The_+Matrix-Consumerism_Helinski

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As consumerism not only runs the nation, as well as the world’s economy, it is exponentially increasing the separation between the world’s wealthiest from the poorest. This is not only causing the poorer of the populations to have more difficulty to meet basic survival needs, but most of the times drive consumerism to exploit cheap labor to feed the demand of the product market. As these elite consumers gain more separation in the world, they begin to control more of the market. Worrying more about personal necessities instead of basic needs for others in the world which only increases the separation exponentially. The world's population continues to grow, and the wealthier portion of the population is increasing as well, raising the demand of their already exurbanite consumption. The increase of obesity adds additional strain to the food supplies that are already being depleted from the current rates of consumption from the world’s elite. The continual rates of over consumption allow corporations to exploit basic necessities as a profit opportunity which will most likely take root as a successful product in the consumer run world. Consumption and consumerism is nothing that is new to society and has been around for thousands of years. People need to consume resources to survive. However, consumption has evolved as people have ingeniously found ways to help make their lives simpler and/or to use their resources more efficiently.




 * Global Priority || $ US Billions ||
 * Cosmetics in the US || 8 ||
 * Ice Cream in Europe || 11 ||
 * Perfumes in Europe and US || 12 ||
 * Pet foods in US and Europe || 17 ||
 * Entertainment in Japan || 35 ||
 * Cigarettes in Europe || 50 ||
 * Narcotics in the World || 400 ||
 * Militray Expenses in the World || 870 ||

Source: [|The state of human development], United Nations Human Development Report 1998, Chapter 1, p.37) Globally, the 20% of the world’s people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures — the poorest 20% a minuscule 1.3% More specifically, the richest fifth:
 * Global Priority || $ US Billions ||
 * Basic Education || 6 ||
 * Water and Sanitation || 9 ||
 * Reproductive Health for Woman || 12 ||
 * Basic Health and Nutrition || 13 ||
 * Consume 45% of all meat and fish, the poorest fifth 5%
 * Consume 58% of total energy, the poorest fifth less than 4%
 * Have 74% of all telephone lines, the poorest fifth 1.5%
 * Consume 84% of all paper, the poorest fifth 1.1%
 * Own 87% of the world’s vehicle fleet, the poorest fifth less than 1%
 * Private and Public consumption expenditures were at $24 trillion in 1998
 * Twice the levels of 1975
 * Six times the levels of 1950

[|//Human Development Report 1998 Overview//], United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) — Emphasis Added. Figures quoted use data from 1995

The trends in the past 50 years have caused consumerism to grow at rates that have never seen before. The need to achieve comfort and life ease has caused strain on the market that has never been seen before. To meet the needs of the consumer market, all aspects of the world are feeling the stress equally. The environment is being depleted at astonishing rates to provide what is needed to produce the product demands. Socially, people are being placed in miserable working conditions and not being compensated to produce these needs for sale. As cars move from luxuries to necessities - Graph shows CO2 emissions from consumer countries

The world can simply not sustain the rate that consumerism is growing. The depletion of resources and exploitation of the world’s poor is only increasing over the years and does not show signs of slowing down anytime in the near future. In fact the trends only show that rates are only growing to increase until everything comes to a crashing hault, when all resources are depleted.

As more products are being produced, more trash is being created as well much of which is not taken care of properly greatly effecting those who take care of it:


 * 2.2 million deaths annually from indoor pollution
 * 80% rural poor in developing countries
 * Bangkok – 70,000 children are reported to to be at risk of losing 4+ IQ points due to high lead emissions
 * Latin America – 15 million kids 2 or younger are at same risk

The line between necessities and luxuries is becoming even more blurred as consumption continues at the rate that it does. It is causing people to spend more placing more strain on global economics standings
 * Income needed fulfill consumption aspirations doubled from 1986 to 1994
 * United States household saved only 3.5% of income
 * Half as much from 15 years prior

As consumption continues to grow, so do all of the aspects included with it including advertisement to the consumer public, especially those in the captive audience of young adult hood where consumerism is said to be at its peak. [|The state of human development], United Nations Human Development Report 1998
 * On average view 15,000 advertisements on television daily
 * Advertisements spending approx at $435 billion annually
 * Growing most rapidly in developing countries where life necessities are a struggle to obtain
 * Republic of Korea increased three fold from 1986-96
 * Philippines 39% every year from 1987-1992

The problem is not only consumerism itself, but the continuing trends associated with it. The trends are what is driving levels to reach exponential levels and act as the perpetual driving force behind it. Sever and strong actions need to be taken in order to change the current trends.

__Works Cited__ "Consumption and Consumerism ? Global Issues." //Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All ? Global Issues//. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. . "Effects of Consumerism ? Global Issues." //Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All ? Global Issues//. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. . // RensSearch: Rensselaer Libraries - Proxy Login //. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. . // RensSearch: Rensselaer Libraries - Proxy Login //. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. . // RensSearch: Rensselaer Libraries - Proxy Login //. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. . "Reports | Global Reports | HDR 1998 | Human Development Reports (HDR) | United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)." //Human Development Reports (HDR) - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)//. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. .