Refusing Overconsumption

This is not going to be a light read, nor an easy one. This is about overcoming the way of our society for the betterment of ourselves and the world around us. You may think overconsumption is a trendy laugh, but it really is way deeper than that.

For a small-town American girl like me, this idea is very uncommon amongst my crowd back home. Most people I know spend their money as soon as they get it. Shopping at Target, longing for a new car, planning their next luxury trip, buying their children a million different toys, having the same clothes in several different colors, and Amazon-ing a new package every other day, all while probably feeling some level of discontent with the amount of money they have. Always wishing they had more, so their worries could finally go away, and their dream life of relaxation could arrive. Does buying things fix this discontent? Maybe. Or maybe the society we live in has pushed us so far into a consumption loop that we don't even know we're in one, let alone how to get out.

First, let’s come to an understanding of why our society is run in this way. We are living in a capitalistic economy, of course, I’m sure you know what this means, but I’ll put a different spin on it. We live in a society where having things is valued more highly than having virtues. Assets define success. Sympathizing with others shows weakness. This is systemic. You want to own the most things, therefore make the most money, therefore sell your abilities for the most money, therefore outperform others. What does this mean? It means that before you have the chance to sit down and think through life, decide what really matters to you, and choose how to be a good person, the system ingrains in you that happiness comes only thereafter ownership. And it’s okay to screw people over as long as you’re doing it for the necessity of coming out on top. When we are always competing with one another to own the best, "love thy neighbor" becomes less and less important. We want to be better than thy neighbor. This is a fundamental mindset that ensures our capitalistic and consumeristic society sustains itself. Dog eat dog, everyone out for themselves. And don’t spend too much time internally, or people will just think you’re a drug-loving hippie.

Second, let’s come to the realization of who is benefiting from this system. Spoiler alert, it’s not you and me. When we are always competing with one another, we see each other as obstacles to beat or competitors to outrun, instead of human beings. When we grow up with the idea that we need to have things to be successful, this need for more will never be fulfilled. Alongside this, nowadays, these things we constantly need, increasingly need to be updated and improved every few years. They are no longer made for long-term use. The system relies on us wanting a new car, a new TV, a new phone, a new wardrobe, and new shoes, so often that the ones we get rid of aren’t even close to depleting their usefulness. Maybe we receive some level of content and excitement when we make a purchase, but it quickly fades, only to return with the next one. This keeps businesses ever profiting, the average human ever spending, and the landfills eternally overflowing.

Who wins? Large corporations. Who loses? Us and the earth. A system made to keep corporations’ pockets full and human energy drained from an endless rat race against one another.

Now what? I’m going to tell you which mindsets I've inherited to make strides towards exiting the common American routine of mindlessly and endlessly buying things. The first step is always admitting. I think we all know deep down that having more things does not make us happy. The average American longs for fame and riches, while those who have them implore us that money does not equate to happiness. Just look at Hollywood. The place I grew up wishing to be in. Maturity is realizing that fame and riches are the worst things a human could have, the endless exposure, endless strangers in your face, and endless stories about you that you have to decide to rebut or let spin into a web of lies. The children in Hollywood who made it big, they have the most problems with self-image today. While we sit back and judge them. Shouldn't they be happy? Maybe you don’t want fame, just money. But the thing about money and desires, the more you have, the more you want. This is a hunger that is never satiated. The wealthiest people in America, you think they're happy? The elite rape children, the powerful assault people, and celebrities do so many drugs to numb their lives of no privacy; we only see the truth once their biopic movies get released.

Before I can ever hope to achieve happiness and long-term content, I need to realize it will never be achieved while looking outward. Of course, some things and environments can boost my happiness and ability to find such, but true pure contentment comes from within. The things we have, no matter what society has told us our whole lives, do not equate to happiness. Nor do they have to equate to success.

If you want to rewire your brain and rid it of this consumerism loop, reflect on what you find to equal success. For the majority of society, success is shown by wealth accumulation, career status, and material possessions. Me? I feel successful after having a really meaningful conversation with a stranger. When a stranger opens up to me for some odd reason. It’s actually not an odd reason; it’s because I’ve cultivated a welcoming environment of honesty and trust around me, so much so that strangers can feel it solely from proximity. I feel successful when I tell people I quit my job to start traveling the world. This means I've taken the first steps towards following my dreams, something that will no doubt result in sustainable contentment. I feel successful after the realization that a negative or toxic mindset I’d grown up having is no longer valid inside. This means I’ve either done ample inner work or I've just had a deep conversation showing me an alternative perspective. These things are my definitions of success: kindness, authenticity, empathy, inclusivity, and self-growth. If our culture used inner characteristics to define success rather than outer shiny things, our country and daily lives would look much different.

That being said, I know it is extremely hard. So hard that for some people, this idea of internal joy seems like a fairytale. But I promise it’s not. It takes time and effort, but we are all powerful beings. The mind is a powerful being in itself. Learn to control it, and you’ve gained control of your reality. Take small steps, make little progress, and believe in yourself. The rest will work out with time. I believe in you!