five years ago, my coworkers made fun of me for driving my shitbox. I paid off my student loans with the money that I didn't borrow for a car. My shitbox still runs.
Your coworkers were probably the same kids that teased other kids about not having the branded shoes and clothing in school. Congratulations on paying your student loans.
I drive a 20 year old truck while my work colleagues drive 80k+ cars and trucks. One lives in a shed, others rent, I own 10 acres in peace with the wildlife. I will stick with my 20 year old truck.
My father always said that keeping the populace in debt was a form of control...if you have debt you have to stick with a bad boss or job because you had no savings to fall back on if you left to find another job. From australia.
Exactly. I had some toxic jobs so I decided to start saving a lot so I could go months without jobs. They hate that so much haha. Even other people don't get it. It is really not that hard. I rather be frugal than ever have a toxic job again. They dont see that buying more stuff, more technology, more cigarettes, more alcohol, further trips, sounds like a nightmare to me instead of an advantage. Imagine going to work to buy this crap, ruin your health, stress yourself, and pay triple for this mess? First you have to work for it. Then you have to spend it. And then you become mentally and physically ill from whatever you bought. I just made a mosquito window myself because I refuse to buy those super toxic mosquito plugs. But many people do. It costs money, it ruins health, and you have to freaking work a toxic job for that. All of it is toxic. Screw that.
5 месяцев назад+1
So how is having a shitty boss/job controlling you?
I've just ignored all marketing for several decades, unless I specifically need a product and want to learn about it (like, say, a car). That and NEVER trying to keep up with the Joneses has served me very well, re saving money.
Jerry Mander, an American environmentalist and author. He is known for his critiques of advertising and its impacts on society, particularly in his book "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television," published in 1978. Chatgbt source:
The saddest part is that people are lonely but they’re filling that loneliness with things because they can’t connect with other people. Part of what fuels consumerism is this emptiness and lack of community. Even social media, which started out as a way to connect with people, is now the most toxic marketplace designed to fuel consumption. Maybe the thing we do need is to try to shift our focus from filling our lives with things to connecting with our community, volunteering and helping others, actively creating instead of consuming.
@@DamonCassidy The current solution is for the masses to stop buying from corporations. And more of us need to return to a least a partially agrarian society. Yes, things will cost more. And people won't be able to buy as much junk. But that is a good thing for the environment and for their happiness, too. This is likely to happen whether people like it or not because inflation and food shortages are going to force it on them -- unless they want to eat bugs and fake "food".
6 years ago I was $63k in bad credit card debt due to consumerism and ignorance. Fast forward today, I paid off my entire bad debt, I’m net positive at the age of 32 and I’m the richest amongest my peers (because they all have negative networth). Literally having a $0 networth is considered “rich” now. Irony isn’t it?
Keep it up brother! We are in the same boat. Wife and I paid off her student loans during the payment and interest freeze during covid and all our CC debt. We will never be going back to being in debt. Currently paying more on the house.
Planned obsolescence makes me so angry. Its a waste of hard earned money and it’s just filling up landfills. It’s pure evil. When I buy something I expect it to last for a reeeally long time. My clothes dryer is about to go out (again!) and I’ve been trying to talk my husband into building me a frame for a clothes line because it really bothers me when I invest my money into an appliance that breaks. I’m still holding onto my tv in my bedroom that I bought in 2006. It will only work with dvds now but I’m too stubborn to replace it 😅 I’m also still holding onto my iPhone 8. The only problem is that when phones get old certain apps quit working.
The one that annoys me the most is whatever they do to appliances and clothing. If you want appliances that last a long time, either buy old used OR buy the cheapest new ones with knobs and ideally no LEDs or push buttons. I want to know why clothes I sewed in the 1970s were still wearable thirty years later. The patterns faded from so many washings, but the material was still strong. New material gets threadbare, stretches strangely, and easily rips within a year or two. What are they doing to material that causes it to fail in these ways?
Oh, avoid appliances with WiFi and Bluetooth in them. Those are just more tech to fail. Many are finding out that their "smart" appliances have software issues. If the company chooses not to update them, they fail. Note that they're also selling appliances without disclosing that they are "smart". Check the fine print to see what else is in appliances you wouldn't suspect -- like WiFi in window A/Cs and hot water heaters, for example.
@@Growmap yes I agree it’s good to avoid smart appliances. They’re just too difficult to repair. My dryer isn’t smart so I’m really trying to hold onto it as long as possible. My husbands already repaired it a couple times. One of these days I might just go full blown Amish style and ditch my cell phone but it’s hard to let that one go 😬
Same here, still have the iPhone 8 lol. There is just no good reason to waste money on the newest flashy device when a new one will be made a couple months later. Most of it is not even much different, hardware largely stays the same year to year.
I work in the cellular industry. I am always baffled by how so many can be so obsessed and how they literally fall apart emotionally and mentally because their text bubbles are green not blue. Grown adults literally break down. The message went through regardless but the color is green not blue.
