CONSUMER NATION Shah, Anup. (2001). Consumption and consumerism. Global Issues, 5, By: Emma Kite and Caitlin Senske Dr. Mills - Psychology 515 Spring 2008 By: Emma Kite and Caitlin Senske Dr. Mills - Psychology 515 Spring 2008

Today’s Rate of Consumption is… *Undermining environmental resources *Exacerbating inequalities *Having extreme global impacts *Undermining environmental resources *Exacerbating inequalities *Having extreme global impacts

A Consumer Nation  What does consumerism look like in America?  Who is it aimed at and what tactics are used?  What does consumerism look like in America?  Who is it aimed at and what tactics are used?

Private Per-Capita Consumption

Who Is a Target in the Consumer Market?  Advertisers and Marketers Target Young Consumers  Advertising to Children is Big Business  The average American child watches an estimate of 25,000 to 40,000 television commercials per year. * In the UK, it is about 10,000. * $15-17 billion is spent by companies advertising to children in the US.  Advertisers and Marketers Target Young Consumers  Advertising to Children is Big Business  The average American child watches an estimate of 25,000 to 40,000 television commercials per year. * In the UK, it is about 10,000. * $15-17 billion is spent by companies advertising to children in the US.

So, Why Children?  Marketers see children as a future (and current) market.  Brand loyalty at a young age helps in the quest of continued sales down the road.  This is largely where the consumer ideology begins  Marketers see children as a future (and current) market.  Brand loyalty at a young age helps in the quest of continued sales down the road.  This is largely where the consumer ideology begins

What Happens If We Don't Protect Future Generations? Grand Scale Implications:  Private and public consumption expenditures reached $24 trillion in  This is twice the level in 1975, and six times that of  In 1900 real consumption expenditure was barely $1.5 trillion. Grand Scale Implications:  Private and public consumption expenditures reached $24 trillion in  This is twice the level in 1975, and six times that of  In 1900 real consumption expenditure was barely $1.5 trillion.

How Does this Relate to Eco-Psychology? CONSUMER DEMANDS  Drive the way we:  Extract Resources  Create Products  Produce Waste CONSUMER DEMANDS  Drive the way we:  Extract Resources  Create Products  Produce Waste

How Does This Relate to Eco-Psychology?  CONSUMER DEMANDS  Lead to:  Environmental Degradation  Exploitation  Poverty  Hunger  CONSUMER DEMANDS  Lead to:  Environmental Degradation  Exploitation  Poverty  Hunger

Consumerism and Eco-Psychology

Critical Review Interesting Points: -Utilizes broad topic of consumerism and demonstrates the severely impacts on just about every aspect of modern life in the 21st Century. - 80% of all global brands now deploy a ‘tween’ strategy targeting 8 to 12 year old consumers. - “ The production, processing, and consumption of commodities requires the extraction and use of natural resources (wood, ore, fossil fuels, and water). It requires the creation of factories and factory complexes whose operation creates toxic byproducts, while the use of commodities themselves (e.g. automobiles) creates pollutants and waste. Yet of the three factors environmentalists often point to as responsible for environmental degradation- population, technology, and consumption- consumption seems to get the least attention.” - Richard Robbins, Global Problem and the Culture of Capitalism Interesting Points: -Utilizes broad topic of consumerism and demonstrates the severely impacts on just about every aspect of modern life in the 21st Century. - 80% of all global brands now deploy a ‘tween’ strategy targeting 8 to 12 year old consumers. - “ The production, processing, and consumption of commodities requires the extraction and use of natural resources (wood, ore, fossil fuels, and water). It requires the creation of factories and factory complexes whose operation creates toxic byproducts, while the use of commodities themselves (e.g. automobiles) creates pollutants and waste. Yet of the three factors environmentalists often point to as responsible for environmental degradation- population, technology, and consumption- consumption seems to get the least attention.” - Richard Robbins, Global Problem and the Culture of Capitalism

Critical Review Critiques: - Does not discuss many practical solutions to the issues that it addresses. - Very minimal graphs and charts to aid in the illustration of the plethora of statistical information. - Too in depth on wasted labor statistics, when it could have focused on more pressing matters Critiques: - Does not discuss many practical solutions to the issues that it addresses. - Very minimal graphs and charts to aid in the illustration of the plethora of statistical information. - Too in depth on wasted labor statistics, when it could have focused on more pressing matters