There is a view that consumerism is making people increasingly materialistic. I fully agree with this perspective since individuals are now more likely to engage in conspicuous consumption. As a result, there is too much money spent on material possessions, distorting people’s values.
Consumerism is normally thought to be a beneficial idea that helps the economy. However, when it comes to the impact on individuals, there is a lot of evidence that people have, in fact, become more materialistic. These days, many people are using their disposable income or all of their income to purchase items that are wants rather than needs. In other words, there is an excessive amount of money spent on purchases that are of no specific importance, making people focus on consuming them rather than other priorities in life. Time spent on learning, communication with friends, and exploring cultures may at times be sacrificed for the purposes of pursuing material happiness.
Examples of excessive consumerism are ubiquitous. Phones and watches are some of the most obvious examples. When initially released, phones’ main function was to connect people, having a limited number of uses. However, now, smartphones can be used as a symbol of status, with iPhones being synonymous with wealth. Watches, similarly, are basic in nature, with the key function being showing time. Yet, companies like Rolex are selling many of their watches for thousands of dollars, and buyers are often collectors. One more example of the same trend is people’s obsession with cars. Some of the luxurious models by Bugatti and Ferrari can sell for millions of dollars, although one could argue that a car’s main role is to help people reach their destinations.
In conclusion, I firmly believe that consumerism does directly affect people’s likelihood of being more materialistic. The examples above suggest such materialism is present in many different forms.