I had a friend who was in debt he could fix in a few months. I told him it wouldn't be a good idea to buy a $1,000 phone before getting a paycheck. What did he do? He got the $1,000 phone and has to pay that down for a set number of months because he chose to do a contract. He said he wanted it cause it was a trending phone, and it was his b day. He already had a paid off phone.
Great video man. My television sets are 24, and 21 years old... I hardly ever watch TV, and in 2008 cancels my subuscription to most magazines. In 2016 was when I completely pulled the plug on the one magazine I still had a subscription for. People want to believe they have free will, yet fail to realize we are being manipulated every minute of our lives. Remember, when people mended their own clothes(many times that they had made themselves), had their own gardens with vegetables, and made their own preserves? We got hoodwinked into thinking it was shameful to provide for ourselves and not buy at the stores! Even cooking has been commoditized! Keep up the good work. It's amazing what we are willing to ignore to continue with our believes and to not admit we are wrong.
Good plan. I haven't owned a TV most of my life so I don't watch it except for sometimes watching very old television shows to see what the programming was when I was growing up. There is a movement back to gardening, homesteading, permaculture, cooking, baking, food preservation. There are good RUclips channels for all of that and even sewing and altering clothes!
You stated the key to our imploding American society when you said; "we have begun to lose what it means to be kind...to do what is right even if no one is looking". One cannot count on his/her fellow Americans to read between the lines and act accordingly and do the right thing. And THAT is how the ruling class rules us, by obfuscating the truth. Great post, well presented. Cheers.
In honesty I feel like a total fool for being the guy who still holds to "doing what's right even when nobody is looking" because everytime I do the right thing, I'm used or punished. Like, let's look at a recent example. I warned some of my Uber passengers that they were right next to a ghetto in this bar they paid me to take them to. They're new to the city. I was given a 1* review and was reported to be impolite...
Since that's almost everyone, blaming that on "the ruling class" is insane. Plus, no one is MAKING you buy ANYTHING at even close to gunpoint. Do dumb things. Blame others. Brilliant -- not.
You’re not a fool but I totally understand it also. Sometimes it feels exhausting almost feeling like you’re being punished for doing the right thing. I think it’s just important to also understand we’re doing it because we think it’s right and to make our own selves proud at the very least. Keep doing your best🤍
Your last comments about people and the lack of open discussions is so true. People have become so self-centred and ignorant that it feels like you could never have an open conversation with others, unless its about themselves.
You’re absolutely right. When I worked at a bank I knew everything about everybody, it often felt like I was a therapist but was very rarely asked anything about my life. I found typically the people that talk the most about themselves don’t have someone listening to what they’re really trying to say. I definitely feel most conversations are 75% all one sided. Thank you for reaching out
This!!! I feel like I'm in a world of literal NPC's. You can't have an open conversion with very many people these days. It's all programmed responses.
No kidding! I remember a couple times I said a totally normal thing in relation to the conversation and the other person faked a laugh because they I guess thought they were supposed to laugh. How weird haha
personally ive found that not caring about fitting in is a huge plus.. also not really watching commercials for like 15 years now when i do see they they are so alien they literally have no impact. ive also found the capture of planned obsolescence is really hard to shake, tho finding quality made things is extremely difficult.. like for instance car parts, or fucking lap top computers.. btw run linux as your os if you arent
Don't listen to them. Desk top computers can last 10+ years. And I highly recommend Linux Mint in particular. After you use Linux, Windows seems incredibly slow and annoying. Anyone who doesn't want to be "programmed" should ditch their televisions. I haven't had one most of my adult life. And commercials have zero effect on me except for some of them being incredibly annoying or creepy.
A- A day doesn't pass when I'm not staggered by how much debt-load a huge chunk of our population considers acceptable, or worse necessary. B- Wait...A Ford employee could afford a Model T? I've been working for Toyota for a decade and still can't afford a Toyota.
Well, the good news is that both Toyotas and Hondas can last over ten years and 200k+ miles. So do like I did and only buy ten year old vehicles with about 100k on them. Back when I did it, they were $2000-$2500. No telling how ridiculous they are now -- but still better than new.
Nobody forces anybody to spend more than they can afford Americans buy things they do not need, with money they don't have, to impress people they don't like
@@michalsvihla1403 Depends how You define necessities, Omit Starbucks, food delivery services, artificial vitamines, hard working people don't need a gym or a swimmingpool. Buy the car You can afford, not what You want. Why is the AC set to a temperature that You have to wear longsleaves and pullovers inside
@@RickTheClipper Glad you asked. I can't afford to live on my own, much less spend any money on too much takeout. I don't drink coffee, soda or anything sweet. I don't smoke, do drugs, or own a car. I don't own anything except for a 5 year old laptop. I can only put away about 300€ a month due the high cost of everything. And everything that I can buy for my money is getting crappier every year. I can't buy easily repairable stuff anymore. That's the lack of options I'm talking about.
