Consuming Desires

July Lewis was unable to attend book club this month, so Eugenia Marks wrote the summary. Thanks Eugenia!

At this month's book club we discussed Consuming Desires , edited by Roger Rosenblatt. The book is a collection of essays on consumerism and just why people in Western cultures buy so much stuff.

“It is not our responsibility to cut back so that other people can have our lifestyle. We led them into consumption,” contributed one reader. Upon discussion, the assertion was not changed. We talked about “led them into” meaning “showed them the way;” we pointed out one essay identifying human nature as wanting things better as a precursor to consumerism; we talked about the role of advertising. Group was divided as to whether advertising or human nature was the major factor in consumerism.

We talked about whether virtue of savings was a legacy of the Victorian era or came from the Depression. We noted that the virtue currently valued is not savings but a high credit rating, which ironically requires creating debt (and paying it off) to acquire a loan; an excellent record of savings and buying on savings is worthless in applying for a loan.

The notion of disposable income and disposable goods led to a discussion of loss of sense of purpose in our activities. Participants complained that lack of perspective and desire for immediate gratification, combined with velocity of acquisitions and brief communications, characterized those under 40. Some were concerned that TV and electronics are distancing or detaching young people from families. However, electronics permits awareness of each other, if not substantive communication, among family members.

Images of life as action-oriented presented by television was contrasted with the romantic escapism of movies of the 1930s. Both presented a vicarious desirable lifestyle connected to consumerism. “We have not progressed all that much.”

The easy access to money and rapidly transmitted information contributes to the problem of consumerism. Not enough real stuff, real experience, is available particularly for young. Computers represent simulation and fantasy.

On the subject of publishing, the loss of ideas as the basis for publishing a title was challenged by the idea that anything can be published on the internet. The lack of quality control of internet publishing, a lack of analysis—even short and sweet analysis, a loss of common knowledge were rebuttals.

Readers commented that no solutions to consumerism were offered in the book. There were commonalities of concern, but no solutions. One remarked that the introduction was extravagantly long and termed it “bafflegab.”

Assessing need as a basis for purchasing, understanding the culture of desire, and making personal decisions that consider the condition of the planet and its inhabitants may be answers. What solutions do you see?

Yours,

Eugenia Marks