In a society driven by media commercialism, we are pushed to become increasingly consumptive. Why?
I’d like to share a story that can serve as a starting point for this discussion.
A few days ago, a friend of mine (from Japan) told me about the financial difficulties his family has been facing—beyond the inflation currently affecting Japan. The main issue, he said, is their rising household expenses. He explained that his wife frequently buys branded shoes and bags.
I’ll repeat what he said.
“My wife shops too often. When I ask her why she buys so many shoes and bags, some of them are only used a few times. I don’t even understand why she owns multiple pairs of similar shoes in different colors. Doesn’t that seem unreasonable?”
“And what did your wife say?” I asked.
“You don’t understand me.”
I could imagine how the husband felt. Then, unexpectedly, my American friend responded, “You’re experiencing that too? My wife has a whole row of Air Jordans in her room. Just looking at them makes me sick.”
The conversation then drifted into various directions, eventually touching on global economic issues. What can we observe from this phenomenon?
Have you ever wondered why this happens? Where does this consumptive behavior come from?
At its core, this behavior is closely tied to media influence. We are constantly bombarded with attractive advertisements and promotions. Advertising and marketing techniques play a crucial role in shaping buyer psychology, with one main goal: to boost sales. We are encouraged to keep buying, tempted by appealing offers—even when we already have five or ten pairs of shoes at home.
The same applies to bags and clothing. Does this really make sense?
The more goods the market absorbs, the more resources are required. More forests are cleared for cotton plantations or livestock farming. More power plants are built to sustain mass production. More mountains are excavated.
So the question is: how many pairs of shoes does one person actually need?
Some might say one or two—the rest are merely decoration. That is why we hope the shoes we create will be the last pair you need for the next five years.