Hey everyone! Just to refresh anyone’s memory, or if some of you haven’t read my inquiry question introduction, the topic I have chosen for my inquiry project is: How does consumerism affect society and our planet? To me, this is an incredibly relevant and intriguing question for many reasons, the main one being the environmental impact. The ways in which consumerism has altered our purchasing behaviour and increased our waste exponentially is one of, if not the most significant issues of our capitalist society and one we must strive to improve on.
My research rounds will go as follows:
- What is consumerism and why has it become so widespread? (This will help readers who aren’t well versed in the subject to receive a brief explanation on what is defined as consumerism and how it became so common across the world.)
- How has consumerism affected the way we think? (This will allow readers to gain a basic understanding of how consumerism has affected our behavioural patterns and subconscious decisions, as well as identify how they have been affected by consumerism.)
- How has consumerism affected the environment? (This will educate readers on the environmental impacts that have been directly and indirectly caused by consumerism, and how it affects climate change.)
Some resources I may use are:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210120-how-the-world-became-consumerist
https://www.historycrunch.com/history-of-consumerism.html#:~:text=The%20Industrial%20Revolution%20also%20played,in%20Europe%20and%20North%20America.&text=This%20led%20to%20consumerism%20because,afford%20a%20variety%20of%20goods.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-consumer/
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/a-brief-history-of-consumer-culture/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/consumerism-earth-suffers
https://www.activesustainability.com/sustainable-development/consumer-society-environmental-impact-planet/
https://www.globalissues.org/article/238/effects-of-consumerism#:~:text=Misuse%20of%20land%20and%20resources,of%20waste%2C%20disparities%20and%20poverty
https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/discontents
https://www.psychreg.org/consumerism-well-being/
As I mentioned in the introductory paragraph of this post, consumerism is one of the most relevant topics of our generation. As its hold on us continues to spread and its effects continually ignored, we are worsening an already bad situation. Due to this “need” to constantly be on the lookout for a new item to purchase, we worsen issues that are detrimental enough as they are, including economic inequality, resource exploitation, and climate change. By doing this inquiry project, I aim to educate my fellow students and me on the widespread implications our purchasing choices have on our planet, our community, and society as a whole.
Hey Victor, this is a very interesting topic! My inquiry questions is actually about the dangers of electronic consumer waste, so I see some really cool connections between our ideas. I agree with you that consumerism is greatly relevant to our society and planet, especially the environmental impact. After reading your 3 research rounds, I think your answers will be very well-rounded. I like how each questions is the basis for the next question, I think they will build on very well.
On your second research round, one idea that may be fun to explore further on is how consumerism can lead to a materialistic society. You can also talk about how a loop occurs: people’s ways of thinking transforms the society; this transformed society then further shapes the people’s values differently.
Here’s an website that might be helpful:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/consumerism.asp
I look forward to learning more about your topic!