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Being a shopaholic: Avoiding negative consequences
Being a shopaholic: Avoiding negative consequences
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Many have said that one of the reasons that consumerism has become such a prevalent activity for people today is because it helps people cope with stress. In fact, an astute journalist from Chicago Tribune in 1986 coined the term "retail therapy" to label the phenomenon. Now, after reading about the particular theory, you're probably asking the question "Does the act of shopping really bring happiness to people?"
Well, there's no question that people -- whether it's a mother buying women's cashmere (http://illann.com/women.html) sweaters for her daughter or a husband purchasing jewellery for his wife -- do find some form of satisfaction from buying things. After all, buying for a particular purpose or occasion is like running an errand. When you've done it, you have indeed accomplished something and it would only make sense that you feel happy and satisfied about that. Many people today, however, buy for the sake of buying, and that's where the crux of the matter lies. Does the act of buying really help cancel out stress, depression or anxiety? Does arbitrary shopping really help pe...
In the article, "But Will It Make You Happy," Stepahnie Rosenblum shows us how to be happy with less money spent and more purchasing an experience. people spent their money to find happiness, but they do not realize that the experiences had more value of material objects. I agree with the author that experiences give people more satisfaction than spending money on materials as well small things bring more happiness.
‘Treat’ shoppers view shopping as a chore for which they deserve a reward. In the supermarket, this ‘treat’ is often the form of a piece of candy or snack that is bought on impulse when the individual waits in line. Even clothing stores such as the warehouse-size discount clothing store Century 21 make use of ‘treat’ incentives. For example, Century 21 displays accessories such as necklaces and handbags next to the register, to encourage impulse buys before check-out. Particularly attractive sales that are bargains too good to resist are also placed near the register. Even if shoppers do not regard clothes shopping as a chore in the same way they regard food shopping, they may discover finding the right size to be frustrating, and being able to buy items without regard to size in a manner that is purely fun and for pleasure can be an incentive.
1. The main idea is not only that owning stuff is not the key to happiness, it’s also that consumers today own more than they need to thrive which directly impacts the environment. Hill illustrates the environmental impact by showing statistics of global warming today versus the past century, and how consumerism is leading to a hotter climate. Hill debunks claims of buying happiness by discussing a study where stress hormones spike to their highest when people are managing their personal belongings. Hill’s most prominent example that consumerism is not the answer is himself, as he discusses some of the most stressful times of his life being right after coming into a large sum of money and buying whatever he fancied. When Hill concludes his article, he states that “I have less—and enjoy more. My space is small. My life is big” (213).
1. When you find yourself in a depressed mood, do you often get an impulse to buy something to soothe yourself?;
On a sunny Saturday morning with beautiful blue skies, and birds chirping, James Hamblin was in his balcony with a cup of coffee on his desk eager to write his short argumentative essay titled “Buy Experiences, Not Things”. In this short essay, Hamblin wanted to depict the fact that happiness in individuals, is mainly due to experiential purchases than to material purchases. One of the things he said to prove that point was “waiting for an experience elicits more happiness and excitement than waiting for a material good’ (Hamblin, 2014). He also stated that “a mind should remain in one place, and a mind that wanders too much is a sign of lack of happiness” (Hamblin, 2014). Instead of buying the latest iPhone, or Samsung galaxy, we should spend
Also in the NY Times article “But Will It Make You Happy?” by Stephanie Rosenbloom, Rosenbloom states that before things like cell phones and credit cards allowed us to have almost anything we want at the click or touch of a button, the process of buying something was more richer and fulfilling for the buyer themselves (Rosenbloom). The reason being that instead of just getting an item whenever you wanted, you had to work hard and wait a long period of time before you could actually buy it. In other words, the actual process of working hard and then having to wait a period of time before you could get something made it more valuable and fulfilling to you in the long run. Rosenbloom then goes on to state that “In fact, scholars have found that anticipation increases happiness. Considering buying an iPad? You might want to think about it as long as possible before taking one home. Likewise about a Caribbean escape: you’ll get more pleasure if you book a flight in advance than if you book it at the last minute” (Rosenbloom). What Rosenbloom means by this is that by waiting and thinking about an item before purchasing it will make that item more valuable and important to you in the future, which then causes you to have positive feelings whenever you interact with
