On top of all that, as a rule, I object to the principles of unfettered consumption and capitalist visions of eternal growth. For a long time, I
The price to put our money where our morals are is relatively low, though even here, the lower your budget, the harder the ethical choice becomes.
Tired of the endless cycle of buying more? Discover how underconsumption core helps you break free from consumerism and reclaim your power.
One of the most straightforward – and cost-effective – ways to lead a more sustainable life is simply to buy less stuff. Buying things we don’t actually need isn’t rational, but in the context of a culture of consumerism, it certainly feels like it is. Buying is how we define ourselves, how we identify and fit in with groups and, often, how we spend time together. As social creatures in a society built around consumerism, it makes sense that we’re willing – or even eager – to buy things we don’t need and maybe can’t afford in order to be part of the group. In a culture of consumerism, work for pay ranks above all other ends – including family, friends, volunteering and other social goods. It makes sense that reducing the time and energy we spend on consumption – or working to afford our consumption habits – would also mean having more time for ourselves, other people and our communities.
People who consume less are happier because they understand that they NEED less which is liberating.
Reduced consumption includes resource-saving behaviors and implies an overall reduction in the volume of consumption (e.g., repairing broken goods and avoiding
This paper explores the role of cheap excuses in product choice. If agents feel that they fulfill one ethical aspect, they may care less about other independent
Six studies examine the sustainability of high-end products, investigate consumers’ decision making when considering high-end versus ordinary goods, and identify effective marketing strategies to emphasize product durability, an important and valued dimension of sustainable consumption. Journal of Marketing 1-16 ª American Marketing Association 2021 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0022242921993172 journals.sagepub.com/home/jmx Focusing on the clothing and accessories industries, this research explores three aspects of sustainable luxury consump-tion: (1) whether high-end1 products are more sustainable by virtue of their longer product life cycles, (2) how consumers process information regarding the durability of these high-end products, and (3) how marketers can help consumers overcome a failure to consider product durability and promote the pur-chase of fewer, higher-end products that will last longer. We propose that focusing on the durability aspect of sustainability can be an effective marketing strategy for high-end brands to promote their products, while at the same time nudging consumers toward buying fewer, better goods.