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Effects Of Consumerism On Poverty

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More than three billion people, nearly half of the world’s population, has an income of less than $2.50 a day. In addition, more than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty their income is $1.25 a day. Additionally, this mind-blowing statistic stress the fact that consumer behavior may be the main reason behind poverty. The first use of consumerism term is in 1944 mutual movement in the USA in 1930s. Therefore, Consumerism has variety of meanings, it can be defend as protecting consumer interests, advertising, sales promotion decency, and the quality of the products. Also, it can be defended as consumer rights protection. Consumerism affects poverty because it causes some to consume more than they need, forces limits on choice, and influences …show more content…

According to Varul (2008) the notion of ‘ethical consumerism’ seems to be a contradiction in terms, since market and morality are commonly viewed as stark opposites with morality being sought in the contestation of certain goods’ commodity status and in the blocking of certain exchanges. What is new in the phenomenon of market society, a phenomenon that has been observed over the last 30 years, is the emergence of consumption as a criterion for the quality of life and as a sign of the demand for it. Moreover, society has become in our time a society that governs and evaluates its members, including the ability to consume. Without legislation regulating the market, people’s choices will be …show more content…

The growing concerns of consumers about sustainable products and services lead to legislative amendments and to new products and services that follow the regulations or have a pre-emptive role (Slavova, 2014). The purpose of legislation is to protect the consumers by set prices for consumer goods. Therefore, there will be better quality products, more choice and innovation, all of that is for consumers own benefits. Consumerism influences people’s characters causing poverty. Effects people’s characters is prime heed for causing poverty. According to Tenai (2016) Consumerism moulds people’s characters into self-interest and a pursuit of interest’s other than those for the common good. When people change their interest in necessaries and turn all their attention to luxuries this will waste their energy, time and resources. Additionally, the attention of people who are more in appearance rather than saving and donating to the poor will produce a trivial society with no values. Self-interest is also a problem for influences people’s

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William T Cavanaugh (2008), wrote Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire which is a philosophical book, which focus on four (4) economic life matters that addresses the consumer culture within society. These four economic life matters are free market, consumerism, globalization and economic scarcity. In order for this topic to be discussed on a theological point of view, the author draws the reader’s attention to human life, the ends of life in God. The key question in every process is whether or not the transaction contributes to the flourishing of each person involved. In order to address these questions the author points to concrete examples of alternative economic practices in which Christians participate-: business, co-operatives, credit union, practices of consumption which marks the vision for Christian economic life.

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Suraj Patel Professor Brett English 4 Section 14 12 February 2015 Today’s Economic System In Wendell Berry’s “Inverting the Economic Order”, Berry describes the several aspects of the economics in society today. He thought from an agrarian point of view, meaning that an economy based off of a household or community or nation (1). He explains that there are two types of economies: an authentic and a financial economic system.

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In the Novel Behind The Beautiful Forevers, by Katherine Boo The people of Annawadi live in a third world country where they are constantly having to face obstacles such as getting a job to pay for food to feed their families, trying to stay alive, and trying to avoid the corruptness of the police force. Reading this book has made me see that me and many other people take the things we have for granted. We worry about who has the nicest cars, Nice clothes or the biggest house. While others are worrying about their next meal or finding where to live. Annawadi also causes some of the people to all act selfish only looking for themselves to escape or others to be jealous of others and try to take them down, but this is not a third world problem because some people in first world countries tend to do this too if not more

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Joshua Shavel Consumer Nation 10/5/17 How Consumerism Changed America America is often described as a nation of consumers. This description usually has a negative tone, implying that Americans are materialistic, and in comparison to the majority of other countries, this is true. Many people accuse Americans of having a level of consumption that is actually wasteful in a lot of ways. Finding the difference between “needs” and “wants” is difficult in a consumer nation, where options are almost limitless. Consumerism can also bring about positive change, though, and this is especially true in the United States.

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The world stereotypes rich people as rude, stuck up and selfish. Ever wonder why? Studies from Yale, The New York Times, TED and more have concluded, money changes everything. Whether it’s attitude, morals or values, money can affect and change all aspects of someone’s life. The play, A Raisin in the Sun, has a theme showing this claim clearly.

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Very few books in the history of economic thought still render an accurate portrayal of society today. Written 115 years ago, Thorstein Veblen’s The Theory of the Social Class (1899) describes a materialistic society obsessed with reputation and social status, echoing a portrayal of the modern capitalistic consumer culture that defines us today. As Roger Mason (1998), professor of consumer theory states: “Consuming for status has, in fact, become a defining element of the new consumer societies” (p.vii). In his treatise, Veblen’s discusses such a society, in order to portray the ‘leisure class’, the 19th century society that characterized the upper class that formed as a consequence of the Second Industrial Revolution. Such a society uses the consumption of goods and leisure as means of climbing up the social ladder.

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I’m astounded by how different the views on consumerism are for people living in a developing country compared to a first world country like Canada. I only noticed how unacceptable my addiction to consumerism is when it was time to pack my luggage for the flight home and I wasn’t able to fit everything and thus I’m forced to leave nearly 70$ worth of goods behind. It was the first time where I legitimately felt unintelligent with what I was spending my money on and my relatives to this day create no shortage of teasing about it.

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Wealth, no matter how important an appearance it has, cannot fulfill a life and make a demeaning impact on lives until their

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The Truth About Poverty “Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit” this quote was said by Mahatma Gandhi and it relates so well with this article “It is Expensive To Be Poor”, answer the question yourself, Is it expensive to be poor? This article is titled like that to get the audience's attention early and have them thinking ahead of reading. The author Barbara Ehrenreich is building a pre thought when she does this which helps support her claim. “It is Expensive To Be Poor” by Barbara Ehrenreich is an article posted on “The atlantic” “which is where you can find your current news and analysis on politics, business, culture, and technology”. Knowing what “The Atlantic” offers for readers this gives Ehrenreich a detailed look at who she is writing to.

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Furthermore, it is noted that customers, particularly from developed nations like UK, France and Italy are more and more concerned about their health and the report on individual health expenditure over the last decade by OECD (2011) has confirmed that. The report shows that customers are becoming more inquisitive in the type, nature, origin and the processing method of materials in which, apparel and clothing firms uses in producing their product. Thus, demanding for transparency and accountability. Consequently, many customers have gone green and they are persistently advocating for sustainable and ethical activities of firms (Johansson, 2010; Pookulangara

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Consumerism intrudes with the workings of society by overthrowing the standard judgment wish for an adequate supply of life 's necessities, a steady family and solid associations with a manufactured continuous journey for things and the purchasing power with little respect for the genuine utility of the item purchased. In today’s World World, there is a high level of consumption which has been described as a major threat on sustainability. Even though consumerism has positive effects like motivating people to work harder in order to improve their social status and well being, it has adverse effects on the environment and the social aspect of life. Consumerism, according to the new Oxford English dictionary, means the preocccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods. Sustainablity, on the other hand, according to the ‘brudtland report’ was broadly defined as Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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