Hyper Consumerism: The Mexican Economy And The Environment
Hyper consumerism, which consequences brings with it to the Mexican economy and the environment?
Abstract
This final essay will talk about what is Hyper consumerism, And knowing well what it is and its causes we will know which solutions can be apply to this problem, that in this essay is only focused on Mexico, but its not a problem only for this country. Also the economy of the Mexicans is not the only one affected, because is like a chain that involves more aspects and a very important one is the environment.
“Talk about responsible consumption is to raise the problem of overconsumption of developed societies and powerful groups in any society that continues to grow as if the Earth 's capacities were infinite” Daly, H. (1997)
Hyper …show more content…
consumerism, which consequences brings with it to the
Mexican economy and the environment?
Exist several definitions of hyper consumerism also known as consumerism taken to an abnormal degree, but in more specific words there is one that can explain all those definitions and it says “is the belief that personal wellbeing and happiness depends to a very large extent on the level of personal consumption, particularly on the purchase of material goods.”
The hyper consumerism in the words of various authors agree, it is believed even more than the solution to this is teaching the population that the obsession towards consumption has consequences beyond that then you can not pay for the items, but will affect many other sectors that are of much importance, but urges education about the consumer measures, because as David Garcia, says that each day the percentage of people who are dissatisfied with what they have increased, even if they live well and know that although they can not pay are still buying .
The South African writer Nadine Gordmier, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, which also has acted goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says in 1999 that: "The consumption is necessary for human development when it enlarges the capacity of people and improves their life, without compromising the lives of others." "As for us, the consumers out of control, you need to consume less, for more than 1000 million of the world 's poorest people increase their consumption is a matter of life and death and a basic right"
The main reason hyper consumerism happens, well actually there many factors that contribute to this big problem, the first can be marketing, the consumerism starts with this, because its very misleading at the time you watch T.V., you go on the street and panoramic appear, you hear the radio, commercials on the theaters and son many ways the marketing ties people to go to they stores or know the technology allows you to buy by internet and even more easy if have an smartphone, that also almost everyone now a days have one, you can search and obtain most of the things by just making click in the item you want, this is another point to talk in this essay but it´ll be later; so with internet access, smartphone or only going shopping you can buy things that in that moment you think they are necessary because it is the fashion item, or what everyone use or have.
Another reason why hyper consumerism occurs is because now a day almost every Mexican citizen has al least a debit card and according to a study realized by CONDUSEF it concluded, "In Mexico, 17% of the population has credit card. Of these, 56 of every 100 people use to "pay needs at home." The same survey detailed that 48% of people who have a credit card have been late at least once in the payment thereof. " So that percent that use they credit card and that they didn´t pay on time is the consequence of the consumerism in excess, because you buy that much that you can pay when the financial statement came to you, and you have the necessity to ask for an loan to the bank or to the company you work for. And here is when we can actually start to understand that it is like a chain, you have your money in the bank, you got credit cards or you only have your savings in there, but you start buying all the articles of fashion, the trending ones, the newest version of the one you have, making the clarification that most of the times it is in good conditions; you want to have more tan your neighbor, brother, sister, classmate etc. and only because you want to feel that with that items or articles you are “happy”, you got in consequence that at the end of the month or of the year you can pay what you should and you go to the bank to ask for the loan and so on. But the problem it not stop in there, because not only you are in the same condition there are thousands of people in the same trouble as you, so the conclusion of this chain is that people need financial education, and make conscience about what they really need and checking what they really have and use. So what they don’t need more they can recycle or make donations to someone can still us it. "Financial crises occur not only for mismanagement of the entities, but also by the lack of financial education (...) Mexico is at the right time to implement the measures necessary to protect the consumer and financial education, as that 60% of the population has access to banking." Alejandro Werner Wainfeld, Undersecretary of Finance and Public Credit.
Another good point to mention in this part of the financial theme, is that sometimes the bank loans people asks to the bank, instead of solving the financial problems causes that people decide to use it to continue with their unnecessary purchase, while in consequence it does not end the financial problems they have and also the chain which has been talking has no happy ending.
