Consumerism is not about consumers. It’s about consuming

The more we consume, the better our lives will be can be awarded as the most misleading notion of this world. Upto 70% off on Ego, Clearance Sale at Zubaida’s, Buy 2 Jeans and get 1 free from Levi’s and much much much more is ready to grab your attention while just passing by the road, a commercial area or a shopping mall.

Karachi, specifically, is the place where being Shopaholic is like winning a big game. Though the idea of consuming more is not communicated to us in a way as the crow flies but the bombardment of advertisements through different mediums leads us to this trail.

Many products have used consumerism as a marketing technique to lift up consumption of the product and elevate their profits. For instance, toothpaste ads are claiming that brushing twice a day every day is necessary but in actual, brushing while going to bed is needed and the person can have a mouth wash or so in the morning just to freshen up. But today, 90% of the world is not aware of this fact.

Why consuming more is negative? Rather, it can be beneficial for the economy. Turning the coin, global warming, destruction of forests, elevating standards of life for a common man, evaporating water resources, shortage of marine life, rapid rate of population growth, obesity and hunger are the problems in this world that are encouraged by consumerism.

Although, ethical shopping is also in practice in many developed countries and consumers too are concerned with the idea but they are still not ready to shop less for the sake of mother earth. Only not consuming a polythene bag or buying items that are not tested on animals is not sufficient.

Surely, the more we consume the more energy will be used and the world will move towards destruction. "Consumerism is now a lethal disease", says Jonathan Porritt. The need of the time is to change the culture..................... the culture of consuming more and more. Let our culture overpower on advertising industry and not the advertising industry to shape our culture.

Consume Less .......... Save the Planet !!!