Taking Side By Kurt Finsterbusch Summary

In chapter 1.2 of “Taking Sides” by Kurt Finsterbusch, is about a social problem we are facing as society nowadays, and there are two articles from different authors that debate this topic. Professor Gary Gutting, states that even when capitalism have boosted the economy and it is important the production to supply the essentials material needs to consumers. On the other hand, Gutting (2013), argues that consumerism that well being and good life do not depend on the accumulation of materials, commerce, but on the things like love, relationships, health, that are priceless. Gutting (2013), suggest that consumerism have made us selfish and it is taking us far from the meaning of well common and real good life and happiness.

Michael Fisher, differs from Gutting in this subject. Fisher (2011), preaches about being able to enjoy more gratification and pleasure stating that these are the way to happiness. For Fisher gratification means to get what we want, or to be more specific, to consume material goods. Fisher made a review of James Livingston’s Against Thrift: Why Consumer Culture Is Good for the Economy, the Environment, and Your Soul. Fisher supports Livingston’s idea of consumerism based on the idea that it is moral.
The idea was to not to shop for 24 hours, and to promote the reduction of overconsumption. Sawicki also added how this movement was interrupted by the media that rejected the Buy Nothing Day commercials because it was against the economy policy of USA (1998). The purpose of this movement was to create awareness of the environmental consequences. According to this article, each American produces 120 pounds of trash daily, and in addition to that, Sawicki also encourage people to think about the real meaning of the holy days, and family. Sawicki