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Understand what consumerism is, the origin of current consumption practices and some ways to try to change them

The need for a change in the attitude of human beings towards the planet is an alert that, today, is presented in the most diverse formats. Research, news, conferences or even common conversations draw constant attention to the accelerating environmental degradation. Although the discussion about global warming or the greenhouse effect causes controversy, society as a whole seems to have understood or to be aware of the debate. But if so, why does this change in attitude often occur at such slow paces?

Perhaps the answer to such a question can be found in ourselves. Isolating the blame for large corporations that make use of non-renewable energy resources, mistreatment of animals or the environment, is not enough. For a change to occur at the top of the pyramid, it is essential that a change takes place at the base responsible for consumption: all of us. If criticism does not reach consumption, awareness is not complete.

In this context, understanding that human attitudes trigger various side effects for nature is essential to develop conscious consumption. However, understanding that this practice of unsustainable consumption, which today seems so natural to us, has origins and concepts can be even more effective in elucidating the difference between real need and constructed need.

origins of consumption

Consumption has its origins linked to the implementation of the current production model. Due to technological advances, the market economy came into being in the 19th century. The society of mass production and consumption, on the other hand, was only disseminated and developed in the 20th century. With the First World War, the industrial serial production - mainly, of military artifacts - grew both in technique and in market. Thus, the industrial production of other consumer products and artifacts, consequently, suffered the same increase in the manufacturing scale.

However, with the 1929 crisis, it was realized that just investing in the production of goods would not be enough, that is, it was also necessary to create a demand that went beyond basic needs. The communication industry, which was advancing rapidly in this period, began to collaborate towards this end. Since communication is an expression and part of culture, the industry in this area has influenced modes of organization and social thinking.

Added to this, after World War II, theories of “human capital” were developed that treat the individual as a component of the production system. Thus, each person is projected into the social system as a potential worker and consumer. The concept of mass culture comes from this logic of a culture transformed into a commodity. Despite the idea that the cultural industry expanded access to culture, the path taken was absolutely the opposite. This industry has trivialized cultural formation in favor of the creation of a product of rapid assimilation and consumption.

Consumerism, advertising and culture

In addition to the production system models, what else drives us to consume? What are the motivations behind the consumption of goods and services? According to Paulo Francisco Mantello, consumption fills a void inherent in man. In this sense, capitalism and the consumer society would only take advantage of this “desire to desire”. Advertising also plays a fundamental role because it works to make sense of consumption.

With the Cold War, technological levels reached unprecedented heights and the means of communication became global. With the end of this conflict, debates about globalization begin. There was a globalization of the capitalist mode of production and, at least in theory, a world civil society was created. In this civil society, the cultural industry standardizes models of consumption and thought. The cultural heterogeneity inherent to human diversities in the cultural industry is a coherent heterogeneity in which the identity factor is consumption and the integration factor is the market.

In the words of Sérgio Campos Gonçalves: “Thus, often man, without realizing it, acts as a part of a machine (the consumer society) whose operating logic he does not understand and which is his creation. This machine then proceeds to recreate man."

That is, as the consumer society consolidates, culture often ends up being trivialized for rapid consumption. This process is favored by the communication industry through advertising in order to create a non-essential demand in society. The level and lifestyle based on consumption take on the character of cultural identity and consumerism comes to dictate more intensely contemporary social relations.

Sustainable and conscious consumption

With the emergence of environmental issues and the association of consumerism with waste, new trends have emerged in society. Sustainability, as well as awareness, are part of people's thinking and the consumer tends to no longer submit to market rules.

Sustainable consumption and green consumption draw attention to new practices that oppose immediate consumption. Child consumerism is seen as a direction contrary to sustainability and measures are now being taken in this requirement.

Still, these trends do not affect society as a whole, as the prices of green products are often not affordable for everyone. However, if there is a change in demand, in some way, the offer would need to meet it and this issue may be one of those that should be addressed for general awareness.

Some large or isolated movements worked towards this thoughtful consumption. In addition to the break with the mode of production we are used to, works claim only for greater awareness. An example of this is the video produced by Gary Turk.