The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption Modernity and capitalist expansion are tied to growth in a number of ways. Capitalism – growth is tied to production and consumption, leading to a host of additional issues Modernity – growth is tied to advancement in a variety of spheres, such as sciences What are the pros and cons of modernity, and what issues do we have to look out for as aspects of modernity shift over time?

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption How has the world’s fertility rate changed in the past 3 centuries? Global Fertility Rate Year: Births per woman 1700: 6.0 1800: 6.0 1900: 5.2 1950: 5.0 2000: 2.7 2050: 2.0 2100: 2.0

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption Global Life Expectancy Rates Over Time Year: Life expectancy 1700: 27 yrs 1800: 27 yrs 1900: 30 yrs 1950: 47 yrs 2000: 65 yrs 2050: 74 yrs 2100: 81 yrs

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption With education, industrialization, and improved health care, proportion of young decreases; proportion of old increases in societies. Year: % < age 15 1700: 36% 1800: 36% 1900: 35% 1950: 34% 2000: 30% 2050: 20% 2100: 18% Year: % > age 65 1700: 4% 1800: 4% 1900: 4% 1950: 5% 2000: 7% 2050: 16% 2100: 21% Percentage world population under age 15 Percentage world population over age 65

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption How much has the world’s population grown in the past 3 centuries? World population in billions Year: Population 1700: 0.68 1800: 0.98 1900: 1.65 1950: 2.52 2000: 6.07 2050: 8.92 2100: 9.46 Is global population growth at this rate sustainable?

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption Commodity Fetishism Conspicuous Consumption Population growth/explosion coupled with consumer societies may not bode well for our future. If bigger populations are consuming more and commodity fetishism is increasing, businesses will fill these increasing desires/needs. In a capitalist culture, businesses’ main objective is to profit, so they will create greater desire/demand for products. Our environment has limited resources to make these products.

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption Historical and contemporary violence

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption “Asian slave labour producing prawns for supermarkets in US, UK” https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jun/10/supermarket-prawns-thailand-produced-slave-labour

The Dangers of Conspicuous Consumption What can we do to stop our skyrocketing consumption rates?