Does having more mean happiness?
Having More
When we compare fifty years ago and now, we can easily say that we have more goods today. Some people have just gotten their second car, while some of them are striving to purchase their third house. As the incomes of families have increased, the number and frequency of purchases are higher now.
Progress or Sickness?
On one hand, some people consider the increase in possessions as an economic growth and a sign of progress. On the other hand, anti-consumer groups see materialism and overconsumption as sicknesses. The term "affluenza" describes the consumption of material goods in a strongly negative way. It is also defined as wasteful consumption driven by an insatiable desire for more possessions.
"Affluenza" as a Word
Affluenza contains two words in it: affluence and influenza. Affluence means owning many things and influenza is a formal word for flu, which is a disease. According to anti-consumer groups, high consumption of goods because of "affluence" causes people to be in a state like they have "influenza", or we can say that it causes people to be less happy even though they have more things than in the past. Anti-consumer groups also argue that overconsumption is responsible for the depletion of the world's natural resources.
Buy Nothing Day
There is a day which was produced by anti-consumer groups: Buy Nothing Day. It is celebrated the day after Thanksgiving and the celebration of it started in 1992. People from more than 65 nations celebrate this day annually. This number shows that anti-consumerism has a worldwide effect.
Role of Advertisements
Anti-consumer activists maintain that advertisements play a significant role in overconsumption. For that reason, advertisement industry is heavily criticized by organizations and publications. Books such as Kids as Customers report that corporate advertisers and marketers are invading people's lives.
An Alternative Way
Special days on which people purchase a lot of gifts are another concern of anti-consumers. They discuss alternative ways of giving holiday gifts. For instance, the use of "gift-exemption certificates" is encouraged by area-environmental groups. In these certificates, people tell each other that they already have all the things they want, and instead of exchanging presents, they prefer finding other ways to enjoy the holiday. In addition, they celebrate the beauty of the Earth’s natural environment.
Final
We can see many suggestions about buying less, but if we really want to involve it in our lives, I think we should think about the role of our possessions in our lives so that, hopefully, we can clearly see the effects of consuming realistically.
"Consume less, share better." Hervé Kempf
