Consumerism

10 Apr 2007

I've just been watching a documentary on Channel 5 about consumerism and the way it affects our lives.
In the 70's we walked around in socks that had been darned to cover holes, pants that had been passed down from older siblings and turned up to make do.
In the 80's there was a massive boom in 'yuppies' and the need to have your status marked by salary and your possessions.
I've just succumbed to a dishwasher and I love it! I wish I'd bought one earlier but I don't actually need it, it just saves me hassle and makes me lazy I suppose.
This documentary is suggesting we are victims of advertising. We upgrade our mobiles yearly because there is another 'latest' model out when really the one we have could make do.
I used to be terrible for buying the latest gadgets, now being a student for a while I simply cannot. Advertisers play with our minds and lure us to the shops making a lot of us shopaholics.
I think it's true, we are becoming a nation of shopaholics who want things rather than need things.
What do other people think? lol

10 Apr 2007

I think,in general, we are better off now than we perhaps were then so getting the latest this and the latest that is so much easier....
Credit is far easier to come by and so having a new car every two years or the latest flat screen plasma feck off massive tv is a sinch if you get credit....
I think this has a lot to do with the way advertisers bombard us.......They know how easy it is and how much more we want to be modern and "keep up with the Jones'"..

10 Apr 2007

I think we are all influenced to a degree. Not just by the media, but by peer pressure (even my kids sneer at my mobile!).
I buy what I need, when I need it. I don't buy labels for the sake of it either.
I inherited a dishwasher when we moved house and although I'd always said they were a waste of money, I wouldn't be without it now!

10 Apr 2007

I don't see this as a bad thing. It is striving our nation not only to become more independant but gives us the luxuries and freedom of choices.
The marketing that is done can be very effective but by golly some of it is just plain funny or genius.
By all, marketeers have a more varied market now than ever. Different back grounds, up bringings and languages so more and more tactics are being used so it looks like more and more adverts etc are pushed in our faces.

10 Apr 2007

Quote by Mallock2006
Credit is far easier to come by and so having a new car every two years or the latest flat screen plasma feck off massive tv is a sinch if you get credit....

This is one thing that worries me a lot about society at the moment, the number of people who are getting themselves into massive debt so as to keep up with others who always have the lasest of everything.
I surpose more and more of us are hooked in by advertising campaigns and such, I sure I've been guilty of it many a time. But I make it a rule not to buy what I can't afford. I really don't like to use credit at all and only really use my credit card occasionally, and only if I know that I'll be able to pay the bill at the end of the month.

10 Apr 2007

Quote by mattmoleman
I don't see this as a bad thing. It is striving our nation not only to become more independant but gives us the luxuries and freedom of choices.
The marketing that is done can be very effective but by golly some of it is just plain funny or genius.
By all, marketeers have a more varied market now than ever. Different back grounds, up bringings and languages so more and more tactics are being used so it looks like more and more adverts etc are pushed in our faces.

How does it make our nation more independant confused

10 Apr 2007

I love gadgets but have never got the whole 'change your mobile phone annually' thing - a phone is a phone and I couldn't care less about it - in fact, I'd happilly get rid of my mobile phone tomorrow if my friends wouldn't complain about it.
MP3 players and video game consoles and computers, though... I love new shiny things in those categories smile

10 Apr 2007

Yes we have a lot of choice and comsumerism does drive the manufacturers to produce more and more things for us to buy. It does provide us with a good selection of most things instead of one brand which we all have to have.
But I hate having to buy a pack of 6 buttons when one falls off my outfit cause I can't get one to match or buy them individually.
Ready packed portions that don't suit my family .. we don't all have families of 4.2 people :shock: which is the average ... how you can get .2 of a person is yet to be explained. But we all have to buy packs of 4 or 6 or 8 when sometimes I want 5 or even just 1.
Then there are the items that disappear for no good reason other than the manufacturers say they aren't selling enough to make it profitable for them to provide it. Walnut whips with the coffee flavoured centres in them .. gone.
Basil cubes which were perfect for me for vegatarian stews .. gone.
Neapolitan ice cream .. gone.
Where can I get a spare fanbelt for my hoover when it breaks and fit it myself.
What about the bulbs in car headlights .. we have to buy a whole unit now.
We feel if we don't use shower gels we are dirty .. whats wrong with soap.
I could go on and on ... we are so controlled and our opinions manipulated.
DD

