Wednesday, December 9, 2009

rationality and consumerism

is there a thought process involved when we consume any item ?or we just go on consuming voraciously.........is it rational?why we buy a car or exchange a old car if we have public mode of transportation which can satisfy our need to travel ?is rational thinking involved in it ?why we consume more than our need????????

3 comments:

ansumansahu said...

the reason may be that evolution is the essence of mankind..and we are never satisfied with what we have and who we are, so we constantly try to improve,change and move ahead in life...everybody at the end of the day wants to live a life of comfort and pleasure..so i suppose as human needs and wants are unlimited....so according to me its rational...

Arpit Shah said...

The thing that is talked about can better be explained by Moslow's need hierarchy. Though process is definitely involved beneath rational thinking. Infact, i supose it this though process that makes it any thought rational. We buy a car or exchange an old car because you think that you can afford it, or you like it, or you want to show-it off to others... it can be many rational justifications. Consuming food voraciously also could have have rational justification for it.... like it could be doe to satisfy taste buds or to get maximum out of everything as a human tendency.

Now, think from the point of view of a poor street side beggar. For him, forget a public transport, anything other than walking could be irrational. Buying a car could be insane according to him. He would never be able to rationally justify people going to restaurants!
It is just the way you see....

PAWAN CHANDEL 30090 said...

Hey look at the flip side of it. If such consumption becomes irrational for everybody and every body stops doing so. then there will be accumulation of wealth in the hands of few.
Eating more than required is a sin but spending more on food by consuming it in 5star restaurent is definetly not a sin.

Anyways rationality is different of all of us...