Consumerism As a Big Problem

 

Consumption has been a part of life throughout the process when a person began to exist in the world. Consumption was made for needs in the early times. But today is different. It has started to be made no longer according to needs, but according to people's wishes, desires and status. This is due to the rapid increase in information and technology. This increase has created new professional groups. One of these is the social media phenomena we call Influencer. These phenomena introduce a huge number of necessary or unnecessary products every day, causing a frenzy of consumption and unconscious consumption. In addition, it allows us to see consumption as a determinant of identity and status and to direct our social lives in this way. It creates a society that thinks you can be happy by shopping. This situation is caused not only by social media celebrities, but also by ads on the Internet, on television, on social media that claim that they will change our lives, appear everywhere and cause people to consume. These purchases made by individuals are addictive. This in turn causes the consumption frenzy to increase. (Kazaz, 2022)The use of credit cards is one of the factors affecting the consumption frenzy. People who do not have money to spend use credit cards and take advantage of advantages such as postponement and paying in installments.  (Pakkal, 2015) 

Firstly, the introduction of a control on the promotions of social media celebrities that affect people is a general solution to the consumption craze. A commission has been established regarding social media promotions and this is to supervise these promotions and to impose daily limits on these promotions. It should start with informing the social media phenomena related to this topic. In addition, detailed conferences should be given. These should be made mandatory. Although this solution is not too permanent, it can affect this situation. In addition, more information should be provided in all advertisements and promotions that not every product can be used by everyone and that everyone is different. For example, a facial care product contains acid. It is not suitable for people with sensitive face to use this product for their health. Because this issue is not focused on in the advertisements or promotions, those whose skin type is not suitable also buy it, and then they think that this product is not suitable for them and buy a different one. This causes unconscious consumption. If more information is given about this issue, unconscious consumption can be prevented in this regard. There should be a lot of emphasis on the issue of waste and a stock limit should be imposed on most products. Although some of these solutions exist, many commissions should be created and investigations should be carried out on these issues very sensitively. 

It can be done in individual solutions related to consumption madness. Consumption has become an addiction nowadays. (Kazaz, 2022) Individuals need to know themselves about this and get help on this issue. They should not be afraid to seek psychological help. In this way, if the individual becomes conscious, he becomes conscious in society. Similarly, most products should not be changed because they think they are out of fashion or because a top model has come out. (Tüketim Çılgınlığını Dizginlemenin 5 Yolu, 2015)  This situation also causes environmental pollution. Because there is a lot of waste being generated and the waste warehouses may be insufficient for this. As an example, we can give the consumption frenzy in the use of furniture. People use furniture as disposable because it has gone out of fashion. These products have a large volume. Therefore, the place of use of waste warehouses is reduced. Especially in our country, this situation is very much. (Kazım Onur Demirarslan , Deniz Demirarslan, 2021) Using fewer credit cards is also one of the individual solutions. Now, thanks to banks, one-click or contactless purchases, it becomes easier to spend money, and a person does not understand the amount he spends. That's why we need to increase the use of cash and reduce credit card purchases. Another solution is to move away from discount opportunities. Companies make short-term discounts to sell products, which makes us believe that this is a very important opportunity. Many people buy products in order not to miss these opportunities. People should not believe in these opportunities and  people should resist the urge to buy. There can always be these opportunities and we don't have to buy every time. Walking around shopping malls increases the consumption frenzy. That's why people should walk in parks and beaches instead of walking around here. That way we can stop wanting to buy again. (Tüketim Çılgınlığını Dizginlemenin 5 Yolu, 2015)

As a result, there are many ways to curb the consumption craze. Although these are being done today, the effects do not seem to be too much. It seems to me that we are not aware of the importance of this issue and that is why we do not attach much importance to this issue. In my opinion, first of all, individual solutions should be started by making individual solutions instead of making general solutions. Because individuals become conscious and then social consciousness takes place. At the same time, the state should also give many incentives to raise individual awareness. Only in this way can we become conscious consumers and reduce the consumption frenzy.

Referance

Kazaz, A. (2022, Eylül). İrrasyonel Tüketim Biçimleri. Birey Toplum ve Dijitalleşme Bağlamında Tüketimin Yeni Formları. Konya , Selçuklu, Türkiye: Eğitim Yayınevi.

Kazım Onur Demirarslan , Deniz Demirarslan. (2021, Ocak 30). Furniture Wastes and Their Environmental Impacts as Being a Different. Derleme Makalesi. Kocaeli, Türkiye.

Pakkal, F. U. (2015, Şubat 25). Tüketim Çılgınlığını Durduralım. İndigo dergi: https://indigodergisi.com/2015/02/tuketim-cilginligi/ adresinden alındı

Tüketim Çılgınlığını Dizginlemenin 5 Yolu. (2015, Haziran 17). Karar : https://www.karar.com/tuketim-cilginligini-dizginlemenin-5-yolu-16421 adresinden alındı