Rockwell evaluates how doctors’ offices are open during all hours of the day (Rockwell 639). He argues, “But it can only stay open late because its offices are nestled in a strip mall where the rents are low and the access is high” (Rockwell 639). Ultimately, the purchase of goods by the people pays for the availability and connivance of medical assistance. Without access to urgent and everyday care, the mortality and illness rate would increase and cost more money overall. Rockwell states, “If you think through any service or good that is widely considered to be a need, you will find that it employs products, technologies, and services that were first created to meet superficial demands” (Rockwell 640). When society demands a product or service, the market has to find a way to financially afford the necessity. The consumption of goods helps provide opportunities and availability for the products consumers demand. While there are several benefits of consumerism, the effects of spending money only gives temporary fulfillment. Schor declares, “The increasing consumption of the last forty years has not made us happier. The percentage of the population who reported being “very happy” peaked in 1957” (Schor 635). However, it is important to balance the amount of spending versus saving. Consumers should not spend their money to gain happiness; instead, they should spend their money to support their needs and
Now how does a person go about being happy, well let us examine one of the most common questions in reference to happiness, “can money buy happiness?” most people would say “yes.” The answer to this question will almost always be yes, because society and humans in general tend to be greedy creature always wanting more, from a better house to finer foods there is and always will be more to obtain. But is having these things what makes humans happy or is it the success of achieving your own...
Maybe we can buy what we want that make us happy but literally, not happiness. Sometimes, we need to
Contrary to belief, genuine happiness is very rarely found at the bottom of a shopping basket or on the leather seats of a brand new car. Often we hear the cliché saying “Money can’t buy happiness” but this is in fact true. Whilst the elation and delight brought from finally owning a wanted item is extraordinary, you must remind yourself that your happiness should not become dependant upon your ownership of this item. Being happy is not something you can purchase from a shop or car dealership, it is the way you take on life. Unfortunately, happiness does not have its own aisle at shops and never will.
Everyone likes shopping, but everyone has their own way of spending when they go shopping. I love shopping, but I hate being at the mall, if I don’t need to be there then I won’t be there. I’ve noticed that when I have money, I do not buy anything, and when I do not have money I want everything I see. From my experience I’ve observed that there are people who shop smart, people who are just plain addicted to shopping, people who join another person while shopping, basically called window watchers.
Whether these items are necessities or even a splurge item. Trips to the store are made for a reason and when you go there will always be the impulse buyer, the list maker, and the bargain hunter. Each type has a different method and these methods are being used to shop, and they are our personal ways of shopping. You will come across many different types of shoppers. You will now realize what kind of shoppers these people you encounter are. Every shopper has a different personality when it comes to shopping as well. Some can be good as well as bad. Shopping is a fun thing regardless. Almost every individual enjoys it. We all have had something we 've been excited to buy. These kinds of shoppers can be found anywhere products are being
Material goods don’t make us happy. Acquiring things like houses and cars only have a transient effect on happiness. People’s desires for material possessions crank up at the same, or greater rate, than their salaries. Again, this means that despite considerably more luxurious possessions, people end up no happier. There’s even evidence that materialism make us less happy.
However like most people, my relationship with money can still be improved. I do have moments when I may go on a spending spree like this week when I want to relieve myself from stressful situations. I believe it would be more beneficial to channel my stress in a more constructive manner rather than be impulsive when buying things. By the end of this week, I had mixed feelings when I realized how much I spent. I was aware of how much I was spending but, I was also aware that I don’t generally spend this much. Even though I felt somewhat guilty, I know that I will continue to save money as a way to pay up for all the spending I did this