Consumerism - Amitai Etzioni and Juliet Schor - Essay Example

The economic system prompts them to keep on working hard in order to meet their insatiable needs. The culture created presents a great challenge to consumerism, therefore the awareness created by the authors should act as a mind opener. Towards the achievement of a population that shops for what they need and not what the busy economic mindset requires of them will take time and effort.
Amitai Etzioni asserts that regulations are the way to prevent an economic decline brought about by businesses. In terms of consumer consumption, a culture change supersedes regulations, but it seems too difficult to develop such a change. Many Americans have continued to work hard to sustain their livelihoods in terms of reaching their wants. As he notes “what needs to be eradicated… the obsession with acquisition that has become the organizing principle of American life” (Etzioni, 2012). People get to great lengths for the sole purpose of maximizing their earnings in an effort to meet their physiological-motivated needs.
Society has branded more money and more things to mean ‘good life’ when in real terms the struggles are too much compared to the benefits thereof. He continues to assert that capitalism has been the key player in facilitating the consumer trends seen. However, capitalism cannot be solely blamed on the woes, what needs to be done is create a balance between consumption and other engagements (Etzioni, 2012). The perception that increased income relates to increased happiness is misplaced and cannot hold. This is not an advocacy for laxity in striving to be economically stable, but a call for individuals to be cognizant of the need to regulate their consumption. Because of the perception taken against consumption, the public should be made to understand that manageable consumption could not be related to failure (Etzioni, 2013).
On the other hand, Juliet Schor presents a view that consumption should be individualized and not be presented as a public affair. She talks about the misplaced thinking that prompts individuals to keep on spending. Her suggestions clearly depict a systematic approach to consumption. She notes that a decent living should be a factor in satisfying the needs and not the wants. In addition, she advocates that the focus should be to improve the quality of life and not a desire to see the massive items all around them, pushing hard to belong to a consumption class is an irrelevant and displaced move. The consumption levels ought to be in a way that encourages conservation of the ecology. Consumption also should be made to be free will without having influences from the producers and retailers (Schor, 1999).
The two authors establish a common ground of argument. From their views, ‘political’ aspects in the consumption chain have hampered freedom of consumption. They strongly advocate for a change in consumption culture in an attempt to vary the current spending dynamics. Quality of life has also been emphasized; individuals should not only focus on earning and being reduced to shoppers who do not have even the time to do it. The little time available is fixed with one activity after the other. They also call for regulations through the government and the relevant stakeholders in order to create a need-related consumption. The revitalization of consumer and labor movements to focus on this hidden yet dangerous trend is an urgent need in an attempt to protect the consumers. At the end of their arguments, the suggestions provided are based on cultural change among the consumers in order to prevent unnecessary hard work whose products are miserably spent in making acquisitions.
Consumption has a trend that is influenced by many factors: individuals are prompted to spend by factors within their control. I agree with the authors since the main solution can only take an individualistic approach that can change the masses. The busyness of our community is a plausible move but the priorities of the consumers need a change. The culture has made individuals slaves of seeking more money, more goodies but with satisfaction and improved quality of life. In my view, regulations cannot provide a lasting solution to consumerism but a culture change and an individualistic approach to shopping that is based on the need.
In conclusion, the two authors present deep-seated issues that need a close look. The consumption patterns have created a culture that has kept many individuals striving to work hard in order to satisfy their wants.