Consumptioness

The Need to Buy. The Need to Consume...

[heather88-n-blog]

"Unions are about fairness: workplace fairness; economic fairness; opportunity fairness; political fairness; and democratic fairness. Unions promote fairness, not just for their members, but for all Canadians."

          - James Clancy, National President, National Union of Public and General Employees

Labour unions help with many issues that employees are facing, some including the salaries of employees, the work-hours, the working conditions, the health benefits, and many more concerns that the staff may have issues with. One of the key ideas that we must first grasp about labour unions, is the fact that they represent a collective identity. Their main goal is to express the concerns of workers and they contribute with one another, in order to bring change between employees and employers.

Just how, Clancy states above, labour unions are not only fair to the employees but also to the citizens of Canada. They express a small populace of people and help them receive justice through their abilities to use collective bargaining. This type of negotiation brings up the positives in "strength in numbers" and gives them better leverage in order to get this change. Often times this even prevents workers from going on strike. Labour unions are essential for having equity between workers and their employers. As a whole, they have a crucial role in ensuring that the rights of Canadian employers are protected and enforced.

Although I haven't necessarily been in an situation where I need assistance from a labour union, I have the privilege and satisfaction in knowing that, when needed, I can rely on these groups in order to have my voice heard. Labour unions are truly beneficial and are there in order to support the workers.

"Workplace fairness; economic fairness; opportunity fairness; political fairness; and democratic fairness."

**Please look at the link above in order to have a greater understanding of labour unions and how this concept of ensuring employees' rights applies in real life situations.**

Terms:

Labour unions: A group that represents the interests and concerns of employees to their employers. Labour unions are one of the groups with the power of collective bargaining. 

Collective Bargaining: Negotiating as a group.

Strike: A cessation by workers in order to pressure employers into making a change in either the employees work hours, working conditions, or any other concerns or unjust issues that the workers are feeling, as a whole.

Links:

http://www.labourrights.ca/content/james-clancy-national-president-national-union-public-and-general-employees-0

[heather88-n-blog]

Have you ever considered how much a product actually costs you, and how much the retailer got it for?

I've always had this uncertainty when viewing, overly priced products. There have been situations where you come across an item marked off by 90%, and the suspicions of the retailer's profit arises. The image above helps answer this query through it's basic illustration and use of percentages.

Link:

http://www2.macleans.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/JOE_FRESH-456x700.jpg

[heather88-n-blog]

“The things you own end up owning you.”

-Tyler Durden Fight Club

[heather88-n-blog]

                                     "Consumerism for Beginners:"

The image shown above cleverly illustrates the simple, effortless step that an individual completes in order to be swept up in the world of consumerism. When we purchase an item(s), we're taking part in this man-made movement; and depending on what we buy, we farther ourselves into this idea of our personal values and identities. 

Looking at my own personal experiences, I frequently value items with better quality. I would prefer to pay more money for something that will last longer than an object that would easily break. Perhaps this is due to my parent's teachings. The Vietnamese saying "địt  đáng đồng tiền," can be translated to this idea of "getting what you pay for." Ever since a young age, my thoughts on products has been moulded to this specific mindset and has been present through my consumer choices. I believe that if I were to move to a different country or have a different ethnicity, my values would be unalike to the ones that I currently have, but the one constant factor that would continue to guide my consumer decisions, would be greed.

Although it's hard to face, everyone is greedy. We all have these urges to purchase a specific product when faced with sales, convincing marketing techniques, and of course the usual desire for acceptance. I as an individual, often fall into this trap, as do the people around me. Consumerism is a movement defined by ourselves, and depending on the products we purchase and choose to support, it reflects our values as well as our individual identities.

Links:

http://funknbeans.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/consumerism-beginners.jpeg

[heather88-n-blog]

Consumerism: A Life Threatening Disease

This is an insightful article by, philmaguire. He explains the detrimental effects that consumerism has on individuals and their values, as well as the key role that greed plays in one's judgement and lifestyle. Be sure to check it out!

[heather88-n-blog]

Black Friday 2013 - Black Friday Ads and best Black Friday Deals

All the Black Friday 2013 Ads, the best Black Friday Deals and Black Friday 2013 Sales at your favourite stores.