10 Apr 2007

The only gadget thingy I own is an Ipod and the only reason I have it is that I won it. The other things I own are necessary and not frivolus. My mobile is needed for work and yes I have just changed it, but that was because the damn buttons never worked properly on the last one mad

the car is needed for obvious reasons, the TV is a standard one that is'nt really big enough for the room it's in so everyone squints at it redface

The portable for the bedroom is needed for....erm.... :idea: porn of course, can't have the kids seeing lol

So that's us practically gadget free :P

10 Apr 2007

At the end of the programme, the guy was more or less saying our 'consumerism' is killing us. I was a bit confused by this end bit, but I think he meant that all this technology isn't doing the economy as much good as it should be?
Help! lol

10 Apr 2007

I'm a real hipocrite when it comes to this subject, I try to be concious about what resources I use and their impact in this ever green aware society we live in...but then I'm also materialistic and fall foul of the "have to have syndrome" too, I guess that's because I'm a child of Thatcher's Britain!
Can't believe I'm discussing Margarat Thatcher on a swinging website, that said she was quite sexy in a dominatrix sort of way (shall we have a poll)....Dennis always knew his place lol

10 Apr 2007

Quote by jaymar
At the end of the programme, the guy was more or less saying our 'consumerism' is killing us. I was a bit confused by this end bit, but I think he meant that all this technology isn't doing the economy as much good as it should be?
Help!

I only caught the end of the prog (wish I'd seen it all) but the gist of what he was saying is that we (in the UK) work more hours than any other country in Europe because we think we need to get more money to buy things to make us happy. So why aren't we getting happier? dunno

:-(

10 Apr 2007

Quote by Stevedb076
I'm a real hipocrite when it comes to this subject, I try to be concious about what resources I use and their impact in this ever green aware society we live in...but then I'm also materialistic and fall foul of the "have to have syndrome" too, I guess that's because I'm a child of Thatcher's Britain!
Can't believe I'm discussing Margarat Thatcher on a swinging website, that said she was quite sexy in a dominatrix sort of way (shall we have a poll)....Dennis always knew his place lol

Don't worry about discussing Thatcher hin, it's been very much discussed lately.
You are right tho, we do fall into the 'have to have' path as everyone around is doing so. Whatever happened to "wash day monday" "home baking tuesday" lol where everything was done by hand! lol

10 Apr 2007

Quote by cu3b4ll
At the end of the programme, the guy was more or less saying our 'consumerism' is killing us. I was a bit confused by this end bit, but I think he meant that all this technology isn't doing the economy as much good as it should be?
Help!

:-(
That's right, apparently we'll keep on working and working but we get more unhappier as new things come out but we just cannot afford them!

10 Apr 2007

Just seen on the news that mortgages are 8 times greater than the average salary, so do we have a choice in the matter? I knew I should've submitted my DNA for the Anna Nicole Smith paternity battle lol

10 Apr 2007

Quote by Stevedb076
Just seen on the news that mortgages are 8 times greater than the average salary, so do we have a choice in the matter? I knew I should've submitted my DNA for the Anna Nicole Smith paternity battle lol

Yes I've just watched that!.. 8 x salary! way to go eh? more repossessions! evil

10 Apr 2007

Quote by devondelight
Yes we have a lot of choice and comsumerism does drive the manufacturers to produce more and more things for us to buy. It does provide us with a good selection of most things instead of one brand which we all have to have.
But I hate having to buy a pack of 6 buttons when one falls off my outfit cause I can't get one to match or buy them individually.
Ready packed portions that don't suit my family .. we don't all have families of 4.2 people :shock: which is the average ... how you can get .2 of a person is yet to be explained. But we all have to buy packs of 4 or 6 or 8 when sometimes I want 5 or even just 1.
Then there are the items that disappear for no good reason other than the manufacturers say they aren't selling enough to make it profitable for them to provide it. Walnut whips with the coffee flavoured centres in them .. gone.
Basil cubes which were perfect for me for vegatarian stews .. gone.
Neapolitan ice cream .. gone.
Where can I get a spare fanbelt for my hoover when it breaks and fit it myself.
What about the bulbs in car headlights .. we have to buy a whole unit now.
We feel if we don't use shower gels we are dirty .. whats wrong with soap.
I could go on and on ... we are so controlled and our opinions manipulated.
DD

You can almost certainly still get one if you find a little local shop in the phone book. The car headlamp thing annoys me too- although most can still be obtained seperately if you know where to look, manufacturers are making it harder & harder for Joe Bloggs to fix the "consumables" on his car which means the garages get to rip you off for the priviledge.
Mending things- or "fettling" as Mr W still calls it- is becoming more & unthinkable. Surely it's the best way to recycle?
I could go on for hours about consumerism, but I like you people, so I won't!

