[POVERTY-01] Consumerism…An Impoverished Society [POVERTY-02] Occupational training for the unemployed: creating opportunities [POVERTY-03] Poverty Mapping [POVERTY-04] A New Body of Knowledge for Resolving Poverty in Thailand [POVERTY-05] Community Power to Cope with Poverty: An Social Senior Concept [POVERTY-06] Turning around the Poverty Crisis for a Stronger Community [POVERTY-07] Land is capital [POVERTY-08] Community banks a tool to form groups and contribute capital to uplift people from poverty [POVERTY-09] Community colleges Raising human quality standards and meeting the needs of the locality [POVERTY-10] Community shops to shield communities from money loss [POVERTY-11] Discipline and saving Put a stop on poverty Case study on Khlong Pia Saving Group [POVERTY-12] The government policy on distribution of land ownership [POVERTY-13] Sufficiency economy Thailand's achievement in dealing with poverty [POVERTY-14] Case study Farmers and wealth [POVERTY-15] Reviving the soil overcoming poverty [POVERTY-16] Development of thai tertiary education...closing the gap in the society [POVERTY-17] Tambon administrative organization's roles in solving the problem of poverty [POVERTY-18] New agriculture the way out of poverty dhanin chearvanont's concept

Consumerism…An Impoverished Society

            With every manufacturer and service provider promoting consumption in every aspect of our daily lives, the world we live in today is one of consumerism. It is everywhere we turn from the moment we take each day up until the time we go to sleep.
Everyone is affected by consumerism, more or less. As the intensity of the consumerism we are experiencing at present is expected to only multiply over time as manufacturing firms look to sell more thus making more profit and to benefit from economies of scale with each additional produced goods and lower investment costs.
To aim of increasing consumption of their products, companies employ various methods to pursue their goal. Advertising has been especially influential throughout the years and no one can deny that present-day technology offers a wide selection of means to create demand that can even result in excessive consumption.
Furthermore, strategies to generate artificial demand, perhaps to the extent that consumers get caught up in the excitement of entire process are plentiful. Such tactics can include increasing product value through the use of expensive-looking packaging causing consumers to have to pay for the packaging as well. Other means to entice people to buy even more are inclusive of offering items in sets rather than separately, thus making the consumer buys the entire package when in fact he or she wanted only one or few particular pieces. All of these tactics actuate consumer to excessive consume and also the result of marketing products at higher prices to offset the inclusion of unnecessary or unwanted premiums.
And to add to this, there is the heightened individualism present in society today that is reflected in how people lead their lives and how people select goods which leads to the consumerism we face today. Increased levels of consumption cause reduced supplies, shortages and poverty. And due to the purchasing behavior of members of society who buy a countless number of goods to show their individuality, people today end up with no savings.
Many government organizations have launched out various campaigns to people for their efficient consumption such as campaign for people to follow the “The Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy”. Another sample is the campaign for people to consume only necessities.
In any case, many people today realize the effects of consumerism and have tried to promote consumption that is reasonable and matches one’s needs. In addition, both public and private organizations are trying to launch out many campaigns for merchants to concern and follow the philosophy of sufficiency economy. Meanwhile, consumer should consume only reasonable and necessary goods by using the philosophy of sufficiency economy as a core.

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