Do You Feel Good About Being A Consumer?

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   road2hellposted 12 years ago

   Dwight Eisenhower advised that the American economy’s “ultimate purpose” was “to produce more consumer goods.”  The solution was first expressed in the Spring 1955 issue of Journal of Retailing.  To maintain economic growth, the author, Victor Lebow, stated :
       Our enormously productive economy demands we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfactions, our ego satisfactions, in consumption.  The measure of social status, of social acceptance, of prestige, is now to be found in our consumptive patterns.  The very meaning and significance of our lives today is expressed in consumptive terms.
   Does it follow by what polices that were set up back in 1955?  I would suspect so…  Do you feel good that our society was actually molded by an economic policy that we must purchase goods and services whether we need them or not?

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      John Holdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That's capitalism for you!

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         road2hellposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         You don't feel you have been mislead?  used?  brainwashed? Like isn't there more to lliving besides addictive shopping?

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            John Holdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Who said I'd bought the dream?

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   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   Wow. I was told I was out in left field when I was telling people how the government implemented policies to support that statement. And I'd never read that statement. It was just obvious by looking at the gradual shifts and how the average American has slowly become deeper in debt since the fifties.
   
   I don't feel guilty about being a consumer. You have to consume to survive, and we will all make an impulse purchase from time to time. But I refuse to buy into the big picture. I keep purchases as simple and as environmentally friendly as I can. I refuse to be influenced by marketing.
   
   I hate the system, but it is what we live in at the moment.

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      road2hellposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Well done.  Too many people believe that the American Dream is to be above everyone else, put on a false imprssion, look better than everyone else.  I think you have done well avoiding the marketing trap.  I hate that underlying notion "Consumer Beware".  It should be "Producer Beware".

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   Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

   I want to point out that the question is faulty.
   
   In order to be a consumer, one must first produce at least an amount of wealth that equals the wealth it takes to keep them alive.
   
   Thus, we're all consumers and we are all producers.

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      road2hellposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes I agree.  And that is what I can sustainable living.  Live within your means.. You really don't have to spend your money on expensive toys which you lose interest in over the next ten days!

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         Broward Jamesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         "Living within your means" is great advice, but then you say "You really don't have to spend your money on expensive toys which you lose interest in over the next ten days!"
         
         That second part of your comment has nothing to do with "sustainable living" because if someone can afford such expensive toys they are still practicing a sustainable lifestyle.
         
         You are preaching some kind of utopian idealism of a minimalist lifestyle. If that's what you want, do it. Don't force others to sew their own hemp clothing and wear bags on their feet.

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   DonDWestposted 12 years ago

   I don't consider myself a consumer. I'm so adverse to spending. All I care about is meeting the minimal subsistence in food; and even I find this a damn inconvenience. I'm so stingy with my money that friends, family, girlfriends, etc. buy me stuff just so I won't look like a homeless person. You should try it one of these days.

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      Broward Jamesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Even the Unabomber was a consumer. I'd wager a darn good bet that you spend a whole lot more on consumer goods than he did.
      
      You're on a computer, right? If it isn't yours, you are using someone else's consumer purchase so you are a mooch as well as a hypocrite.

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         DonDWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Someone doesn't have a sense of humor and can't detect sarcasm.

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            Broward Jamesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Well, sarcasm doesn't actually come across very well in text format.
            
            That's why many people /sarc at the end of their comment. Anyhow, then I guess you understand very well if you were mocking them. (I've been talking to a lot of OWS types who actually speak like that...but are 100% real.)

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               sighbabeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               

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               DonDWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Well, I admit I was sort of mocking the thread in question. The title could have been worded "do you feel good about being an eater?" (essentially the same question) and we wouldn't even be having a debate.
               
               Now, on a more serious note, I actually do hate being an eater. I hate eating, sleeping, clothing, housing, and shiating. I feel mankind would be much more efficient without such damn inconveniences; unfortunately I don't easily see a way around this.  .

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   Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

   Keynesian Economics (the stuff that every mainstream economist spouts daily) openly admits that it matters not what you buy, so long as you are buying things.
   
   This is clearly nonsense, but whenever I speak out against it here on HubPages, people like Ralph Deeds tell me I worship a voodoo god.
   
   The obviously correct answer is that a healthy economy is one that gives the people what they want, not one that gives them "whatever".
   
   The understanding of Austrian Economics allows the learner to quickly understand why the US and World economy is in a very dangerous situation. I highly recommend everyone begin their study of it at mises.org, or you can begin by checking out my hubs. (sorry for the plug).

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   Will Apseposted 12 years ago

   Well, the last fifty years have been quite a party. Of course, I wouldn't want to clean up the mess afterwards.
   
   But then, with any luck I won't have to.

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   SanXuaryposted 12 years ago

   I do not mind being a consumer but despise the fact that every aspect of my life is dependant on it and my choices are limited by those who control it. I would rather support local agriculture and small businesses rather then vast corporations who believe that I must be convinced of my dependence on them. I do not believe that bigger is better and that success in large things makes more people successful or better off. I feel that society has become less grateful of others and has found it easier to simply throw away people like any product. Most advertising today is not educating and mostly insults are intelligence. We have all simply become another product and we are no longer citizens but consumers being sold everything to include the latest politician. Uneducated we are not sold healthy choices and now suffer a health crisis. Medications that have on average 30 side effects and we mostly consume them for convenience rather then changing our life style. If any part of our infrastructure was to break down we would have very few skills in order to survive. Most of us would live on soda pop and snacks any way.

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