10 Apr 2007

seems we're caught in a spiral that may have been started a-spinning full-force back in the eighties here in the UK...
I shouldnt complain, as Im as guilty as the next person... though manufacturers are cynicaly building a *life* into everything these days... either physically, or in the support/maintainance that can be obtained...
and yes... someone mentioned killing the planet?
we will run out of resources... even silicon, for our beloved chips (low salt) is in short supply... and that can't be recycled as far as Im aware...
I also could go on & on... though in an ill informed manner... so I shant...
I used to have a conscience re:the world etc etc... though these days it has a very quiet voice...
sadly I feel it'sall a little too late... and the REAL powersthat be, namely the massive corprate machines, will just keep right on grinding... as long as there is the smallest iota of profit left in our bones
lp, go to bed for gawds sake!
ok
lp

11 Apr 2007

Quote by LondonPlaything
seems we're caught in a spiral that may have been started a-spinning full-force back in the eighties here in the UK...
I shouldnt complain, as Im as guilty as the next person... though manufacturers are cynicaly building a *life* into everything these days... either physically, or in the support/maintainance that can be obtained...
and yes... someone mentioned killing the planet?
we will run out of resources... even silicon, for our beloved chips (low salt) is in short supply... and that can't be recycled as far as Im aware...
I also could go on & on... though in an ill informed manner... so I shant...
I used to have a conscience re:the world etc etc... though these days it has a very quiet voice...
sadly I feel it'sall a little too late... and the REAL powersthat be, namely the massive corprate machines, will just keep right on grinding... as long as there is the smallest iota of profit left in our bones
lp, go to bed for gawds sake!
ok
lp

I generally feel this way too lp. Though i will say that in the forlorn darkness that fills the horizon there is a spark of hope.
In the end social welfare will prevail. Though i fear that is still away off.

11 Apr 2007

Quote by LondonPlaything
we will run out of resources... even silicon, for our beloved chips (low salt) is in short supply... and that can't be recycled as far as Im aware...

Ah... the man on the TV said that some companies are now mining landfill sites to reclaim the precious metals dumped in old electrical circuits. :thumbup:

11 Apr 2007

Quote by cu3b4ll
Ah... the man on the TV said that some companies are now mining landfill sites to reclaim the precious metals dumped in old electrical circuits. :thumbup:

there goes all the lovely new parkland, and estates that have gone up in the last few years then eh eh?
lp

12 Apr 2007

There are lots of interesting ideas in this thread ...
In 1958 I bought a nylon shirt from M&S, and for several months I wore it every day and washed it every night ... a very student thing to do! The shirt was - is - indestructible. I still have it and the fabric is the same as the day I bought it, though the stitching is failing! Probably a collector's item now - they weren't available for very long - but then M&S needs us to buy new clothes every year!
Manufacturers live by manufacturing, retailers by retailing, so they need people to buy the stuff they make and sell, and making things that last for ever is not good business in this rapidly changing world!

12 Apr 2007

Quote by Philfuller
There are lots of interesting ideas in this thread ...
In 1958 I bought a nylon shirt from M&S, and for several months I wore it every day and washed it every night ... a very student thing to do! The shirt was - is - indestructible. I still have it and the fabric is the same as the day I bought it, though the stitching is failing! Probably a collector's item now - they weren't available for very long - but then M&S needs us to buy new clothes every year!
Manufacturers live by manufacturing, retailers by retailing, so they need people to buy the stuff they make and sell, and making things that last for ever is not good business in this rapidly changing world!

I have a friend who will not part with any item of clothing, she still has clothes from the 80's. She always looks in fashion because the fashion goes around and comes back again! lol

12 Apr 2007

Quote by jaymar
There are lots of interesting ideas in this thread ...
In 1958 I bought a nylon shirt from M&S, and for several months I wore it every day and washed it every night ... a very student thing to do! The shirt was - is - indestructible. I still have it and the fabric is the same as the day I bought it, though the stitching is failing! Probably a collector's item now - they weren't available for very long - but then M&S needs us to buy new clothes every year!
Manufacturers live by manufacturing, retailers by retailing, so they need people to buy the stuff they make and sell, and making things that last for ever is not good business in this rapidly changing world!

I have a friend who will not part with any item of clothing, she still has clothes from the 80's. She always looks in fashion because the fashion goes around and comes back again! lol

Yeh..that's me. Although I still wear them just hoping they'll come back in to fashion...thus looking very unfashionable with my flares in the eighties but bang up to date in the nineties....except they had holes in them by then