It's shocking how humans torment themselves waiting for Black Friday, and when it happens, the chaos begins. The link above shows all the best deals, the crazed hot spots for shoppers on a budget, and of course the "super saves" on cyber markets.

It is crazy to consider the idea that humans have built a day to practically "worship" the event of having cheap, affordable products. In fact the most ironic thing about Black Friday, is that it exists on the day after Thanksgiving. Once we give our gratitude for what we have, we go back into this never-ending cycle of consumerism, indicating that the human race is greedy and shallow. Just like our interests in our new possessions, our spoken words and "underlying intentions" lasts a short few days as well. This concept of wants vs. needs, and the perpetual tradition that the human race has upheld can almost be described as surreal. To put this into perspective, imagine civilians in Haiti and other third world countries. Yes, they are going to extreme and desperate measures in order to obtain specific things, but their actions are solely directed due to their inabilities and living conditions. We are fighting for waffle makers, they are fighting for clean water. 

Just hearing these news stories of tackling, stabbing, and even killing for products seems impossible, right? Well, it's real and it's happening.

[laurenlacss-blog]

I find it so ironic that on Thursday everyone sat around the table and gave thanks for what they already had, and on Friday people were trampling over others just to get to the new deals and sales.

Black Friday really brings out the consumerism in us all. Competition is a huge factor that...

[heather88-n-blog]

This is such a clever quote, and only after reading it do I realize the mass extremities that people will go through in order to obtain goods! We realize that consumerism is always present in our lives, but to the point where we are willing to tackle and stab each other? It’s absolutely crazy. Thanks for posting laurenlacss!

[heather88-n-blog]

Link: http://www.oddbloke.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/killing-consumerism.jpg

[heather88-n-blog]

Defining: “COOL” The quote above is extremely meaningful. In today’s modern society our actions are watched with scrutiny, and every word spoken can be used as weapon against you. That is why, we as humans, put up a barrier to shield ourselves from this type of social harm. As always, consumerism plays a huge role in this defence mechanism that human-kind has perfected. We hide behind designer brands and products to put on a fake self-image, and as a whole, to succumb to this idea of conformity and acceptance.

Marketing plays a large role in this kind of attitude. In fact, there have been many developing techniques in order to stimulate this robotic thinking. Some including: The Bandwagon Effect, Plain Folks, Emotional Appeal, Testimonials, Science, and Glittering Generalities. However in one quick summary, each and every one of these strategies aim for one particular goal: To attract the consumer, and convince them to purchase their goods or services.

After many generations of doing so, however, do you believe that we can break out of this demanding mindset? Or has it been installed since the minute we’re born? Write me a comment for your reply!

Links: http://blog.unstash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/graphic-owning-things-consumerism.png

Terms: -The Bandwagon Effect: The idea that everyone has the item, so you should purchase it as well. Ex. “Everyone has it so you should too!”

-Glittering Generalities: The product has the magical ability to give the consumer all they desire. Ex. “This product will give you everything!”

-Plain Folks Appeal: This product will make you normal just like everyone else. You will fit in (Conformity!) Ex. “You can be a normal person just like us!”

-Science: Using science and mathematical stats/ facts in order to prove to the consumer that the product is safe and reliable. Ex. “90% of people who use this toothpaste, has a better life!”

-Testimonials: Using celebrities or the opinions of other in order to sway the consumers’ choices and trust. Ex. “I’ve used this product and I it’s amazing! You should try it too!”

-Emotional Appeal: When using facial expressions and body language in order to engage the consumer in believing that their fears will disappear and their desires will come true. Ex. “Your fears are history! Look ahead to bright days, buddy!”

[heather88-n-blog]

Pop culture is not about depth. It's about marketing, supply, and demand, consumerism.

Trevor Dunn

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/trevordunn223773.html

[heather88-n-blog]

"We live in an era of consumerism and it's all about desire-based consumerism and it has nothing to do with the things that we actually need."

Aloe Blacc

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/aloeblacc498776.html

[heather88-n-blog]

Swapsitys: An Alternative Method of Exchanging and Obtaining!

