Consumer's Digest

Consumerism is the social and economic order than encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. The protection or promotion of the interests of consumers. The idea that says a person’s wellbeing and happiness depend fundamentally on obtaining goods and material possessions. But what do we really mean by consumers? Ultimately, when we talk about consumers, we are really just talking about people. Throughout American history, we have been encouraged to buy. To spend. To consume. The things you own end up owning you. We buy because we think we need to. Because we think it will somehow make our lives more enjoyable. But who enforces this idea? Besides business owners, influencers, and the average “consumer,” designers have a large part in the influence of consumerist culture not just in America, but all over the world. I believe designers, in a way, are tools of capitalism. From creating brands, packaging, and marketing for consumer goods, graphic designers have become an integral part of the free market system by contributing to the creation of our capitalistic society.