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consumerism - 11/4/2007 5:42:39 AM   
angeldustx


Posts: 5
Joined: 10/20/2007
Status: offline 		Global Capitalism....... the question is how much value do you attach to items that you own? do you buy them because of advertising, or how you think you will appear to your peers? by owning a 'new car' or having designer label clothes and other consumables.  Do we allow advertisers to dictate to us what we should own?  and do you think advertising is is moving us towards a homogonized world? (where everything is the same!)

i have posted here as it is an international forum and will be particularly interested to hear views from all over the world!

thankyou for reading :)
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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 6:06:47 AM   
meatcleaver


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Joined: 3/13/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: angeldustx

Global Capitalism....... the question is how much value do you attach to items that you own? do you buy them because of advertising, or how you think you will appear to your peers? by owning a 'new car' or having designer label clothes and other consumables.  Do we allow advertisers to dictate to us what we should own?  and do you think advertising is is moving us towards a homogonized world? (where everything is the same!)

i have posted here as it is an international forum and will be particularly interested to hear views from all over the world!

thankyou for reading :)


Yes and yes. I keep saying it but people keep disagreeing which is their perogative but people aren't as free as they like to think they are and are influenced by the consumer culture we live in and that is why people work all hours god sends to buy worthless crap they don't need.

I don't own a car even though I could afford a couple if I wanted. I do own a motorbike I occasionaly use for long distances. I totally refuse to buy designer goods. I'm not going to pay over the odds for items just to have the previlege of looking like a billboard, the designer companies should pay me if they want me to be  walking advertisement. Designer named stuff is tacky anyway and everything is designed so its not as if you are buying something special. I guess people will throw money away on aspirational products because they are dopes that have bought into the emperors new clothes nonsense. I prefer to keep my money for the important things in life and its too hard to come by to needlessly give tacky companies excessive profits.

_____________________________

There are fascists who consider themselves humanitarians, like cannibals on a health kick, eating only vegetarians.

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 6:15:12 AM   
angeldustx


Posts: 5
Joined: 10/20/2007
Status: offline 		thankyou that is exactly what i was trying to find out! if these global actors (ie the designer companies) think that we are dopes/dupes hence they hike their prices up so people will wear their clothes and advertise for them! after all who needs a billboard or a tv advert when you have hoards of people and young adults desperate to be accepted because they fit in with their freinds/peers.  Its an interesting subject.... :) thankyou once again   

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 6:18:27 AM   
Aneirin


Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
Status: offline 		I became aware of this a long time ago and do avoid advertised goods. If I feel a compulsion to buy something, I ask myself why do I need it, if that need is genuine in that I cannot attribute it to any recent advertising material, I may buy or I may look for alternatives. Those alternatives might be something old, from yesteryear, something which does the same job with a bit of class.

I have never worn 'names', everything I wear is part of my own image decided by me, I like to be individual, not part of the crowd. Oops, I tell a lie there, I have got something which is a name, but the only thing and that is New Rock boots, but I got them for the look, shiny metal and black leather-yummy!But then wearers of New Rocks are hardly members of a crowd, well a large one anyway.

If I buy, then something has to be wholly fit for the purpose I intend and I do have a very critical eye.I look for the best in an item, not who it is made by.

The advertising people must hate people like me

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

(in reply to angeldustx)
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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 6:24:47 AM   
angeldustx


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Joined: 10/20/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Aneirin

I became aware of this a long time ago and do avoid advertised goods. If I feel a compulsion to buy something, I ask myself why do I need it, if that need is genuine in that I cannot attribute it to any recent advertising material, I may buy or I may look for alternatives. Those alternatives might be something old, from yesteryear, something which does the same job with a bit of class.

I have never worn 'names', everything I wear is part of my own image decided by me, I like to be individual, not part of the crowd. Oops, I tell a lie there, I have got something which is a name, but the only thing and that is New Rock boots, but I got them for the look, shiny metal and black leather-yummy!But then wearers of New Rocks are hardly members of a crowd, well a large one anyway.

If I buy, then something has to be wholly fit for the purpose I intend and I do have a very critical eye.I look for the best in an item, not who it is made by.

The advertising people must hate people like me


I think to own some things you like because you ACTUALLY like them is ok! but wearing accesories because your freinds have them (tends to be a teenage phenomenon i beleive) is actually VERY big business.