Bartering. This alternative way of obtaining goods is starting to sweep the nation. On April 12-14, Toronto hosted one of many Swapsity events that housed around 40,000 people, 5,569 items were dropped off, and 4,762 items were swapped around the event. 

As an experiment in class, we participated in a smaller-scaled Swapsity. While we were bartering and bargaining with one another there were many factors that directed our actions and choices. We considered the concepts of demand and supply, profit, and values when conducting our "business." As well as focusing on the concept of different economic systems and how they conduct their production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

My own personal perception on bartering and negotiating was highlighted through this event. I was able to obtain a first-hand understanding on the values an individual has and how it directs their decisions when deciding to "sell" or "buy."

Nearing the end of the Swapsity, my friend and I had a "bargaining war" for a kit of notes. She was offering a dozen cookies and I, some vouchers for Halloween candy.You could basically see the gears and mechanics turning in each other's brains. There was 1 product, 2 very persistent consumers, and a high demand. Indicating that the price would soon increase. Often times you would see the "supplier" manipulate this want of consumers and bend it to their own advantage. This was the case here, my friend raised her 1 dozen cookies to 24 and I used my prior knowledge on the supplier's values in order to attempt to obtain the note kit. Kit Kat Chunkies. I was offering 6 full bars in exchange for the kit of notes, unfortunately I was not deemed successful in the trade. Nonetheless I gained valuable experience and learned how values affects their consumer choices. 

In fact, as I was scanning the room I noticed that everyone had a huge array of interests and each individual deemed certain items more valuable than another. Some of these items ranged from books, candy, Kit Kat Chunkies, toys, teas, and a huge array of knick knacks.

Collective consumption helps citizens come together and share their consumer identities as well as utilize the familiar idea of reducing and reusing. By trading our items instead of purchasing new ones, we get to limit the amount of resources being used as well as save items from going to waste. It also starts an initiative of a community coming together to make local trades. Not only does this save us extra fees such as shipping or labour but we also get to support our local community! 

Definitions:

Collaborative Consumption: When participants share the product or service amongst them. It is not an individual ownership.

Sources:

http://www.swapsity.ca/posts/view/collaborative_consumption_in_toronto_creates_100000_in_swapper_savings

http://www.collaborativeconsumption.com/2013/08/20/what-is-the-consumer-potential-of-collaborative-consumption-answers-from-amsterdam/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaborative_consumption

[heather88-n-blog]

                      Quality of Life Showdown: Canada vs. The US

Nearing the end of the debate, there were many surprising issues that got introduced and brought to our attention. One of the main concepts that was covered was the position of healthcare and the benefits and downsides that it has.

Throughout the entire debate, both teams started arguing about the roles and responsibilities that an individual should have in a society. Concerns on the amount of power that the government should have in decisions arose. One of the ideas that I strongly support is the idea that citizens have a choice and say in their government. When Canadian citizens vote, we are essentially stating our opinions as an individual, these individual voices then comes together and forms a collective opinion that is Canada.

There was a brief moment in the debate, where team Canada brought up idea of Crown Corporations and how Canada's government utilizes them in order to appeal and satisfy the public good. Crown Corporations are essentially government owned enterprises that help reinforce the history and natural heritage of Canada. Some of examples are CBC, (used to be) Petro Canada, and (used to be) Air Canada. 

Canada also gives citizens grants that support them in communicating and sharing the Canadian culture. An example would be in Chapter 6, of The Textbook, an example would be, "The Case of the Canadian Filmmaker." We were able to explore many perspectives on this issue some saying that filmmakers should earn their way to the top, just like Hollywood movies. We were also introduced to the perspective that Canadian citizens should be more aware of their culture.

One of the pillars that Canada brought up is Healthcare, however US responded by saying that they were inefficient, slow, and as a whole unneeded. Whereas the Canada side introduced the ideas of social programs and the benefits that it plays to the public good; farther discussing the roles that a government has in a mixed economy. 

Social Services are essential to the well-being of citizens as well as it looks to see the public good. We introduced the ideas of healthcare, senior pensions, and basic need funds. 

Although US has senior pensions and basic need funds, their requirements are a lot harder to fulfill as compared to the ones in Canada, an example would be senior pensions. In Canada, the simple requirements are as follows: The senior citizen must be over 65 years of age and they must've been a residing citizen for over 10 years.

