My Inquiry question this semester is “How does overconsumption affect our lives, and are we enticed by companies advertising, to buy more?” I look forward to discovering more about this complex topic over the next couple of months!
Research Step 1: Does the root of overconsumption stem from our society, or is it a result from companies advertising tactics?
This sub-question is a very good question to ask when faced with the topic of overconsumption. I’m curious to see whether overconsumption is a result of our society and the behaviours we display, or if it starts from corporate’s advertising. Once this complex question is explored, I will research ways in which we, as a society, can try to limit our consumption with a variety of different resources. By collectively putting in the effort, we may be able to reconstruct our view on becoming minimalistic rather than living in a maximalist world.
Research Step 2: How does overconsumption affect our mental and physical health, and is the toll as destructive on our well-being as it is on the environment?
Researching how overconsumption may affect our mental and physical health will be very insightful. When most people think about this topic, they automatically only take into consideration the negative aspects taken on the environment. With this Inquiry project, I am looking forward to discovering how our overindulgence within a vast amount of products can affect our physical and mental health. I will research both the pros and the cons of this subject matter to have a better understanding of the topic as a whole.
Research Step 3: Does having more products really make us happier, or are we just chasing an altered version of gratification?
This will be my last and concluding sub-question. Nowadays, people live in an environment where consumerism is praised, and whoever has more products is essentially “rich in life.” I on the other hand disagree with this mindset. Most companies advertise their products to look better than it actually is, so fundamentally sugarcoating the item. Many people look to buy items as they are trying to fill a void within, searching for a sense of fulfillment. Although this way of thinking is temporary, as materials can only bring so much happiness until they’re no longer of use. The society we live in today thinks that all of these materialistic goods will lead us to happiness, but they are only temporary. What we are really searching for is unforgettable, raw, emotional experiences which will provide us with happiness. You wouldn’t remember the purchase you made two years ago but you would remember the trip of a lifetime with your family, or the times you spent with your friends.
These three sub-topic questions provide me with more information for my overall Inquiry question as they allow me to dive deeper within this subject- matter.
Thank you very much for reading my blog post! I hope you obtained some new information.
–Vanessa Vukovic
Sources:
(1) Andriuška, G. (2024, September 2). The Psychology Behind Overconsumption: Why we buy more. overconsumption.org. https://overconsumption.org/blogs/news/the-psychology-behind-overconsumption-why-we-buy-more
(2) The price of overconsumption. (2025, May 12). Refined by Science. https://refinedbyscience.com/2025/05/12/the-price-of-overconsumption/
(3) Impact, N. (2024, August 9). Consequences of Overproduction and Overconsumption | Net Impact. Why We Consume So Much. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-beast/201805/why-we-consume-so-much?msockid=254492a80207625d391c81df03d46363
(4) Thompson, K. (2025, September 21). Sociological Theories of Consumerism and Consumption – ReviseSociology. ReviseSociology. https://revisesociology.com/2016/10/12/sociological-theories-of-consumerism-and-consumption/
(5) Sustainable Marketing: A way to stop Overconsumption. (n.d.). https://www.theinspirationspace.co/blog/sustainable-marketing-a-solution-to-overconsumption
Hi Vanessa, I really enjoyed reading through your blog post! I really liked how you organized your post and added engaging images. I believe that including personal connections of how your question will impact you and your community will make it more relatable to the readers. I am looking forward to reading your other posts!
Hi Vanessa! Even from just first glance, I could tell your post would be very nicely organized. Your bolded words and organization of the blog make it easier to digest your information and follow along your steps, which I thought was fantastic. I also really admired how vibrate your pictures were, so it encourages me to include more engaging pictures in my own blog posts. Upon reading your blog post, I attempted to look for any related articles covering your topic and found this one: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550923002981. I hope it helps and good luck!