I am also talking about big companies such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola in this broad subject, and whether people just buy it because it is there and is convenient!  lets face it if you want a cola there are only 2 fron runners! Coca-Cola and Pepsico!

and what is it they say... many a good tune can be played on an old fiddle :-P

< Message edited by angeldustx -- 11/4/2007 6:25:59 AM >

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 6:32:08 AM   
Aneirin


Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
Status: offline 		I understand what you mean, but I consider alternatives, why seek a famous name when there are other names not so famous that do the same job. If I am hungry, the automatic thought is not ; Mc Donalds or Burger king or any of the high street names, I seek food and that is it, food. Down here it will probably be a pasty or a bag of chips(fries) or a sandwich from a lesser name if any. With pasty companies, I avoid the big names as the products tend to be meagre and over priced, anyone can make a decent pasty.

Cola, well supermarket own brands are a similar formula and at the end of the day it is a flavoured drink to quench our need for sugar.

_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 6:51:55 AM   
RealityLicks


Posts: 1615
Joined: 10/23/2007
Status: offline 		What about advertising which focuses on quality at low cost? Supermarkets usually take that line with only one chain in the UK (Waitrose - possibly M&S) which sells on other factors like environmental awareness, etc.

Personal items will always be sold on cachet and/or play on the insecurities of the viewer but what about power tools? Computers? Savings accounts? etc etc

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 7:02:16 AM   
Aneirin


Posts: 6121
Joined: 3/18/2006
From: Tamaris
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: RealityLicks

What about advertising which focuses on quality at low cost? Supermarkets usually take that line with only one chain in the UK (Waitrose - possibly M&S) which sells on other factors like environmental awareness, etc.

Personal items will always be sold on cachet and/or play on the insecurities of the viewer but what about power tools? Computers? Savings accounts? etc etc



My buying is based on whether I think an item is worth the asking price or not.

As to power tools, from an ex power tool repairman, I over time learned what is good value for the consumer. Not all power tool names excel in every application. I once made a list up of power tools based purely on how good they were, good in that if they did break down, it was a wear fault,like worn out brushes or bearings. Certain compact wood working tools from a big US manufacturer I rated low because their compactness in a wood enviroment caused them to fail due to constriction of the machines cooling abilities, they cooked their electronics. This was a common failure and an expensive one.

Computers, I do not care about the name, but what is inside the box and it's cost. Often a high spec machine can be got from an obscure name. The big names offer less for their name.


_____________________________

Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

Conservatism is distrust of people tempered by fear - William Gladstone

(in reply to RealityLicks)
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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 7:12:03 AM   
KenDckey


Posts: 4121
Joined: 5/31/2006
Status: offline 		I have been known to buy name brands.   I have even been required to purchase some by the Federal Government because they were the only manufacturer that had them available when I had to get them.  Fortunately they didn't cost any more than any other brand.  I purchase what I need.   I do not care what my neighbors have or want.   I could care less about sociatol norms.   I wear shorts year round.   Even in the snow becasue I choose to wear them.   I have a new car (a 2007 whice I bought used) because the 32 yr old truck I had finally gave up the ghost.   I bought some work uniforms required by Walmart for my neighbor for $1 each (yes they were new and without defect that I could find).  No I didn't care who made them or where they were made.   They fit the need and the price was right.  I don't get the paper or any magazines so I don't see that advertising, junk mail finds its way to the round file quickly.  Unfortunatley there are commercials on TV but I just ignore them.  Is my time to go get something to drink or eat. 

(in reply to RealityLicks)
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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 7:16:03 AM   
EPGAH


