Consumerism: The world’s global language.

Consumerism: The world’s global language.

If there is one tendency that most human beings seem to share, it is the attraction to material possessions; early humans simply grabbed what they wanted. However, as societies evolved, a more cultured way of acquiring things also developed: the art of buying and selling. The history of trading is almost as old as human civilization, and has continued to change as societies grow more sophisticated.

Today, with help from the media, shopping has now become a way of life. Affluence has become a birthright. It is no longer the product that matters; it is the kind of person a product promises to make you feel. The media has trained consumers to continually desire things that are not needed. Today, America is labeled the highest consumerist society. A consumerist society is a society in which a lot of time and effort is put into purchasing a product or service. Shopping has become an exciting recreational activity. Manipulations through adverts promote false needs, promises and regular feelings of insecurity.

The urge to acquire more and more things may not necessarily be negative because a positive view of consumerism is the function it performs as a stimulant to a country’s economy. In the long run though, the negative aspects cannot be denied because consumers are manipulated through adverts. In the same vein, the constant drive to buy more and more has had harmful effects on the environment as a lot of natural resources are being used to design and manufacture products.

Consumerism has been associated with the belief that personal wellbeing and happiness is highly dependent on personal consumption of material goods. The general view of consumerism in a consumerist society is that consumption is good. The more you spend on material goods, the happier and better you feel as a consumer or an individual. People are constantly bombarded with adverts urging them to buy different things. These adverts no longer promote specific products but promote the vision of ‘The Good Life’ and what you need in order for you to be happy and fulfilled.

Hallmarks of consumerism are very evident in Nigeria today. People now want to own multiple cars, houses, electronic gadgets, jewelries and even private jets. Illustrating the problem of consumerism in Nigeria for example is very evident in the sense that the international trade system has made it possible to buy every kind of product and have it delivered to your doorsteps almost effortlessly. In response to my enquiries about what the following items were associated with, these were the results I got: car equals individual freedom, owning a blackberry with designer clothes equals being cool, etc.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, when measured by expenditure, household consumption is the largest component of GDP in Nigeria. Consumers spend on material goods they can comfortably live without. Good food and health is no longer a priority as consumerism has made it possible for the burger in the United Kingdom, United States of America, China and Nigeria to taste exactly the same.

It is worrisome that in order to meet with increasing consumer demands, organisations are no longer ethically responsible. What drives them is the profit motive which multiples when consumers buy more and more products. Innovations are now driven by the desire to make people buy products – whether they can afford them or not. In a way, the current global financial crises can be attributed to consumers who were using money they didn’t have, to buy things they didn’t need, through bank loans the banks shouldn’t have given them in the first place.

Though most consumers caught up in the snare of consumerism simply buy things because they have been conditioned to buying through being bombarded by adverts, the dangers of consumerism must be pointed out. Most consumers may not realize the negative impact of their choices not only on the environment, but even on their personal and family finances. This can be achieved when government, together with organizations identify and label socially responsible or environmentally friendly products and services.

Some may argue this precaution may not yield the desired result of breaking out of the consumerist trap because governments cannot determine or control personal choices and preferences. However, responsible ethical behavior on the part of producers and advertisers can be ensured through efficient and effective regulation and others policies to induce personal and societal change.

As a final word, while the world is caught up in the global language of consumerism which everyone seems to understand intuitively without recognizing the dangers associated with it, we should ourselves: What is the point of buying things you don’t need, or crave things you can’t afford? Do you really need two dozen pairs of shoes? Do you need that extra designer handbag or dress? Do you really need a third car or a SUV when you hardly leave the city? How many wristwatches can you wear at once? Do you really need a dozen sets of eye glasses? Can you really afford to speak the language of consumerism which only has one word: buy, buy, and buy?