And everyone can say or thought, its okay it is only a financial problem, but the answer to that comment is that isn’t true, the problem goes more beyond than only financial, it also affects the environment and more of what you think, throughout this essay it is being saying that hyper consumerism is a chain of several problems, well now we can add environmental problem. “Sufficient to note that the 20 richest countries in the world have used nature in this century, that it is to say more raw materials and nonrenewable energy resources, that all mankind throughout history and prehistory Vilches, A. …show more content…
(2003) The problem starts because you buy so many things that you don’t even know how many trees they need to cut ot make that product, that is not only one, the factory produces thousands and thousands of it, then those factory produce many emissions of carbon dioxide that affects the atmosphere, and also with those emission the acid rain is produce and that acid rain, affect in the agriculture of the country, in cancer of the population, the animals, plants and so many stuff that see´s affected with all that.
Also a very natural resource that its affected is the water, according to Bovet, with all these we are overusing and depleting resources as essential as water, which will impact on the lives of future generations. Groundwater, which renewal may need thousands of years are being literally taken by assault and the exploitation results in a rapid decline of the water table, causing leakage of sea water and land subsidence. So the environmental sustainability is simple, because the planet cannot support the life style we are carrying out. So to try to stop the big mess we made, either we stop our consumption in excess or we will end with our natural resources that in few words the natural resources are more efficient tan all the things we buy just to feel us happy or satisfied with
ourselves. In conclusion, this is a big alert to stop hyper consumerism or at least try to be more educated, one solution to this big problem is to make conscience in those younger generations that start having an account in the banks, those who start with a credit card, also those ones that start a business and they will begin having money and they think they can you use it in all the new articles for they homes, sons etc, this sector is very important at this days because are the ones with more possibilities to be tie to the marketing and buy all that stuff stores and companies want you to buy, and when they already make conscience try or make that they have a financial education in their own economies so they can know how to take care of money, without asking loans to the bank and when we obtain that also we will approach the importance of the environmental sustainability, and another point to be better in hyper consumerism is to recycle all that stuff you don’t use more, or that stuff you think it wont work more try to give someone that can take advantage of it or found another use for it. Finally we cans ay that having financial education we not only have improvements in our economy also we can help to recover the economy of our country, and with a moderate consumerism we also can help the environmental sustainability to recover and at the level of business, companies etc, they will make conscience in making and creating products with more quality so they can last more time or work better. So people don’t need to buy every month or every year.
References
BOVET, P., REKACEWICZ, P, SINAÏ, A. y VIDAL, A. (Eds.) (2008). Atlas Medioambiental de Le Monde Diplomatique, París: Cybermonde.
CONDUSEF, Proteja su Dinero, Retrieved the, 10 of may of 2012 from: http://www.condusef.gob.mx/Revista/index.php/puntos-cardinales/119-semana-nacional-de-educacion-financiera-revista-num-116
DALY, H. (1997). Criterios operativos para el desarrollo sostenible. En Daly, H. y Schutze, C. Crisis ecológica y sociedad. Valencia: Ed. Germania.
Mansell, C. Las finanzas populares en México. El redescubrimiento de un sistema financiero olvidado, México, CEMLA, Editorial Milenio, ITAM,1995, p.74.
Martín, D. G. (2011). Express “El Hiperconsumo sin futuro”. Retrieved on 22 of april of 2010 from: http://www.expresszacatecas.com/bienvenido/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=624:hiperconsumo-sin-futuro&catid=101:generales&Itemid=481
Rangel, A. 2007. Filosofía. “El Hiperconsumo”. Retrieved on 22 of april of 2010 from: http://www.filosofia.mx/index.php?%2Fperse%2Farchivos%2Fel_hiperconsumo%2F
Vergara, B. Cuide su Dinero y Mejore su Economía (Finanzas Personales), Mac Graw Hill,1997, pág.24:
Vilches, A., Pérez, D., Toscano, J.c. y Macías, O. (2008). “Consumo responsable” [artículo en línea]. OEI. Retrieved on 22 of april of 2010 from: http://www.economiasolidaria.org/noticias/hiperconsumo_irresponsable
Abstract
This final essay will talk about what is Hyper consumerism, And knowing well what it is and its causes we will know which solutions can be apply to this problem, that in this essay is only focused on Mexico, but its not a problem only for this country. Also the economy of the Mexicans is not the only one affected, because is like a chain that involves more aspects and a very important one is the environment.