Posts: 500
Joined: 12/25/2006
Status: offline 		I think advertising is a failure in the modern world, at least for INDEPENDENT thinkers, which causes them to have to push out more clever ads, and often, simply MORE ads! They're even putting ads now in computer-games, which shows how desparate they are for you to watch their ads, especially when there are so many technologies offered to skip them! (Or the hardcoded ads in DVD movies that mysteriously disable the fast-forward button! I BUY/RENT a movie, and they "force" me to watch their ads...Could THAT annoyance be why DECSS was so "horrible" to them? People could once again fast-forward through the ads? Surely not!)
Some of the cleverer ads actually get YOU to look up MORE adverising on the Internet (No, thanks, I get enough ads on the Internet anyways), like the recent SubLYMONal series.
And of course, I think commercials/ads exacerbate the negative parts of consumerism: A certain diamond ad showed the people as interchangeable shadows with the "bling" front and center, another said "Every kiss begins with us" (Really? ALL women are mobile kissing booths, except that instead of 25 cents like it was back in grade-school, it's now a diamond ring/necklace that cost as much as my first apartment?), and of course, the AXE ads...(Ever notice how modern people have sex with their clothes on? Makes you wonder how overpopulation is possible!)
As to computers, get the bare-bones of whatever processor you like, you can add more RAM and a bigger hard-drive to it yourself for MUCH less than they ask...Like a pizza business, they make their money on the "toppings"!

< Message edited by EPGAH -- 11/4/2007 7:19:22 AM >

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 7:33:45 AM   
Owner59


Posts: 17033
Joined: 3/14/2006
From: Dirty Jersey
Status: offline 		  We`ve had a global economy for hundreds of years.
Consumerism ,is a good thing,when managed right.It`s as natural as breathing.

It`s only lately,that we`re having these problems.In the past,we made trade agreements that were truly fair and had real balance, in terms of costs and benefits to both parties.

We all want lower prices but selling out to the Chinese,via Walmart,Costco,etc.,is not the way to do it.

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 7:46:17 AM   
Owner59


Posts: 17033
Joined: 3/14/2006
From: Dirty Jersey
Status: offline 		'I think advertising is a failure in the modern world,'
 
  I remember a great (b/w)movie,starring Bing Crosby,where he finds himself somehow,living in  medieval Europe.The typical modern man goes back in time flick.
 
He`s talking with the King one day about this and that.They were discussing business/commerce,when Crosby mentions "advertising".
 
The King pops up a little,and asks loudly,..."What is advertising"??
 
Crosby ponders a moment and replies,"well,... advertising is a magic force that makes people buy things they don`t want,and don`t need need, with money they don`t have."


< Message edited by Owner59 -- 11/4/2007 8:07:21 AM >

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 7:47:59 AM   
RealityLicks


Posts: 1615
Joined: 10/23/2007
Status: offline 		In the case of films, it was once common practice to make a moderately costed film and advertise minimally, allowing it to build an audience and so recoup its costs. Since Jaws, Star Wars etc., costs have sky-rocketed as everyone looks for another  strong simple idea which they can screen everywhere simultaneously with enormous amounts poured into advertising its' opening. The industry is now built around the blockbusters, with only crumbs left behind for product of greater artistic worth. Its completely changed the way people do business.

Films like Transformers are little more than adverts for the toys that feature in them.

(in reply to Owner59)
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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 8:16:02 AM   
Owner59


Posts: 17033
Joined: 3/14/2006
From: Dirty Jersey
Status: offline 		  Who can forget the Alka-Seltzer advert,with the guy saying over and over,"that`s a spicy meatball!".

Ads can be good,and fun,and helpful.

They can also be the devil`s work.Like phony ads,negative advertising,and political attack ads.

(in reply to RealityLicks)
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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 9:10:06 AM   
Politesub53


Posts: 14862
Joined: 5/7/2007
Status: offline 		As far as named brands go, i stick to Levis as i have always found them good value. The fact they are poular in the UK means we pay around $100 a pair, I got 5 pairs for that amount last time i was in the US. Some named brands i wear only because i like the feel and the quality, but i wont pay just because of the name.

I cant recall the name but i used to wear a certain type of Brogue shoe, my local shop didnt have any in stock one day, the salesman told me, buy these they are made in the same factory and are just the same. The unknown name was 1/2 the price.

Car wise i have stuck to Japanese as i find them to be reliable, i dont want a car that lets me down on a regular basis. As for advertising, i dont take any notice of it, unless something is on sale...

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 9:55:45 AM   
KenDckey


Posts: 4121
Joined: 5/31/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

We all want lower prices but selling out to the Chinese,via Walmart,Costco,etc.,is not the way to do it.


I was just courious.   If we don't buy at Walmat, Costco, Sam's Club, et al, does that mean we shouldn't buy the same products that they sell?   If so, then I won't be able to buy some of my favorite things like food, meds for my medical conditions, Lodge cast iron, blue enanelware, plants, ..........