@@newmobile1455~ yup. It takes People until they are 70 yrs old to realize none of this BS on earth means anything.. we are born into this world naked & we depart from this world naked .. & they spend 50 yrs of their lives consuming nonstop & still don't realize that .. marketing was the biggest con job our species ever created
Not sad and gloomy - I found it honest and transparent. Another thing lacking in so many things in today’s world. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if social media had been around during ww2 and the heavy hitting propaganda machines. It was horrendous as it was. I agree that kindness needs to make a comeback. Great topic!!
So glad you enjoyed it! You’re absolutely right! The horrendous nightmare that would’ve have been!! Kindness is so needed right now, another component I missed was forgiveness. I feel like so many of us are holding grudges for years and years and forgiveness is really needed to move forward. Great to hear from you! I hope you and your family are doing well🤍
I want to fix a misconception about the light bulb deal. It stardised watts to lumens on light bulbs. Lifespan is inversely related to luminosity. Thicker the filament, the longer it lasts, and the dimmer it burns. Any development that could have increased lifespan would still have been competitive benefit to any of the companies as it would have meant more luminosity from fewer watts. When lighting was the big electricity drain, 50W bulb that gives same lifespan and luminosity as 60W bulb would have been a bestseller, but physics didn't allow for it until leds were developed really. The bulbs were always cheap. It was the electricity that cost money.
@@DamonCassidy Yes and no. There are bulbs still burning seemingly indefinitely. But they are dimmer. And obviously they're not in rural areas where lightening greatly reduces the lifespan of all types of bulbs including LEDs. Every light that was on when lightening struck close by either immediately popped or went out shortly after power was restored.
Absolutely! My dad is a carpenter and the amount of new tools he’s bought that have broken is unreal compared to the tools that were handed down from his dad
Great video. So much of everything we buy isn't just cheaply made, but purposely designed to break after a certain period of time. This includes cars, phones, appliances, just about everything and there's always special exclusions and caps to the warranties they supposedly come with. The Right to Repair movement struck me as a nice and good idea, but if the last decade has shown us anything, we need to drill into ourselves the importance and need to develop the skills to repair our own tools, computers, appliances, furniture, whatever it may be. When you fix something, you take pride in it. Same as if you build it. That's the first step in getting people to realize they don't need that new upgrade or product; they need to have pride in what they have.
When I worked in the computer industry in the late 1990s, the design standard was "Mean Time Between Failure" (MTBF) of 60 months, e.g. 5 years. If components didn't support a 5 year MTBF, then computers couldn't last for five years without breaking down. This was when you could repair a computer for far less money than replacing one, and I repaired my original Macintosh computer twice. Now with sealed batteries in both phones and laptops, you're lucky to get two to three years out of these devices. When appliances turn into leased experiences, your personal economic situation is worse off.
Fantastic video! It's like you crawled into my head lol. If I speak about these topics to friends/family, I get looks as if I have lost my mind. Keep bringing these great videos out. Thanks for taking the time to educate people 😊❤
I am so glad that you enjoyed it! I totally understand, I feel like I am from another planet sometimes the way I get looked at haha. I will continue to do my best! Thank you so much for reaching out! I hope all is well🤍
@@DamonCassidy There are many like you. Check out John Kay's song "Endless Commercial". He's the lead singer in the band Steppenwolf (of Born to Be Wild fame). ruclips.net/video/Kh0O2HAC5AY/видео.html
Man, that was such a great presentation. You really covered some ground and not only covered consumerism fantasticly well but also dug into a lot of America's problems (and across the planet) at the moment where there is such deep division and people can't even have a conversation with someone with opposite views let alone consider what they might say could be true. My hope is America can heal itself and once again become the united States. ( that incase it's being misinterpreted does not mean "make America great again" ). I'm not meaning to single out America but the division there in just a few short years is mind blowing.
The division has ALWAYS been there. The reason you're so shocked by the intensity over such a short time is because you aren't seeing something nasty grow from scratch, you're seeing the mask get pulled off a fully mature monster.
I’ve seen two posts crying out for money recently… but when I looked at their profiles I got the impression firstly, that they’d recently separated, secondly they weren’t that wealthy with holidays to Greece, Spain, whatever but third, probably for social media, they’d blown a fortune on designer clothes not just for themselves but toddlers too…. Dolce & Cabana shoes for toddlers, Louis Vuitton etc, because they’d been selling it all. Sorry but toddlers really don’t need designer gear, and neither do adults. It reeked of look at me. No doubt why they’d seperated and got into serious financial difficulties.
