This impact of our consumerist society is no surprise and has been discussed several times on this blog - British children are caught in a "materialistic trap" in which they are unable to spend enough time with their families and instead are bought off with "branded goods" by their parents, the United Nation's children's agency Unicef warns...
UK children stuck in 'materialistic trap' Society The Guardian
Britain's kids are trapped in the highest poverty rates in the European Union. British workers now work the longest average working week in hours than any other country in the European Union. The Government has attacked child benefits, child tax allowances, EMA and youth centres. These are the problems of children in Britain, not consumerism.
ReplyDeletePoverty, long working hours, unjust approaches to benefits, allowances, and youth centres are all significant problems. What is the cause of these things though Martin? Lets identify it and tackle it at its roots.
ReplyDeleteDo you not think that a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts (consumerism) is at least part of the problem?
This order is served by people working for it at all levels, whether in politics, finance, services private and public including education and health, mass manufacturing here and around the globe....It does not aim for meeting individual, family, community and social needs, sharing wealth and resources, environmental justice, conviviality, quality in our lives...it either opposes these or is blind to them.
Are you defending this social and economic order ie consumerism? Keep in mind that it increases the tendency of people to identify strongly with products or services they consume, especially those with commercial brand names and perceived status-symbolism appeal, e.g. a luxury car, designer clothing, or expensive jewelry. Can you show me how fostering a society based on this will cut poverty, reduce working hours, produce a better benefits and allowances system and youth centres? Isn't it clearly a system that worsens human relationships?
Well said Glenn. This is not an either / or issue. Young people face both these problems and more. It's a rotten society that we are bequeathing them, and I only hope for our sakes that they don't get righteously angry at our generations for what we have stolen from them, and the terrible mess we're leaving them.
ReplyDelete