Consumption

Shortly after WWII and economist advisor wrote this which has become the standard for America...

"Our enormously productive economy... demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and using of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption. ... We need things consumed, burned, up, replaced, and discarded at an ever accelerating rate."

Currently 99% of the things we buy are discarded/used/replaced within 6 months.

We see more advertisements in one year than people 50yrs ago did in their entire lifetime. Our "national happiness" peaked and started decreasing in 1950 at the same time consummerism/advertisments began to increase. What is an ad anyway except selling discontent to convince you, you need something more/new/different?

[Short movie that breaks down the whole process: www.storyofstuff.com and things to do about it: www.storyofstuff.com/anotherway.html