We cant judge someones situation. Here I sometimes buy designer clothes on sale as quality is better and I would rather have better quality pieces and less, then more items of clothes but they are made of poor quality and quickly deteriorate making them unwearable. In small country the designer clothes I get are only about $30 more but quality is way better. I used to think was no point in designer clothes untill I discovered the quality difference
Thanks for this video! It was actually pretty helpful on understanding what people have meant by “consuming” things - most of the stuff I buy is to make something (music, art, videos) and my metrics are usually for its utility or if it matches what I was looking for already. Advertising has always seemed weird and forced and almost begging-like at times. And if I ever run into people that care about what I wear or have, I just avoid them, because they don’t care about anything interesting lol.
Absolutely! Glad that it was able to provide some value! I agree, especially with car commercials. Never makes sense and is so incredibly unrealistic from practical use. I appreciate you reaching out🤍
Hi Damon! Loved the video, but the main ad at 7:05 was a fake ad created for the video game "Rapture", so is the cigarette company. Even thought cigarette companies at the time did definitely downplay the negative health affects of smoking.
I think that our colleges/universities also contribute to consumerism. Why? Because many graduates go to work in sales and marketing no matter what degree they get- they can't find their degree job. They make way too many graduates and those graduates aren't prepared for the job market, so the only job they can do is sales/marketing. And those sale-marketing people contribute the most to consumerism. Also, they have inflated ego, because they think that they finished their degree, and think that they are doing the real job, but in reality it's bs job. I am surprised how many stupid firms make and market stupid products and make huge money out of it.
Atleast half of sales people fail at the job for many reasons. Some include, bad territory, cant work like a robot how most companies want them to, insane and unrealistic metrics, bad product, too much competition, etc. I used to be in sales and at first it was good but after I got laid off the next 4 jobs I had were awful. Finally had enough and went all into my business and doing much better now than I did at those 4 sh*ty sales jobs
I really, really liked your speech at the end. When I was in college I worked as a teacher's aide in a preschool classroom, and something I remember very profoundly was the realization of just how subtly consumerism can affect one's behavior (obsession with brands, IPs, franchises, products, etc... this was a classroom after all and we had LOTS of books and various types of other toys in addition to our classroom materials to entertain them during free periods, so the debate of "Want VS Need" was something that came up every now and then), even when we're very young, and we would always do our best to mitigate this by modeling the right behavior whenever we could; pointing out the positive traits of the things that we *do* own, no matter where we got them or how long we've had them in our possession. For example, one of us might say to the other "Miss [x], I really like the sweater you're wearing!" and the other would reply, "Thank you! It's soft and it keeps me warm".
I have never impulse bought since I became an adult and I don't understand why others do. I did have friends who shamed me for saving and investing my money. They're not my friends anymore.
About twice a year, I find a reason to explain planned obsolescence to someone. But I didn't remember that it was actually INVENTED by someone. What an asshole.
Unreal right! I mention that again in the video that will come out this evening and it’s unreal to hear what Lehman brothers said about it as well in the late 20s
This is the kind of history lesson I should have paid attention to in school (assuming it was even covered. I honestly don't remember). Fantastic video my friend. You earned a new subscriber.
Everyone is WASTING THEIR LIFE AWAY working to be able to afford bullshit. I'm the cheapest person in the world and am immune to being convinced that I need something. I am TOO SMART to worry about impressing people and looking wealthy. Meanwhile, the average human (idiot) busting their ass to buy shit they don't need is making other shit cheaper for ME. That is my CHEAT CODE. Be smart and let others lose so you can win. 😊
'Men will always be mad, and those who think they can cure them are the maddest of all.' - Voltaire. -- GREAT VIDEO! Thank you for your hard work!!! All we can do is what you did here: give people the information and let them do what they will. At least it's the right thing and I think you may make a dent.
You’re 100% right-we can FEEL that something is wrong… collective herd instinct or whatever it is. We know this is unsustainable. Great video. Thanks man 🙌🏻
I believe in balance, the middle road, the kindness, the courageous acts ,the intelligence we all are capable of educating ourselves and listening to our inner morals, the ability to lose the ego and greed that rising around us. All we need to do is to start initiating steps with opened mindset. I love this video. I feel this is the most authentic video I have seen so far. Thank you for your time creating such an impactful contemt 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I don't buy anything anymore. I am fighting inflation and just imvesting and growing my wealth living my frugal lifestyle. So i am doing something about it.
In a sense I regret not having children, but not for the reason you might think. A huge chunk of the American Dream was not making yourself rich, but to make a better life for your children. I didn't have that motivation. So instead I lived around 150% of the poverty line for a good chunk of my life and invested the extra time in mentoring others. I have never lived next to the Joneses, commuted by bicycle the better part of a decade, and had adult roommates more often than not. But somebody else's children whom I have never met will have a slightly better life.
@@newdawnfades444 I mean, taking a loan for 100k-200k for 20 years is expensive for me. That range is the projected expenses for raising a child in this age from 0 to 20. Me, I don't have that kind of money and don't want a repeat of my childhood with food insecurity. 40 years ago it was the norm and I knew many of my childhood friends who suffered through this kind of upbringing. If you are well off, knock your socks out and have three.