“Talk about responsible consumption is to raise the problem of overconsumption of developed societies and powerful groups in any society that continues to grow as if the Earth 's capacities were infinite” Daly, H. (1997)
Hyper …show more content…
consumerism, which consequences brings with it to the
Mexican economy and the environment?
Exist several definitions of hyper consumerism also known as consumerism taken to an abnormal degree, but in more specific words there is one that can explain all those definitions and it says “is the belief that personal wellbeing and happiness depends to a very large extent on the level of personal consumption, particularly on the purchase of material goods.”
The hyper consumerism in the words of various authors agree, it is believed even more than the solution to this is teaching the population that the obsession towards consumption has consequences beyond that then you can not pay for the items, but will affect many other sectors that are of much importance, but urges education about the consumer measures, because as David Garcia, says that each day the percentage of people who are dissatisfied with what they have increased, even if they live well and know that although they can not pay are still buying .
The South African writer Nadine Gordmier, winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, which also has acted goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says in 1999 that: "The consumption is necessary for human development when it enlarges the capacity of people and improves their life, without compromising the lives of others." "As for us, the consumers out of control, you need to consume less, for more than 1000 million of the world 's poorest people increase their consumption is a matter of life and death and a basic right"
The main reason hyper consumerism happens, well actually there many factors that contribute to this big problem, the first can be marketing, the consumerism starts with this, because its very misleading at the time you watch T.V., you go on the street and panoramic appear, you hear the radio, commercials on the theaters and son many ways the marketing ties people to go to they stores or know the technology allows you to buy by internet and even more easy if have an smartphone, that also almost everyone now a days have one, you can search and obtain most of the things by just making click in the item you want, this is another point to talk in this essay but it´ll be later; so with internet access, smartphone or only going shopping you can buy things that in that moment you think they are necessary because it is the fashion item, or what everyone use or have.
Another reason why hyper consumerism occurs is because now a day almost every Mexican citizen has al least a debit card and according to a study realized by CONDUSEF it concluded, "In Mexico, 17% of the population has credit card. Of these, 56 of every 100 people use to "pay needs at home." The same survey detailed that 48% of people who have a credit card have been late at least once in the payment thereof. " So that percent that use they credit card and that they didn´t pay on time is the consequence of the consumerism in excess, because you buy that much that you can pay when the financial statement came to you, and you have the necessity to ask for an loan to the bank or to the company you work for. And here is when we can actually start to understand that it is like a chain, you have your money in the bank, you got credit cards or you only have your savings in there, but you start buying all the articles of fashion, the trending ones, the newest version of the one you have, making the clarification that most of the times it is in good conditions; you want to have more tan your neighbor, brother, sister, classmate etc. and only because you want to feel that with that items or articles you are “happy”, you got in consequence that at the end of the month or of the year you can pay what you should and you go to the bank to ask for the loan and so on. But the problem it not stop in there, because not only you are in the same condition there are thousands of people in the same trouble as you, so the conclusion of this chain is that people need financial education, and make conscience about what they really need and checking what they really have and use. So what they don’t need more they can recycle or make donations to someone can still us it. "Financial crises occur not only for mismanagement of the entities, but also by the lack of financial education (...) Mexico is at the right time to implement the measures necessary to protect the consumer and financial education, as that 60% of the population has access to banking." Alejandro Werner Wainfeld, Undersecretary of Finance and Public Credit.
Another good point to mention in this part of the financial theme, is that sometimes the bank loans people asks to the bank, instead of solving the financial problems causes that people decide to use it to continue with their unnecessary purchase, while in consequence it does not end the financial problems they have and also the chain which has been talking has no happy ending.
