Consumption Rewritten

(This post is belated due to reasons explained in the comments section of Paperless Writing. It is the second post for Week #2)


It would be obvious to state that types, methods, and amounts of consumption have changed drastically within the past 200 years. Many widely owned commodities such as cars, phones, televisions, calculators, even contact lenses* were only marketed during the twentieth century. Yet, the actually necessity of many items we “need” is questionable; certainly our predecessors managed to survive without many of the technological, medical and commercial aids of our time (including tube yogurt and TiVo). Why, then, are current markets flooded with thousands of “necessary” items? Simply stated, our modes of consumption have shifted from satisfying our needs for survival to satisfying our needs to be happy.

I found that our “group therapy” session on Wednesday actually discussed some of the issues surrounding this phenomenon, a few of which are due to our country’s mindset of “living to work.” Many people in high-powered, executive positions work long hours and make good money, but for what exactly? It is estimated that a family of four can subsist in California (a state with one of the highest costs of living) for around $35,600; this amount supposedly includes rent or mortgage payments, food, clothes, potential medical costs, and utilities. There is not much left for skateboards, Barbie dolls, or power drills, but it is enough to keep those in the family happy and healthy. Yet some families in the United States make above 250,000 annually, and work increasingly long hours to do so. Although this is well above the amount needed for survival, it would appear that some Americans have grown increasingly accustomed to more frivolous lifestyles that would be impossible without a steady cash flow (or, rather, a steady cash flood); it is therefore deemed “necessary” that they continue to work hard to ensure the support of what is unnecessary.

There was a children’s cassette tape series (not to date myself) called “The Adventures of Christina Valentine” which states my point quite humorously and elegantly. Christina Valentine, the protagonist, lives in a large, new, yellow house with her mother and father. Her grandfather lives next door in an old, shingled two-story dwelling with a slightly sagging roof. Over dinner one night, her grandfather asks her father why he feels he needs to live in such a large house:

Dad: Well, Pops, I work hard! I deserve a big house.

Grandpa: Well, why do you work so hard?

Dad: I have to work hard, Pops, I’ve gotta pay for this lovely house.

Grandpa: Well, then why do you have such a big house?

Dad: I told you, I work hard, I deserve it!

Grandpa: Well, then...

You get the picture.


We’re caught in this weird push and pull between what we really need and what we think we need, and producers have latched onto our inability to distinguish between the two. Now mops are being replaced with Swifer sweepers with disposable wipes (for added convenience and cleanliness), minivans now come with TWO televisions to distract children (and most are also no longer “mini”), and pre-destroyed jeans are leaping off the shelves at $170 a pair (or in some cases, per leg). It is possible to rationalize why we would need each of these things:

“I’m worried about my mop retaining germs and bacteria, so I want something I can throw away after it’s been used.”

“My kids are hyperactive and I could use some peace and quiet in the car, but one of them likes to watch Barney and the other likes Dragonball Z. I need two televisions to keep them happy and myself sane.”

“I like, want to fit in with everyone, and like, these jeans are totally hot right now, and I mean, well, I could get a different pair and destroy them myself, but, well, like, how lame would that be? AND, they like, wouldn’t have the label or anything.”

But how badly do we need these things when you break it all down? Didn’t many of our parents’ parents use mops? Obviously our parents survived that archaic (and oh-so-dangerous) cleaning method. And what did people do before there were televisions in the car? Maybe they read books or, dare I say it, talked to each other. Car televisions are almost as trivial as $170 labels (since that is actually what you are paying for) when it comes to survival.

As our basic needs for food, shelter, and company are now easily met, it makes sense that we would begin to search for new needs in order to continue to better our lives. And it is a basic human instinct to seek out things that make us happy or comfortable to the greatest possible extent. Unfortunately, in this era of consumption, it can be difficult for a person to realize when their needs have been fulfilled; instead, we keep buying and consuming goods we think we need in the search for total satisfaction.

Thank goodness SoBe will begin bottling willpower soon.

*Fun Fact: Leonardo da Vinci, among his many achievements, is also credited as being the original inventor of the contact lens.