Everything is in reverse. Oftentimes, those who appear wealthy have their fancy cars and handbags bought on credit and they are mortgaged up to their eyeballs, or just renting, and living well beyond their means. They have all the stuff but no appreciable assets, and their lifestyle is funded by borrowing money from the bank. On the other side, many people who are very wealthy don't display it - you'd never know it from looking at them or their house. They drive an old, cheap car, they don't buy the latest phone or luxury handbags. They might not even have the most prestigious or impressive job. But they are great at saving, managing, and investing money.
3:34 I had a friend who commented about how the newest Land Rover always made the prior model appear so out of date. I had no idea what he was going on about but sure enough it’s a thing for some people.
Funny, I can't do eggs or bacon anymore. Makes me feel psychological and physically ill. No wonder, considering how horrible both of this industries are. A salted banana and a charred steak are my go-to.
Zero consumerism is gaining momentum and is the way to go. Understanding "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" will help align with selective purchases during unpredictable economic times and minimize the expenditure on unnecessary (luxury) merchandise. Consumers need to take control and incorporate critical analysis and thinking into their spending habits, regardless of purchasing power, to avoid getting caught in credit card debt traps.
The government will quickly stop this trend. They will impose taxes on your savings. You will pay a wealth tax starting from $10,000 if you do not want to buy goods. So do not call anyone to reduce consumption. Save on the sly.
@@vidaus-ir-lauko-durys, could you elucidate on the taxation with links that were involved in a government, which you mentioned? I am sure many like to read more on the source you could provide. The lack of cognitive capabilities to comprehend vicissitude needed to elude the vicious cycle of debts, and the differences between baseless assumption and critical thinking; that is to offer a positive preventive solution than pointless assertive, is detrimental without having concise understanding on economics and social impact on financial management. Perhaps most of us have leapfrog beyond your stagnation. Find that solace path with enlightenment. Stop living in fearful mindset.
Absolutely! I think this is especially the case with newer vehicles! It shocks me how poorly made these 80-100k trucks are. Totally built to be in the shop within a year
When I bought my little bungalow in '97, they replaced their fancy fridge with a new plain Hot Point for me and it's still running perfect today. It's a shame how bad quality has become just to keep us buying essentials.
The last chapter of this video just brightened my entire day. I try to live by "be kind to each other," or as you said, "lead with kindness." I believe that it will be an important first step toward all of us helping all of us into a better situation. Thank you.
This one, as many of your other videos are very inspiring to make positive change in our lives! I hope all of your content continues to grow and help as many people as possible. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to witness your work. Cheers!
Im homeless. I've spent a total of 4000$ in the last couple years on "unnecessary" things. a phone and a laptop. both allow me to at least attempt youtube and content creation while i try and get off of the street. It still boggles my mind to realize im living off of less that 250$ a month in food to see people complain about X,y,z subscriptions or payments they have to make on some of the most frivilous stuff. Now dont get me wrong i get enjoyment to a degree. But watching people buy iphones when android has many cooler features across cheaper (and sometimes more expensive brands), or that you watch better content on youtube than you can on netflix. like this video. or others. I have literally watched mass produced 5$ items fly off the shelf because someone put a yellow label sticker on it that says "sale". Why is anyone buying it? because it says sale. As someone with so little spending power it's insane to be on the underside of the belly of the beast to watch how it churns through peoples pockets.
I’ve been living on minimal consumerism for about 3 years now. Literally homeless habits, I have savings now 😂 and I honestly had a great time being feral lmao
❤ Shared. You said what I had been feeling but couldn't put into words. Everyone agrees that we've completely lost humanity and the art of conversation. 😢
This is a great video! It's pretty shocking to read statements that are decidedly undemocratic, such as the majority of Americans have lower intellects. A true democracy would not allow the manipulation of its people to enrich an elite class, but that's where we are, isn't it? We must remember, we're citizens, not consumers. Great information! ❤
It's a double edge sword, I work in cellular industry and the amount of people drowning in debt from financing phones is quite alarming. At the time it's a necessary evil that pays us workers. If we don't have people buying things the business can't pay it's employees which leads to layoffs etc.
I tend to be more on the addictive side and not just to drugs, but all kinda of stuff, but because I didn't really deal with society so well, being fairly autistic at root, I don't get integrated better into society, but just trampled by the tactics of this social engineered cognitive programming. I only ever see it's evil and nothing good, so I really appreciate this explanation. Maybe, understanding it, I could at least understand how to avoid what's done on purpose.
"Today more than 70% of Americans eat bacon in the morning"... I don't quite believe that amount of people do so regularly, but that would make sense with how unhealthy we are becoming. I just can't think of a more unhealthy thing to be eating, ironically in the name of a "healthier breakfast".
