Thursday, August 18, 2011

CONSUMERISM

I have no shame in saying that i always get ideas to write something while reading other's posts and this is no different:).whenever ideas similar to my thinking are posted, I want to say so much, then think why not write your own post about it.
When the riots in London happened, since then I was thinking that consumerism is showing its results. As I read in the papers that many youth looted things with selection..particular brands of jeans and like that.
In the west they bring out new paraphernalia for every month.it may be Halloween or fall..and people buy it..
They always try to tempt the customer and make them shopping prone.For every little thing one gets a different gazette and one accumulates everything. Showing love needs buying things..sometimes things which are not even used.

We are destroying our future and this planet both.In every sphere of life we need better behaviour , love and respect, not things.

Do we praise a guest who is obnoxious, though he/she may bring us an expensive present?
Are those children happier whose parents buy them a lot of toys  than those who buy less and give more love and time?
Are the parents who get lot of gifts without any respect are happier than those who get less gifts but respect?
Can the husband wife be happy only with the gifts without any care and love?

Things matter but to a limit only..its our character that matters more than anything else and nothing compensates the behaviour.

In most of places good values and behaviour wins all the way..neither our appearance nor the tags of our clothes matter, so why we hanker after them ignoring the values?........because it comes easy to us, behaving well or achieving something needs hard work, which not everyone can do....we are taking the shortcuts in life.

I request everyone to think and buy only what you NEED not what you WANT.Dont encourage waste shopping and accumulate garbage in your house, rather than accumulate wealth, that makes everyone happy in the long run.. I feel really sad to see the wastage of food in west..here whenever I have to throw eatables in  trash, I am very uneasy..so many people in the world are going hungry and here we are throwing.why? because we buy more than we need....why not buy a little less than a little more?

We dont need to do many donations or social service if we become judicious in our own life.everyone can have enough to eat and wear.

18 comments:

Urmi said...

Wonderful post. Very well written.

Rachna said...

True! Very few people have the maturity to understand what really matters in life. Most of the time, they are chasing short-lived material possessions. No wonder emptiness in life is increasing, and shopping is becoming an addiction for many.

deeps said...

The consumerist society we live has the attractive tactics to make us curious and thus our luxuries automatically become our necessities…
Nice post…

Jon said...

I wouldnt say the choice is dependent on an indvidual...'cos humans have the tendency to pick things which may nt be xactly good for them

up↑take said...

Valentines Day, Fathers' Day, Mothers' Day, Halloween, Thanks Giving -- all these are Shopkeeper's festivals. Unfortunately, Deewali and Christmas are also being used for consumerism. There is a saying these days -- "Keep Christ in Christmas". Society should set boundaries on where consumerism can and cannot encroach.

chitra said...

When millions are hungry wastage of food is a great crime. In most of the hostels so much food is wasted by the students and I get pained seeing that. I have tried my best to advise them . But all this goes unheeded.

Renu said...

Babli: Thanks!

Rachna:But why? why cant everybody see the results of western culture..recession, depression in Individuals, broken families etc

deeps: why cant we differentiate? otherwise whats the use of education?

Jon: we say thats the satan working in our body, why cant we let the god dominate satan?

uptake:..boundaries...are vanishing fast and in everything and making this jungle society.

Chitra: true, even I feel bad, but then my own children dont understand me, they feel that I am nitpicking.

Deeps said...

Very insightful read. "We dont need to do many donations or social service if we become judicious in our own life" Very true! Today there is a very thin line between luxury and necessity. Sometimes both tend to get intertwined.

sumukh bansal said...

appreciated..

KParthasarathi said...

".....Buy only what you NEED not what you WANT" A very powerful message.Shopping is addictive and is not a past time.Many visit Malls to spend time but end up buying wasteful things.To have more than what one needs is ethically wrong.

Sandhya said...

Very well written post, Renu! This trend of buying unwanted things has become the norm today because of the super markets. We just look at something and put it in the basket. We don't spend a minute and think if it is necessary.

Yes, we have to buy things we need, not what we fancy!

Cocktail Party said...

Your post did provoke few thoughts and I am glad you hit the nail on it. But what I believes is that it is not just consumerism that is to be blamed but the force that drives it. Why are people buying unnecessary stuff and hoarding it because the media, the norms tell us something is good for us in order to be accepted in the society and to be part of the tag conscious and cool crowd. Men are not respected for rational and individual thoughts but is pulled into the quagmire of plurality of clones...Yes!!! that's it and why is it so because there are a whole pack of selfish corporates and powerful people crushing the voiceless and the powerless.

Renu said...

Deeps:We have to make that line strong.'

Sumukh bansal: Thanks!!!

KpParthsarhi: But where are ethics today?.its always self gratification.

Sandhya: they say that this planet has enough for everyone, if everyone takes only what is required.

Cocktailparty: But then why do we listen to those people? we are adult and should have a mind of our own and do what is right.

hamaarethoughts.com said...

very well said!
its like a materialistic world.. the huger or greed it shows up..values,love respect is missing..very few have that and the fake try to empower the real ones...
I dont understand this Greed!

my space said...

renu ji ..kya haal hain ? Loved your post. wish we could inculcate thisdoctrine..need and not wants should be fulfilled...you know once in a while i like to peep into the blogworld and today the only blog i wanted to see was yours n IHM..I missed reading about janamashtmi celebrations..you always wrote about festivalss..hope u stil do..will drop by again soon..love ..

Amrit said...

I completely agree with you. A lot of people need education in this regard.

But on the flip side, our economy runs on consumerism...TV, ads, sales, window sales, special offers are regular features in stores that invoke people to buy more...

If people buy less, every one starts getting worried...

Ellen said...

You have said -- "I have no shame in saying that i always get ideas to write something while reading other's posts and this is no different:).whenever ideas similar to my thinking are posted, I want to say so much, then think why not write your own post about it."


Nobody has a monopoly on any subject. What we may be talking or writing about have long been done by many others before us... and many others more will after us. So we can truly say that nothing that has been said or written about is entirely very new. But we do inject our own interpretation, style, understanding, and personality.... and that is what makes the piece our own.

Keep writing. Because as there are many diverse varieties of roses out there in mother nature, so is there so much of diversity with people - things - experiences - and in writing.

Renu said...

Harman: I cant stand those directionless people who cant see beyond themselves.

My space: wow Aarti I am so happy to see you here..really miss you and your insights thru patanjali.

A:But I think that if some people buy less then, there will be some left for the others to buy..it will be more evenly distributed and will make the world happier.
May be corporates may earn less but public will benefit.

Ellen: so verymuch true..thats why I always write my own post as then I can say what I want to.....and most of the times my views are not shared by majority:)

Ellen I am so happy to see you, please keep visiting.

Ajanta Ellora

 Last week we made a trip to Aurangabad. We had a direct flight from here.we stayed in Lemon tree hotel and liked it. It’s totally value for...