| Through the passing of time, the reach of | | | | do I really need this, or is this just a desire |
| advertising has become even more widespread in | | | | created by marketing and commercials? |
| society and the underlying desire for consumers | | | | Commercials and advertising feed off of our |
| to buy "stuff" has been constantly growing. Some | | | | peers by making this deal like we're not good. If |
| analysts say that this desire stems from fears | | | | we don't have the latest bottle or are not |
| and insecurities. Others say that corporations use | | | | wearing the latest style, then we are not as good |
| advertising to exploit consumers as early as in | | | | as the person who does. That's why trends |
| childhood, and through magazine ads and trends. | | | | change every season and new models come out |
| If you think about society before the invention of | | | | every year. It's an endless cycle of phones, cars, |
| advertising, they never had the urge to go | | | | cameras, MP3 players, T-shirts, and shoes. |
| shopping and buy new cars, gadgets, clothes or | | | | If we can take a step back and see the reality of |
| the hottest new trendy shoes. Fair desires were | | | | what advertising does to us, we can save |
| more closely tied to their needs such as food, | | | | ourselves a lot of stress and money by |
| shelter and basic transportation. Advertising and | | | | differentiating queen needs and unnecessary |
| consumerism have magnified these desires within | | | | wants. |
| us. Today more than ever, we are always | | | | It is possible to slowly let go of desires. Wish |
| wanting to buy and spend more. In the 1960s, | | | | gradual effort, we can learn to be more conscious |
| typically only one family member needed to work | | | | of our impulses and reasoning behind why we |
| in order to support everybody else. Today, most | | | | want to buy something new. Often times, we |
| families need to wage earners. And people are | | | | don't really need to buy something. Over time, if |
| more in debt than ever before. | | | | we distance ourselves from these desires, we |
| We rarely take the time to ask ourselves: why | | | | can simplify our lives by buying less, spending less, |
| do we need all this stuff? Why are we working | | | | getting into less debt, and earning less. Most |
| so hard just to have clothes we don't need, stuff | | | | importantly, we can be happier with what we do |
| we won't use, and trends that I don't even really | | | | have, rather than dwelling on what we don't have. |
| care about? What we need to ask ourselves is: | | | | |