So ironic isn’t it! I don’t think it’s as common as that either, at least I can’t imagine it! If you have time look up the sandwich Elvis ate everyday! That has to skew the numbers hahah
Wow Damon, this was such a wonderful video (especially the ending). We need more people like you leading these crucial discussions about the detriment of this slow, steady (as you presented) change in society due to greed, money and a general lack of compassion for the everyday citizen. More and more individuals don't feel hopeful for their future but we need to analyze our history (as you have done) and wonder why we are in this situation in the first place. Thank you for this video - automatically subscribed :) Take care!
I have recently subscribed to your channel and I want to congratulate you on your content!!! Your voice tone is extremely powerful and I think you would be a wonderful TV anchor!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I really appreciate your support!! That would be incredible! Would love to offer a sense of stability on a platform like that. I hope all is well🤍
As an economist I can assure you this is a widely adopted misconception, perhaps pushed as propaganda from the credit card companies #1) people will always be a consumer as we have basic needs that require money. #2) Think logically about what happens in two families. Family #1 spends 10% more money than they make for 5 years in a row and puts it on a credit card. Assuming they made $100,000 at the end of 5 years they spent $550,000. Moving forward they would have $88,000 to spend a year for the rest of their life. Same family, but they spend 10% less for 5 years will only spend $450,000 for 5 years. They will then have $105,000 to spend a year for the rest of their lives. That’s a $17,000 a year difference for life. On top of that the $100k principal doesn’t go away. If every citizen saves and spends on different cycles, the economy is far better off with savers than spenders
Damon, you can see in your eyes that you are very passionate about what you are speaking about. I really appreciate the stance you take.It’s not all gloom as you say. I love how the video brings up history and data. You’ve done your homework and that matched with your views and opinions was great to watch. My eyes are opening to consumerism and I’m starting to see that we put on shackles (debts) but the shackles was given to us in disguise of shiny goods. The cost of these goods that aren’t needs weigh heavy on our body, mind and soul. It’s not just financial we are impacted and most people realise too late when the debts are uncontrollable. I hope we can do better than this with better awareness and better decision making. 😊
Think thats bad, work a labor job where you have to provide your own tools. Hundred dollars for a ratcheting wrench is fucking insane. You can buy cheap ones but then I end up purchasing multiple for the same cost as one good one. People laugh because all my cars are 25+ years old until they ask for help and see how much parts cost, especially "cheap" electrical components.
It is absolutely unreal. My dad has been a carpenter my entire life and the amount of money he has invested in his tools is something most people do not think about. It really limits the barrier of entry. Thank you for sharing this
Hey Damon great message and content. Maybe a good step into learn to spend using ‘value’ and ‘impact’ rather than want. And yes, help each other and be a community.
A content customer is a terrible customer. So they create those fake needs for stuff we don't really need as for the ones in charge profits are everything. So for consumerism to work they have to keep people in the constant grip of need. It's a vicious cycle which destroys societies around the world and the planet as well. The key is to resist this drilling of those needs for the junk. It's easier dais then done as we are all constantly bombarded with propaganda aka commercials. I developed that anti-mainstream position that 'just because everybody runs into this direction or follows person X or agenda Y you have to first ask 'WHY?!?' Don't let others think for you or tell them how you have to feel and believe. Instead remember your earliest lessons in life like e.g. 'Treat others like you want to be treated.' and make those early but also very simple, humanistic common sense rules the base of your philosophy for life to resist this relentless onslaught how others try to bend and change you for their agenda. Learn throughout your life to sharpen your mind and keep pushing your horizon, keep your mind open and also important, keep a feeling heart and keep that heart with your mind in a healthy balance for a content life of integrity and personal honor to help others in need as they should aid you as the satisfaction that you made someone else's day is more worth then any frigging money. The goal is to free yourself from this inhumane urge for stuff you don't really need when your mind and heart are not behind you to resist this corporate feudal slavery system. They just changed the shackles with plastic cards, but slavery is still slavery when you allow them to own you with their debt bondage system.
I haven’t had any spending money in my bank account for 6 months now. My job still gives out checks cause it’s so expensive to do direct deposit for small business. Only have a banks account open so I don’t get charged $10 each time I cash a check & for when I do wanna buy something online or pay a bill it m makes me actually think about what I’m buying & if I really want it I’m 25 by the way
This video kind of hit weird because, it's talking about there veing no profit in need so you have to convince people to buy stuff they don't need. But like....all my money goes on shelter, insurance and food? I haven't bought something like a tv or other big box item in over ten years. I only replqce my phone when the previous one breaks, my car is almost as old as I am, and I only really have my work clothes and my not work clothes. I don't understand how a system that relies on convincing me to buy crap instead of just needs when I can barely keep up with the needs. And I thought I was in a better position than most since I'm actually currently employed.
thought this was a really interesting video, and i love how you connected all of the history. one thing i think warrants further discussion is your conclusion- while i agree on the importance of communication and kindness, i feel like after a long overview of the systematic ways in which people are manipulated by education, government, and corporations putting the focus in the individual to make better decisions feels like letting everyone who made individuals this way off the hook. i’d love to see your thoughts on ways we can fight back against these systems, as in my personal opinion i feel like that could create a more lasting mindset change in our society!
