Why do we consume so much?Because we have a tendency to over consume because we instinctively (and, let's be honest, consciously!) recognise that we have "enough" of what we have.Because ads tell us. Because we can't control. Because we are surrounded in a fruitless dynamic desire. Just because we can. There was enough water, food, and money, among other things.But here's the thing: our earth isn't overflowing with resources. Earth was formed with renewable resources that, if utilised correctly, will stay sustainable; yet, with our ongoing overconsumption and exhaustion of these resources, not to mention our interference with the natural order of things, they will not.
The steam-engine-driven Industrial Revolution came before social mobility.Cottage weavers were used by cloth producers to "put out" or subcontract their orders.Cotters worked night and day to meet their orders, using tallow candles that gave out a brilliant and constant light, and witnessed a minor rise in their standard of life .
As income rise, a person may be able to put money aside to purchase a nicer home, nicer furnishings, or more exquisite apparel.Everyone was in charge of their own position in life because of social mobility.The phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" was coined.
The "Industrious Revolution(3)," which preceded the industrial manufacture of fabric, is fittingly titled.It was followed by sluggish but continuous economic progress, culminating in the present period of low-cost global shipping and rampant consumption.
Beneficiaries are never truly satisfied with their situation when living standards grow.Someone else always has a nicer house, vehicle, or furnishings, or sends their kids to better schools, or spends more money on cosmetic surgery.
Aspiring to live a more lavish life is a vicious cycle that traps consumers in debt and forces them to work harder to catch up to where everyone else appears to be.For enterprises, the current environment is favorable.