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 10:23:19 AM   
Owner59


Posts: 17033
Joined: 3/14/2006
From: Dirty Jersey
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: KenDckey

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

We all want lower prices but selling out to the Chinese,via Walmart,Costco,etc.,is not the way to do it.



I was just courious.   If we don't buy at Walmat, Costco, Sam's Club, et al, does that mean we shouldn't buy the same products that they sell?   If so, then I won't be able to buy some of my favorite things like food, meds for my medical conditions, Lodge cast iron, blue enanelware, plants, ..........


No.The domestic products we all know about,are not the real problem.

It`s the clothes,furniture and toys(Walmarts biggest earners),that are the problem.These Chinese made goods are made with supper cheap labor,even slave labor,as well as child labor.No environmental constraints and a load of cheap,dirty coal to burn,

One example.The Chinese use 20 -25 % more energy to produce a ton of steel,then we do.But still,they can under-cut us on the open market.It`s those unfair advantages that should be considered,when we make trade agreements.

We used to do that,in the past.Why can`t we go back in that direction again?

IMO,the drive to lower costs has driven down quality.Walmart is an example of that.

Note: I just shopped at a Walmart in Florida,for the 1st time.It was the only game in town.Sometimes,people have no other choices.

< Message edited by Owner59 -- 11/4/2007 10:27:12 AM >

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 1:15:08 PM   
Termyn8or


Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
Status: offline 		"Sometimes,people have no other choices. "

That's because Walmart killed the competition. They will lose money for as long as it takes, and then raise prices to profit making levels.

It is the perfect example of big money at work.

T

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RE: consumerism - 11/4/2007 1:30:45 PM   
ownedgirlie


Posts: 9184
Joined: 2/5/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: angeldustx

Global Capitalism....... the question is how much value do you attach to items that you own? do you buy them because of advertising, or how you think you will appear to your peers? by owning a 'new car' or having designer label clothes and other consumables.  Do we allow advertisers to dictate to us what we should own?  and do you think advertising is is moving us towards a homogonized world? (where everything is the same!)

i have posted here as it is an international forum and will be particularly interested to hear views from all over the world!

thankyou for reading :)


Great question, and very pertinent to me and where my life is right now.

I buy based on what I want, and its quality.  I don't care about brand names, unless of course said brand is better than another said brand.  I am mostly unaffected by advertising.  If I want something, I'll shop around, exploring all options until I find something that satisfies me.  I'd rather buy something of quality than something cheap that is going to fall apart later.  I'd rather buy something that is comfortable for me than uncomfortable, be it furniture, clothes, cars, etc.

Having said that, what value do I place on "things?"  None whatsoever.  In the past year or so, I have lost just about everything I own (my Dad, a marriage, my house and everything in it including family heirlooms and everything I've saved since I was born (photos, letters and such), my health, most of my money, and my job, due a layoff 2 weeks ago).  I have learned that physical items are meaningless (yes I know this is so cliche' but it is my truth now) and that love and relationships are everything.  Without those, you have nothing.  I don't care about "things" anymore.  Recently a friend of mine was worried that some of my things she shipped to me did not get to me.  I didn't care - they are things.  They are  nice to have but not need to have.  I've gone from living on a half acre in the country to a 700 square foot apartment with very little in it, and I've never been happier. 

So yes, while I prefer to buy quality products, in the big picture they have no value to me whatsoever, except whatever comfort they might bring to me for however long I might own it. 

(in reply to angeldustx)
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RE: consumerism - 11/6/2007 8:07:55 PM   
FangsNfeet


Posts: 3758
Joined: 12/3/2004
Status: offline 		I buy what looks and feels good. I examine stiching, material, duribility, and quality. I never buy anything just because of the name. I refuse to pay extra money on a product just because of it's Name or Logo. If I think that a product is over priced just because of its name, then I shop at TJ Max and ROSS. I make money, but I also enjoy keeping it.

I still don't understand why somebody would pay an extra $200 for a jacket just because Harley Davidson is written on the back. But everyone has there own priorites. When my sub bought a Dooney at Dillards, I made it clear that she'll be keeping and using that purse for a very long time.



_____________________________

I'm Godzilla and you're Japan

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