cutting off the income of the US.

The high seas, especially in the Indian Ocean have increasingly become very dangerous because of the threat posed by the pirates. These criminals are driven by the desire to have enough money to purchase products that the market has offers.

Environmental Degradation

The world has turned into one huge global market. Since the inception of industrial revolution, the world has experienced major technological developments in various fields. Companies are producing in mass numbers, as there is available market for the products. However, this has a direct negative effect to the environment. Smoke that comes from these industries poses serious threats to the natural barbital of various organisms.

The green house gases they produce have already changed the normal rain patterns in the world. It is therefore unfortunate that these companies continue to pollute the environment because consumers are available to purchase goods. Consumerism is given more prevalence as compared to the environment, putting the very consumers at risk of environment damage. This means that the environment cannot sustain them any longer.

Consumers prefer plastic bags in carrying most of their purchases. They then dispose them off casually, causing major menace in various cities across the world. It is estimated that these bags cause up to 75% of the waste substances in various households. These are released to the environment and because they are not biodegradable, they are a matter of concern to environmentalists.

Many environmentalists have faulted consumerism for various reasons. Stearns argues that Africa alone has lost over 65% of their forest cover over the past one century because of the need for new products (1998). This scholar argues that if this condition goes on unchecked, then the world will soon remain without forest cover. This would be major blow environment conservation.

Conclusion

The world is currently experiencing some of the most drastic changes in development of goods and services. The market is big with potential and willingness to purchase products. This has given rise to consumerism: a situation where people make purchase in mass.

Some of these products are not necessarily basic and individuals can do without them. However, because they are available in the market at prices affordable to consumers, they are encouraged to purchase, paying little regard to consequences of such actions.

This has had effects to various economies, environments and individuals. To various economies in the world, consumerism has seen them develop since their products have enough market. This is specifically so for those economies exporting than importing.

To our environment, consumerism has a direct negative consequence. It leads to serious environmental degradation because of smokes from various manufacturing firms. To the concerned individuals, consumerism has serious financial consequences because they spend on items that are not necessary to them.

References

Stearns, P. (1998). World History in Documents: A Comparative Reader. New York, NY: NYU Press.

Stearns, P. (2009).World History in Brief: Major Patterns of Change and Continuity, Combined Volume (7th ed.). Prentice: Prentice Hall Publishers.

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