Even in the film, "The Pursuit of Happyness," we saw that the characters suffered greatly from their inability and lack of education. There was no assistance or help from the government, showing that one mistake can rule your life and happiness. By using this analogy in our debate, we are able to show that US's economic system is very controversial depending on the lifestyle that you already possess and your individual quality of life.

[heather88-n-blog]

                 Paradise of the Blind: Connections to Economic Systems

                                    Novel Written By: Duong Thu Huong

“Paradise of the Blind” clearly portrays the ignorant oblivion that the citizens of Vietnam have been living in for approximately the past century. This novel, written by Duong Thu Huong, explores the life of a young woman named Hang and her obligated, filial responsibilities to her family and the government. Through this post we’ll look at Vietnam’s economic situations and how it’s applicable to the public good and the roles that scarcity has on an economic system.

Although communism is a more specific societal structure, it is basically another word for a planned economy. In regards to economic wellbeing, the government plays the central, authoritative role in maintaining a strict, regulated control on how business must be conducted. This then leads to no competition and no fluctuations in pricing or marketing. However, scarcity is an element that exists in all types of economies, due to the fact that every economy relies on land (resources and materials), labour (population for production), and capital (money). The limitations of each of these factors are evident through the living conditions present in “Paradise of the Blind.” As demonstrated in multiple situations, Hang and her mother struggle to meet their necessities in order to survive, which results from the lack of income. What is important to note, however, is the versions of scarcity present in “Paradise of the Blind,” which represents third world countries, and in modern, first world countries. When compared, the production of goods are completely different due to the nature of steps that must be taken in order to obtain the product. For example, Hang’s mother makes her profit from crafting the goods herself or by obtaining them from a local source, and then selling to consumers. However, in the modern, first world country, products must be obtained through exports and imports from various international locations. This may also be due to the geographic and economic conditions, as well as values, that are present within each society. The differences in these aspects influence an individual’s diet, traditions, and consumer choices, which then lead to differing consumer identities of people belonging to either society.

A highly regulated economy may appear to be beneficial, since the welfare of all citizens is taken care of, but in some ways, disadvantaged in other regards as the productivity of the country is restricted due to the lack of the ‘survival of the fittest’ concept. However, Duong Thu Huong does not explore the economic impacts of a communist structure, but instead, focuses upon the social effects.

Communism supports the values of everyone being equal and focuses on the need to abolish the social classes. The government has a central role in everything, including eliminating economic inequalities to ensure the wellbeing of individuals. As well, the government of a planned or communist economy will have the main responsibility of decision making that will be best suited for the public good. In 1953, civilians of Vietnam undertook a process of losing renowned land to the government. As a punishment for going against the ideology of communism these individuals were to be tried and punished in front of the entire village. The land was then distributed to all of the citizens, showcasing the equality amongst the people.This was a strategic action implemented to effectively reinforce uniformity, and thus, eliminate the societal hierarchies that existed. This lead to the lack of differentiating factors between the rich and poor. In fact, Uncle Chinh, a character in “Paradise of the Blind,” declares, “The entire family are landlords, the mortal enemies of the peasantry. These are exactly the people we must denounce and punish.” Uncle Chinh’s quotation illustrates how strongly some people of the time believed in communism, and more specifically, shows how far people were willing to go in order to uphold the values of communism.

Links:

http://images.betterworldbooks.com/006/Paradise-of-the-Blind-9780060505592.jpg

[heather88-n-blog]

This image shown above is truly powerful. Taking form of an apple, the artist uses it to symbolize the planet and the detrimental effects that a growing demand of food and products has on the planet. With every object that we purchase, we slowly eat away our earth's resources and limited supply of materials. After generations of doing so, human kind may even cease to exists due to our dependency on what Mother Earth has to give us. I believe that a change in our consumer choices will have to happen soon, or else we'll be facing a worldwide crisis for materials.

 A great quote to accompany this idea is from Mahatma Ghandi.

"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed."

