Inquiry Question: How does overconsumption affect our lives, and are we enticed by companies advertising, to buy more?
Research Step 3: Does having more products really make us happier, or are we just chasing an altered version of satisfaction?
Our modern day world is constantly pushing us to consume more products, making our society believe that whoever has the most materialistic goods is the most “rich” in life. (1) However, as our society feels pressured to buy more items, we quickly forget to think about the impact of our actions as soon as we receive our shopping receipts. Everybody knows how good it feels to buy a brand new wardrobe, or get a new phone. Nevertheless, every purchase we make comes with a greater cost attached to it. (1) Making a purchase may come with a thrill, but it’s short-lived; a feeling that does not last as long as we hope it would. (1) We are always being told the same things repeatedly, “You don’t need it, but you want it” and “More is always better.” (1) Yet, many consumers still don’t feel completely satisfied after purchasing new products. (1) Then this leads us to a question of why do we keep falling for consuming more and how can we put an end to the constant cycle? (1)
To ultimately put an end to the cycle of consumerism, we must first identify where it started. (2) Every time we want to buy something new, the urge roots from a feeling of dissatisfaction within us. (2) We all want the latest iPhone model, but do we really need it? Questions phrased like that are perfect to ask ourselves when we are debating on whether or not to buy a certain item. (2) By separating our wants from our needs, we are able to be more introspective on our emotional state of being. (2) Another way in which we can stop ourselves from overconsuming is by waiting 24 hours before making a purchase. (2) By waiting for a specific period of time, the feeling of urgency may decrease, and lead to a new feeling of no longer wanting a specific product. (2) Depending on the person, the time may range from 24 hours to a couple of weeks; people share feelings for an item they might think they need, but later realize that it was just a want all along. (2)
Continually accumulating products does not make us happier. (3) We only think that items are providing us with a sense of happiness as we have been told the same things repeatedly by the media and big corporations that have a goal of making the most profit. (3) Although materialistic goods do not provide us with long-term satisfaction, memorable experiences may be more effective. (4) Whether it be a holiday, ziplining across a forest, or achieving a personal milestone, all these experiences are a definite mood-booster. (5)
Life has never been a competition about who can accumulate the most products, but rather a pursuit of happiness; longing for sensations of love, peace, and joy. Once we realize that all we need is not material goods, we no longer desire products as a sensation of happiness, but rather experiences and loved ones.
I hope you picked up a few key points in this Blog Post! Thank you very much for reading and learning more about the topic of overconsumption and a few things we can do to shape a better environment for our future.
–Vanessa Vukovic
Resources:
(1) Conley, S. (2025, March 7). Why more stuff won’t make you happy — and what will. Academy of Life Planning. https://academyoflifeplanning.blog/2025/03/07/why-more-stuff-wont-make-you-happy-and-what-will/
(2) Becker, J. (2025, September 15). 7 scientific studies that prove buying things won’t make you happy. Becoming Minimalist. https://www.becomingminimalist.com/scientific-studies/
(3) Gonchar, M. (2013, March 12). Does buying and accumulating more and more stuff make us happier? The Learning Network. https://archive.nytimes.com/learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/does-buying-and-accumulating-more-and-more-stuff-make-us-happier/
(5) Less is more: Can having less make your happier? – Attuned Psychology. (n.d.). Attuned Psychology. https://attunedpsychology.com/less-can-less-make-happier/
Hello Vanessa! I have really enjoy reading your blog and it was so inspiring to me. It’s that our modern-day world is constantly pushing us to consume more products, making our society believe that whoever has the most materialistic goods is the “richest” in life; we have to think about our actions as soon as we receive our shopping receipts. It is true that we don’t have to compete for products but rather a pursuit of happiness. Continue with your research and success on your research. I will leave a link, and I hope it will benefit you:
https://archive.nytimes.com/learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/does-buying-and-accumulating-more-and-more-stuff-make-us-happier/