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Spending

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Affluenza

Affluenza is a serious social disease caused by excessive consumerism in affluent countries. Young people are particularly susceptible because of the
pressure to fit in. Advertisers take advantage of that and bombard
them with messages that only certain music, trainers, fashion, mobiles and who knows what will make them cool.

A growing number of people are opting out of this mindless consumption and choosing "voluntary simplicity" instead. They are shopping less, spending more time with friends and family and finding all kinds of other ways to enhance their lives. They are consciously refusing to be dictated
to by marketing execs bent on selling more and more products.

Opinion: consumerism

I think corporations have found a lock into mass consumerism being the only mass movement of people; whether they're all going to buy this or whether they're all going to reject that. When you're talking about consumerism: leading people to buying something that they think they need to make them feel better about themselves, I think you've got to watch it. – Chuck D, Public Enemy

How to cut your consumption

Overconsumption harms you, your finances and the planet. But there is help. Read on for ways to reduce how much you rely on buying more stuff, and some to help other people buy less, too.

More anti-consumerism information websites

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