And everyone can say or thought, its okay it is only a financial problem, but the answer to that comment is that isn’t true, the problem goes more beyond than only financial, it also affects the environment and more of what you think, throughout this essay it is being saying that hyper consumerism is a chain of several problems, well now we can add environmental problem. “Sufficient to note that the 20 richest countries in the world have used nature in this century, that it is to say more raw materials and nonrenewable energy resources, that all mankind throughout history and prehistory Vilches, A. …show more content…
(2003) The problem starts because you buy so many things that you don’t even know how many trees they need to cut ot make that product, that is not only one, the factory produces thousands and thousands of it, then those factory produce many emissions of carbon dioxide that affects the atmosphere, and also with those emission the acid rain is produce and that acid rain, affect in the agriculture of the country, in cancer of the population, the animals, plants and so many stuff that see´s affected with all that.
Also a very natural resource that its affected is the water, according to Bovet, with all these we are overusing and depleting resources as essential as water, which will impact on the lives of future generations. Groundwater, which renewal may need thousands of years are being literally taken by assault and the exploitation results in a rapid decline of the water table, causing leakage of sea water and land subsidence. So the environmental sustainability is simple, because the planet cannot support the life style we are carrying out. So to try to stop the big mess we made, either we stop our consumption in excess or we will end with our natural resources that in few words the natural resources are more efficient tan all the things we buy just to feel us happy or satisfied with
ourselves. In conclusion, this is a big alert to stop hyper consumerism or at least try to be more educated, one solution to this big problem is to make conscience in those younger generations that start having an account in the banks, those who start with a credit card, also those ones that start a business and they will begin having money and they think they can you use it in all the new articles for they homes, sons etc, this sector is very important at this days because are the ones with more possibilities to be tie to the marketing and buy all that stuff stores and companies want you to buy, and when they already make conscience try or make that they have a financial education in their own economies so they can know how to take care of money, without asking loans to the bank and when we obtain that also we will approach the importance of the environmental sustainability, and another point to be better in hyper consumerism is to recycle all that stuff you don’t use more, or that stuff you think it wont work more try to give someone that can take advantage of it or found another use for it. Finally we cans ay that having financial education we not only have improvements in our economy also we can help to recover the economy of our country, and with a moderate consumerism we also can help the environmental sustainability to recover and at the level of business, companies etc, they will make conscience in making and creating products with more quality so they can last more time or work better. So people don’t need to buy every month or every year.
References
BOVET, P., REKACEWICZ, P, SINAÏ, A. y VIDAL, A. (Eds.) (2008). Atlas Medioambiental de Le Monde Diplomatique, París: Cybermonde.
CONDUSEF, Proteja su Dinero, Retrieved the, 10 of may of 2012 from: http://www.condusef.gob.mx/Revista/index.php/puntos-cardinales/119-semana-nacional-de-educacion-financiera-revista-num-116
DALY, H. (1997). Criterios operativos para el desarrollo sostenible. En Daly, H. y Schutze, C. Crisis ecológica y sociedad. Valencia: Ed. Germania.
Mansell, C. Las finanzas populares en México. El redescubrimiento de un sistema financiero olvidado, México, CEMLA, Editorial Milenio, ITAM,1995, p.74.
Martín, D. G. (2011). Express “El Hiperconsumo sin futuro”. Retrieved on 22 of april of 2010 from: http://www.expresszacatecas.com/bienvenido/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=624:hiperconsumo-sin-futuro&catid=101:generales&Itemid=481
Rangel, A. 2007. Filosofía. “El Hiperconsumo”. Retrieved on 22 of april of 2010 from: http://www.filosofia.mx/index.php?%2Fperse%2Farchivos%2Fel_hiperconsumo%2F
Vergara, B. Cuide su Dinero y Mejore su Economía (Finanzas Personales), Mac Graw Hill,1997, pág.24:
Vilches, A., Pérez, D., Toscano, J.c. y Macías, O. (2008). “Consumo responsable” [artículo en línea]. OEI. Retrieved on 22 of april of 2010 from: http://www.economiasolidaria.org/noticias/hiperconsumo_irresponsable