Shopping is the favorite pastime for most young people. Why do you think that? Do you think they should be encouraged to do some other useful activities?
Retail therapy has become very common amongst young people due to the rampant spread of online shopping. We need to encourage the youth to divulge their interest in more productive hobbies and discourage excessive shopping. In this essay, I will discuss how using shopping as a hobby can have a harmful impact on an individual’s health and what can be used as an alternative.
There are a multitude of disadvantages to excessive shopping. Firstly, it is a waste of essential resources; unless it is need-based retail, then it is justified. Moreover, shopping gives a sense of false gratification which creates a craving to indulge in it even more. Secondly, a lot of time is spent looking at stores, which can otherwise be utilized elsewhere. The consumer market creates an illusion to entice customers to spend their money on the things they want rather than the things they need. This makes young individuals invest more in products they might not require. Therefore, it is important to weigh in on the impact shopping can have. Online shopping also promotes a stagnant lifestyle, which can have a severe impact on health.
Young people can spend their time on more productive activities, like exercise, spending time with family and friends, and other hobbies. Research proves neuronal activities are going through constant changes. This is governed by our everyday tasks. If a person spends their time with family and friends, it can progressively affect healthy brain activities. Conversely, time spent behind a screen, browsing shopping carts can produce hormones like dopamine and oxytocin that can cause an addiction. Therefore, it is very important to consider other hobbies as an alternative to shopping.
Young people are driven by the marketing strategies that excessively encourage shopping. If they fall prey to this, they might suffer from a sense of false gratification, addiction and wastage of resources like money and time. Therefore, it would be wise to reconsider shopping as a hobby and adapt to healthier options instead.