Links:

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/30431-earth-provides-enough-to-satisfy-every-man-s-needs-but-not

http://mail.colonial.net/~hkaiter/Aaa_web_images2012/apple-earth.png

[heather88-n-blog]

                                            "Apple vs. Apple": 

Definitions: Which definition does your perception of the word “apple,” fall under?

a.)   Apple:

The round fruit of a tree that often comes in colours of red, green, and yellow. It is a food that has been implemented in various dishes and desserts. The most common way of eating this fruit is by biting into the soft, fleshy inside or by cutting it in to parts. It is a very popular snack for children and adults.

 b.)   Apple:

 Launching with their famous “i” products, Apple is starting to sweep the nation from Canada and the US to smaller countries such as Vietnam, resulting in being a transnational company. Apple specializes in technological products such as tablets, smartphones, lap tops, computers, and many other day to day products.

As humans have evolved over a multiple generations, our perceptions and definitions have changed to suit the given time period we exist in. As well as the technological advancements and the human ideas of what we actually “need” versus our greed and false understandings on what we want. A clear example of this would be the simple, but now "twisted" word, "apple."

 Once again consumerism is taking us by storm!

Link: http://awesomenator.com/content/2012/03/want-need-apple.jpg

Terms:

Transnational: A company that exists worldwide.

[heather88-n-blog]

                                    The Pursuit of Happyness

The Pursuit of Happyness was directed in 2006 and revolves around the difficulties that a middle-aged man has to face in order to survive and support his son.

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"It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking about how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what." -Will Smith (Christopher Garner)

The quote above from Will Smith shows us his character mindset in the movie, "The Pursuit of Happiness." He plays Chris Garner and his role revolve around the responsibilities that he has to his son, Christopher (played by Jaden Smith), and his troubles in obtaining his physiological needs. In multiple scenes  Chris struggles to sufficiently provide his son with an abundant amount of food and shelter. 

As this idea carries on throughout the film, the harsh truths of reality and how our basic needs motivate us to pursue a greater future are revealed. On Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, it states that physiological properties are the founding principle to this pyramid. Basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothes, etc are included in this subcategory and allow the others above it to exist. A great example in the movie would be Chris's opportunity of applying for an internship as a stock broker. Although he realizes that this possible job will lead to a better life, he is unable and reluctant to accept this offer due to his inability to provide for himself and his son. The setbacks that Chris faces due to his disadvantaged living conditions are evident due to a use of literary elements and Chris' personal thoughts. A typical workday lasts for the duration of eight hours. However, Chris explains that due to the responsibilities he shoulders as a single parent, his colleagues have a three hour advantage over him. This results in a remaining five hours left for Chris to complete his tasks. 

Chris' life is rocky and inconsistent; he is always switching homes, means of transportation, and has unstable finances. Thus, Chris is unable to maintain constant living conditions for himself and his son. Nonetheless, the one factor that continues to stay unchanging is the bond that the father and son share; one that is full of love, affection, and unwavering trust. 

One of the question's that asked throughout the duration of the film is the "y" in happiness. I believed that this was intentionally done to show that happiness is imperfect. Throughout our lives we encounter accidents and make mistakes, but the key to being happy is not dwelling on these events but to turn them into "golden moments." In the Pursuit of Happiness, Will Smith often encounters this situation near the beginning of the movie. The quote above shows Chris' original mindset on this idea and eventually pushes him to do his best. After he surpasses these challenges his hard work eventually falls into place and with Chris' determined mindset he's able him to achieve his goals at the end of the film. 

Alongside that idea I believe that the theme is the unwavering hope and determination an individual needs in order to maintain a will to survive. This can be supported through the truths of reality that we have observed.

Through these experiences and troubles that Chris has faced, the understanding of consumer identities and the impacts of where we live is explored and better understood. To put this in perspective, if we Canadians, were to live in The United States of America, we would have to undergo a series of adaptions not only to the way that the government functions but also the structure of the economic system. As Chris, explains in the quote above, the US collectively shares an importance for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness whereas Canadians value peace, order, and good government. 

I believe that if I were to be born and raised in America, a lot of my consumer choices would differ from how they are today. The characteristics that would likely change would be my taste for marketing and my views on brand names.

Link for Photo:

https://www.movieguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/10518.jpg