Call me shallow, but one of my most vivid prayers as a little girl was for L.A. Gear shoes and pierced ears. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I got my way. To this day I still struggle with buying into our culture of over-consumerism. Even if I don’t act upon my purchasing compulsions, you better believe that I waste hours window-shopping, perusing fashion blogs and coveting pretty things I think will bring me peace and perfection, and yet I somehow barely mange to throw a decent outfit together. Consumerism is a social and economic order, which spurs on and fosters our desire or compulsion as potential buyers to purchase goods and services in increasingly greater amounts.
As I was exploring our culture of over-consumerism, I came across an idea that eloquently articulated something I’ve witnessed in my life, in Confessions of a Shopaholic, in the lives of most Americans (especially us ladies) and of course, filthy rich celebrities. According to our friend Wikipedia, “Enoughism” is the idea that there is a point where consumers (that’s us girls) possess everything they need, and buying more makes their lives worse rather than better.
There comes point when just one too many yoga pants, Free People tops, H&M accessories, Forever 21 finds, and BCBG dresses are going to make our lives worse instead of better – they’ll make life more complicated and stressful instead of peaceful and perfect like we think they will.
Why do we believe the lie that more cute stuff equals perfection, love and happiness ever after?
Let’s be girls who create and give more than we consume, covet or get. Deep down, there’s a void. More stuff isn’t going to fill it. One way I’ve learned to satisfy my hunger for beautiful things while playing a part of a bigger story is to buy socially conscious goods from companies such as Raven + Lily, The Giving Keys, 31 Bits, Sseko Designs, Krochet Kids and many others.
Check out Conscious Co., Toms Marketplace or Give Generation for more ideas.
Do you struggle with the trap of over-consumption? What do you covet most and feel like you can never have enough of? Do you ever think, “If I have [fill in the blank], then I will be content, satisfied and complete?
