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Consumerism A Sign Of Social Illness
On this episode of the Lead With Purpose podcast host, Tze Ching Yeung talks about consumerism, the insatiable desire to keep buying more and more, and the relentless pursuit of material wealth which has become one of the major characteristics of our society. Is it just harmless shopping or is it a reflection of a social illness? In this episode she looks at some of the negative impacts of consumerism has on individuals, communities and the environment.
www.makingsenseoffashion.com
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Consumerism is very much fuelled by the ‘cult of materialism’, where people find their identity through acquiring new possessions. This mindset promotes a never-ending cycle of desire and dissatisfaction which in turn leads individuals to constantly want more, not feeling good enough and seeking out new goods to buy so they can feel better about themselves.
- Consumerism accentuates social inequality by promoting a culture where status and prestige are defined by the ability to accumulate wealth. Actually, it’s true and it does for many, but the growing gap between the rich and the poor is becoming more and more pronounced as consumerism pressures people to keep up with the unrealistic standards set by the affluent and so-called influencers. This in turn leads to feelings of alienation and inadequacy amongst those who cannot afford to live this lifestyle, which is the majority of us.
- The emphasis on external validation and materials success has a detrimental affect on our mental health. The relentless pursuit of possessions can lead to anxieties, stress, constantly feeling inadequate and being enough. The consumerism mindset is really not helping us to feel connected with ourselves or making us feel good about ourselves. The way consumerism is sold to us is to make us feel unhappy because it’s very difficult to sell to a person who is already happy with themselves or feel they already have all they need.
- We need to be more aware of what’s happening. Don’t just go out there and consume for the sake of consuming because there is a cycle that entangles us in this toxic environment where we need to buy new things to feel better about ourselves, or we shop because we’re bored or are feeling disconnected to make ourselves feel better.
BEST MOMENTS
‘We rely on our possessions to build our own self-worth and identity, and that’s a real problem.’
‘What we forget is that influencers may well be living this lifestyle, but for some of them, that portrayal is only a small part of it and is a bit of a lie.’
‘They need us to feel inadequate in order for us to want to buy more so that they can make more profit.’
‘Consumerism isn’t just about shopping, it could be food, alcohol or drugs.’
ABOUT THE HOST
Tze Ching started her entrepreneurial journey back in 2007 with the launch of a sustainable clothing and home furnishing ecommerce business. Next, she created a sustainable fashion brand.
In 2019, she launched a social enterprise to help raise awareness about the negative impact of fashion at schools and colleges.
Through the 15-year journey, she learned so much, but easily the most meaningful lesson learned was about the importance of marketing. She now focuses on channelling those insights to help others succeed, through We Disrupt Agency, a business coaching, mentoring and digital marketing company.
Tze Ching’s mission is to create a community of global change makers and to contribute to positive change in both people and planet.
CONTACT DETAILS
Tze Ching’s website: https://wedisruptagency.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wedisruptagency
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wedisruptagency/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wedisruptagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzechingyeung/
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By Tze Ching Yeung
5
44 ratings
On this episode of the Lead With Purpose podcast host, Tze Ching Yeung talks about consumerism, the insatiable desire to keep buying more and more, and the relentless pursuit of material wealth which has become one of the major characteristics of our society. Is it just harmless shopping or is it a reflection of a social illness? In this episode she looks at some of the negative impacts of consumerism has on individuals, communities and the environment.
www.makingsenseoffashion.com
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Consumerism is very much fuelled by the ‘cult of materialism’, where people find their identity through acquiring new possessions. This mindset promotes a never-ending cycle of desire and dissatisfaction which in turn leads individuals to constantly want more, not feeling good enough and seeking out new goods to buy so they can feel better about themselves.
- Consumerism accentuates social inequality by promoting a culture where status and prestige are defined by the ability to accumulate wealth. Actually, it’s true and it does for many, but the growing gap between the rich and the poor is becoming more and more pronounced as consumerism pressures people to keep up with the unrealistic standards set by the affluent and so-called influencers. This in turn leads to feelings of alienation and inadequacy amongst those who cannot afford to live this lifestyle, which is the majority of us.
- The emphasis on external validation and materials success has a detrimental affect on our mental health. The relentless pursuit of possessions can lead to anxieties, stress, constantly feeling inadequate and being enough. The consumerism mindset is really not helping us to feel connected with ourselves or making us feel good about ourselves. The way consumerism is sold to us is to make us feel unhappy because it’s very difficult to sell to a person who is already happy with themselves or feel they already have all they need.
- We need to be more aware of what’s happening. Don’t just go out there and consume for the sake of consuming because there is a cycle that entangles us in this toxic environment where we need to buy new things to feel better about ourselves, or we shop because we’re bored or are feeling disconnected to make ourselves feel better.
BEST MOMENTS
‘We rely on our possessions to build our own self-worth and identity, and that’s a real problem.’
‘What we forget is that influencers may well be living this lifestyle, but for some of them, that portrayal is only a small part of it and is a bit of a lie.’
‘They need us to feel inadequate in order for us to want to buy more so that they can make more profit.’
‘Consumerism isn’t just about shopping, it could be food, alcohol or drugs.’
ABOUT THE HOST
Tze Ching started her entrepreneurial journey back in 2007 with the launch of a sustainable clothing and home furnishing ecommerce business. Next, she created a sustainable fashion brand.
In 2019, she launched a social enterprise to help raise awareness about the negative impact of fashion at schools and colleges.
Through the 15-year journey, she learned so much, but easily the most meaningful lesson learned was about the importance of marketing. She now focuses on channelling those insights to help others succeed, through We Disrupt Agency, a business coaching, mentoring and digital marketing company.
Tze Ching’s mission is to create a community of global change makers and to contribute to positive change in both people and planet.
CONTACT DETAILS
Tze Ching’s website: https://wedisruptagency.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wedisruptagency
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wedisruptagency/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wedisruptagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzechingyeung/