Consumption

 

 

Consumption

Consumerism is the ‘idea’ that increasing the consumption of goods and services purchased in the market is always a desirable goal, and that a person’s well being and happiness depend fundamentally on obtaining consumer goods and material possessions.

Capitalism

Capitalism is often thought of as an economic system in which private actors own and control property in accord with their interests, and demand and supply freely set prices in markets in a way that can serve the best interests of society. The essential feature of capitalism is the motive to make a profit.

 

I grew up in a land of plenty that had just won the war of the world and was transforming from manufacturing weapons to appliances, communication, transportation with all those GIs coming home to an un-bombed land of prosperity. Seemed we had plenty of cash.

Families were buying houses and cars to travel on the new highways and the movies gave us the propaganda that everything was looking up.

As a kid I had the adventure to wander five and dime store aisles and smelly state fairs with change in my pocket. I could buy an ice cream cone from the passing roach coach or a box of popcorn in the dark opera halls.

Looking around the room ponders the cost of all this stuff I purchased and brought home to live with me. Perhaps the prices were less then or it was a special sale or a spur of the moment expense, I gave out whatever greenbacks I had to satisfy my dopamine desires. 

How many records did I ‘need’ to buy? How many shoes? How many screwdrivers?

Didn’t matter as long as I had cash in my wallet (or a credit card), I could buy a house, a car, another television, a beach vacation…. All the possibilities.

I am a Boomer consumer.

I learned my lessons and contributed to the economy, through thick and thin.

Today, older and wiser, I look at possible purchases, then wait.

Do I need that? Where will I put that? Is there a better price? Is there a better option? Do I really need that? Do I really want that?

Advertising doesn’t affect me because I know the Schimel and that great offer isn’t so great after all. Plus, what do I do with all this stuff when I go to the great beyond?

Some families like hand-me-down antiques to represent what predecessors thought worthy of their cash purchases. All of this ‘stuff’ takes up space until the yard sale, then the dumpster.

Meet and greet another and suddenly your purchases go through the roof. You were not interested in those flowers or that bake-&-shake oven, but it pleases your mate.

Children cost a pretty penny. They want everything, for advertising is focused on them and you cannot resist pleasing their temporary desires. Luckily toys are made out of indestructible plastic and will eventually wind up in a landfill on the side of road. A few will become rare items sold on eBay as some long-lost wonder of a childhood, but most are trash.

If we didn’t purchase with our hard-earned cash these lawn furniture, stuffed dolls, remembrance t-shirts, boats and cars sitting gathering dust, would we donate to some organization that promises to feed the poor and give health care to the weary?

If we have piles of cash, do we purchase our whims and desires as many fancies, expensive cars as Jay Leno or play with a rocket ship like Elon Musk? Is that gluttony?

I don’t have that kind of wealth, but a few years ago I went on a splurge and bought all the guitars I’d always admired but could not afford. They sit in their coffin cases with all the accoutrements waiting to be strummed. Still, they are my girls who give me pleasure just waiting for me to hold them. We’ll talk about that in therapy.

Most of my consumption purchases now a days is food. I don’t need to purchase fossil fuel or buy another t-shirt because this one doesn’t have any holes in it. Even the daily trip to the Tummy Temple avoids most of the aisles due to no interest in cooking-4-one. Spices, dead animals, diapers, bread and many more are all by passed due to lack of interest. Still, I need to consume enough to keep me moving and hydration to pee, but my grocery list has been reduced to a few selections. Sort of like college. Quick and easy.

Do I need another adrenaline rush to purchase another item to compare with my neighbors and friends only to have a cheap quick orgasm of capitalism? Should I follow the trendsetters and purchase the recommendations of the latest and greatest and newest and best? What phone do you have?

Recently, I ordered an adapter power cord from Amazon with multiple connectors. I think it was $11.00. Why? I had this thing called an amphiphile modulator that I’d purchased back in the early 90’s. When I plugged it in was amazed that this little box the size of a notebook could do so much. I had to purchase some power speakers (that is the game plan) to hear it and with a push of a button or turn of a knob I could get drums, effects, different amp sounds all for my $100 impulse buy while I was buying a Power PC to digital record old tapes. It all worked, but I moved my shiny M-Audio ‘Black Box’ and somewhere lost the power cords. I (like you) have a drawer of cords, plugs, and connectors to items we’ve long forgotten what they go to (don’t get me started on extension cords) in the junk drawer. I tried a ½ dozen 9V plugs and nothing fit??? Where did the original cord go? I searched all the boxes full of old guitar cables and could not find the little black electrical connector.

Thus, the purchase on Amazon (that arrived the next day without me leaving the house) and the first adapter plug worked lightening up the screen stating 30-year-old technology was ready to play. The same process produced positive results on the Terabyte drive that had a similar lost cord. Wowie Zowie!

Now maybe I can plug in one of the leftover vacuum cleaners and try to collect the dust bunny tumbleweeds? Or I could purchase the services of the mobile maids to attack the grime of a hermit?

Was it worth it?