Combating consumer culture

Stepping back from a serious problem often puts things into perspective. Addressing the underlying problems driving America’s consumer culture is one of the single-most important things our country can do to facilitate societal change. Fundamental behavioral changes must be made as a collective whole in order to reign in America’s hyper-consumption, which will ultimately help preserve the environment.

If nearly 80 percent of what we buy ends up in a landfill, then why do we buy so much? Well, if you compare out current situation to the past, the amount of stuff you need to go about your day has dramatically increased. More importantly, however, is the consumer-culture and Western lifestyle we have socialized within.

Western culture has a fixation with individualism—a deeply rooted cultural way of life that is perpetuated by persuasive marketing.
Our cultural heritage tells us that you need to go out there and do things for yourself. Our culture tells us that I, as an American, can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it.

Advertising encourages this way of life to an extent. A lot of advertising can make us feel inadequate or evokes a desire to buy products in order to be satisfied. The repetition of these messages overtime can affect our perceptions of what is normal.
When the holiday season rolls around every year, nothing really changes if you think about it. For one month you are asked to think about a few things you would like as gifts when in reality you’ve had a wish-list of “stuff” you seemingly needed all year long.

Recognizing the forces that drive consumer culture and hyper-consumption can help combat it. Reversing these attitudes will in turn help the environment. Recognizing the consequences of individual action and learning to collectively pool resources together through sharing is a major catalyst for change. Setting examples on a small scale and adopting a collectivist mindset may yield changes beyond Madison.
Maybe this change will come some day and maybe it won’t. One thing is certain, however.

Consumption does not correlate with happiness, according to Juliet Schor. This realization, on a societal level, may one day be the ultimate solution. Spread the word and happy Swashing!