Pity people with their Pathetic Consumer Driven Life, if they are suffering financially it is their own fault. What a person spends is their lifestyle, if a person is deep in debt or living paycheck to paycheck it is because they are living a lifestyle they cannot afford. Get real with your choices. 50% of your earnings should go to maintaining your lifestyle, cut expenses, cut subscriptions, make your own meals, drive an older car, do what it takes match your lifestyle to 50% earnings, the rest of earnings should be saved for emergencies & retirement.
Thank you for this recommendation. I am watching it right now and seems interesting. A few videos popped up im watching ' The Great Depression- America's biggest economic Crisis by Free documentary - History
War is also big money. Look at what the contractors and civilians get for supplying ammunition, basic needs, etc. congress and the senators have stock in all of these vendors.
I think a good question to ask is whether elite cynicism is the problem at hand. Obviously Bernays struck gold in this idea that a well-pitched narrative is the best advertising campaign since it captures the public imagination so well. But as you said earlier, the more information we are exposed to, the less critical we become. It feels like in 2024 this idea that many people lack criticality, or self-regulation has become pervasive. Needless to say, these people exist in society today, and I am sure there is fantastic market research on how people behave at the individual level, needless to say I think its not unfounded to suggest that there are broad profiles and categories built on these behaviours which create a "type" of person in society. From the philosophical perspective, many people seem to argue that self-determination is possessed by the minority of people. If we are aware of this, imagine what these kind of people with near oligarchical-power are able to accomplish if they operate under this assumption. This feeling of unease which has captured our modern society in the past five or so years may be a result of this type of mass-manipulation.
We’re all consumers. The level of self control, budget, and how much we want the item or how much we want to impress people is what will ruin your finances.
five years ago, my coworkers made fun of me for driving my shitbox. I paid off my student loans with the money that I didn't borrow for a car. My shitbox still runs.
I drive a 96 Lumina.
Your coworkers were probably the same kids that teased other kids about not having the branded shoes and clothing in school. Congratulations on paying your student loans.
I drive a 20 year old truck while my work colleagues drive 80k+ cars and trucks. One lives in a shed, others rent, I own 10 acres in peace with the wildlife. I will stick with my 20 year old truck.
@@JustForRita Good !!!
I know exactly how you feel. Sitting in my car now about to go on a beautiful walk. All about priorities I guess. Thank you for sharing this
My father always said that keeping the populace in debt was a form of control...if you have debt you have to stick with a bad boss or job because you had no savings to fall back on if you left to find another job. From australia.
I agree. I saw it really bad when I worked at the bank. Definitely a part of my mission to help with this. Thank you for sharing, I hope all is well🤍
If you're in debt you have to accept the experimental injection being forced on you so that you can make your next car and mortgage payment.
Exactly. I had some toxic jobs so I decided to start saving a lot so I could go months without jobs. They hate that so much haha. Even other people don't get it. It is really not that hard. I rather be frugal than ever have a toxic job again. They dont see that buying more stuff, more technology, more cigarettes, more alcohol, further trips, sounds like a nightmare to me instead of an advantage. Imagine going to work to buy this crap, ruin your health, stress yourself, and pay triple for this mess? First you have to work for it. Then you have to spend it. And then you become mentally and physically ill from whatever you bought. I just made a mosquito window myself because I refuse to buy those super toxic mosquito plugs. But many people do. It costs money, it ruins health, and you have to freaking work a toxic job for that. All of it is toxic. Screw that.
So how is having a shitty boss/job controlling you?
Then don't get in debt. Most of the people can afford to do that but they are too stupid.
It is always easier to put it on "them" than us.
“Advertising is cutting a hole in the soul and charging to temporarily fill it.” I wish I could remember where I heard that.
Wow!! Powerful! Absolutely going to share that! Thank you for sharing that with us🤍
Late Comedian Bill Hicks used to say a lot about marketing, watch his HBO show, It's Just A Ride 😂
I've just ignored all marketing for several decades, unless I specifically need a product and want to learn about it (like, say, a car). That and NEVER trying to keep up with the Joneses has served me very well, re saving money.
@@pammychicamay he rest in peace
“Here’s Tom with the weather”
Jerry Mander, an American environmentalist and author. He is known for his critiques of advertising and its impacts on society, particularly in his book "Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television," published in 1978. Chatgbt source:
The saddest part is that people are lonely but they’re filling that loneliness with things because they can’t connect with other people. Part of what fuels consumerism is this emptiness and lack of community. Even social media, which started out as a way to connect with people, is now the most toxic marketplace designed to fuel consumption. Maybe the thing we do need is to try to shift our focus from filling our lives with things to connecting with our community, volunteering and helping others, actively creating instead of consuming.
