The article explores why we tend to consume so much today and the immediate effects this has on our society

I have never seen as many consumerist trends in our lives as I do now; consumerism is a highly relevant topic that is much more noticeable in our society than ever before. I am certain there are various reasons why we consume more today than in the past. In this article, I intend to address several points I consider important:

• Accessibility: Since internet access became universal, many people enjoy consuming with a simple "click," regardless of time or place. We can buy what we want with ease, speed, and efficiency.

• Physical Spaces: Since the rise of large shopping malls, many people spend their time inside these malls, buying all kinds of products especially over the weekend. 

• Market Variety: It is true that today we have a huge variety of offers of all kinds, far more than before.

• Psychological Influence: Consumer behaviour is influenced by the internet use and advertising. Companies bombard us with new releases, and we think that the more we buy, the better off we will be. Consequently, people shop to experience instant gratification: a type of immediate happiness tied to the purchase.

• Financial Ease: Banks offer immediate credit to a large portion of the population, facilitating the consumption of services. However, in several countries, many people struggle to keep up with their debt payments.

We should not forget that the majority of the offers we can access today come from disadvantaged countries; therefore, many children may also be exploited so that we, in the western societies, can enjoy our purchases.

Finally, we must think about the environment. Excessive consumerism directly affects nature and our natural surroundings. The transportation of goods generates waste, distribution logistics cause pollution, and packaging is detrimental to our environment. From my point of view, we need to respect the environment more.

What was life like before consumerism?

Before the consumerism that we get to experience today, we would have spent less time shopping online; we would have bought less in general. The emphasis would be on spending more and more time with our friends and family: cooking, laughing, and telling stories. We would spend more time in nature rather than being "locked up" indoors.

We would focus on the "essentials"—on what we truly need to buy—and not on things that only serve to give us that boost of "instant gratification and happiness" that disappears minutes later. We would spend our money on higher-quality food and products, and less on material items like clothes and shoes. We would talk more with local merchants and support small businesses instead of the giants we buy from today (such as Amazon, etc.).

It is clear that our societal structure has changed. In my opinion, it is important to evaluate the benefits and leave behind what does not serve us. If we focus on the "essentials"—on what we truly need and what truly brings us happiness—we will put aside and in most cases forget about all the things that are unnecessary.