Extremely accurate
I love your answer, I wholeheartedly agree!
Yes! You are spot on target.
Porn is the ultimate loneliness and attempt to cope with the pain of empty soul destroying the society in the process
yeah stop being a follower
A cigarrette marketing itself as "The smooth taste expectant mothers crave" is so comically evil
Yeah, that's hard to get your head around.
Its disgusting. I wonder what will be the product in 50 years we will look back on amazed it was recommended to us
@@DamonCassidy I'm sure there will be some clangers but nothing quite so evil as that smoking in pregnancy advertisement.
I agree
@@DamonCassidy The current solution is for the masses to stop buying from corporations. And more of us need to return to a least a partially agrarian society. Yes, things will cost more. And people won't be able to buy as much junk. But that is a good thing for the environment and for their happiness, too. This is likely to happen whether people like it or not because inflation and food shortages are going to force it on them -- unless they want to eat bugs and fake "food".
6 years ago I was $63k in bad credit card debt due to consumerism and ignorance. Fast forward today, I paid off my entire bad debt, I’m net positive at the age of 32 and I’m the richest amongest my peers (because they all have negative networth).
Literally having a $0 networth is considered “rich” now. Irony isn’t it?
So ironic! So happy to hear about where you are now! Sky is the limit not having bad debt! I really appreciate you sharing this! I hope all is well
Keep it up brother! We are in the same boat. Wife and I paid off her student loans during the payment and interest freeze during covid and all our CC debt. We will never be going back to being in debt. Currently paying more on the house.
Incredible!! What an accomplishment! You will be completely debt free in no time! Hope you and your wife are doing well!
The "richest" person is the one who is the most free because time is money, but also priceless.
Planned obsolescence makes me so angry. Its a waste of hard earned money and it’s just filling up landfills. It’s pure evil. When I buy something I expect it to last for a reeeally long time. My clothes dryer is about to go out (again!) and I’ve been trying to talk my husband into building me a frame for a clothes line because it really bothers me when I invest my money into an appliance that breaks. I’m still holding onto my tv in my bedroom that I bought in 2006. It will only work with dvds now but I’m too stubborn to replace it 😅 I’m also still holding onto my iPhone 8. The only problem is that when phones get old certain apps quit working.
The one that annoys me the most is whatever they do to appliances and clothing. If you want appliances that last a long time, either buy old used OR buy the cheapest new ones with knobs and ideally no LEDs or push buttons. I want to know why clothes I sewed in the 1970s were still wearable thirty years later. The patterns faded from so many washings, but the material was still strong. New material gets threadbare, stretches strangely, and easily rips within a year or two. What are they doing to material that causes it to fail in these ways?
Oh, avoid appliances with WiFi and Bluetooth in them. Those are just more tech to fail. Many are finding out that their "smart" appliances have software issues. If the company chooses not to update them, they fail. Note that they're also selling appliances without disclosing that they are "smart". Check the fine print to see what else is in appliances you wouldn't suspect -- like WiFi in window A/Cs and hot water heaters, for example.
@@Growmap it seems like it’s harder to get stains out of new material too
@@Growmap yes I agree it’s good to avoid smart appliances. They’re just too difficult to repair. My dryer isn’t smart so I’m really trying to hold onto it as long as possible. My husbands already repaired it a couple times. One of these days I might just go full blown Amish style and ditch my cell phone but it’s hard to let that one go 😬
Same here, still have the iPhone 8 lol. There is just no good reason to waste money on the newest flashy device when a new one will be made a couple months later. Most of it is not even much different, hardware largely stays the same year to year.
People have been brainwashed to always want the newest shinest object.
So true!!
People have been wearing gold jewelry for 1000s of years, I'm not sure we say it's a modern change.
Brainwashed is a stretch. Most women do it gladly
@@kuebby there's a difference between wanting a shiny object and wanting a new shiny object every year or so.
I work in the cellular industry. I am always baffled by how so many can be so obsessed and how they literally fall apart emotionally and mentally because their text bubbles are green not blue. Grown adults literally break down. The message went through regardless but the color is green not blue.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Facts
@tranger4579 I still can't believe how petty people are with things like this.
I had a friend who was in debt he could fix in a few months. I told him it wouldn't be a good idea to buy a $1,000 phone before getting a paycheck.
What did he do? He got the $1,000 phone and has to pay that down for a set number of months because he chose to do a contract. He said he wanted it cause it was a trending phone, and it was his b day. He already had a paid off phone.
This is actually a big deal and should be of the highest priority in the cellular industry
@@emilyau8023there are many like him -the key is delayed gratification
Great video man. My television sets are 24, and 21 years old... I hardly ever watch TV, and in 2008 cancels my subuscription to most magazines. In 2016 was when I completely pulled the plug on the one magazine I still had a subscription for. People want to believe they have free will, yet fail to realize we are being manipulated every minute of our lives. Remember, when people mended their own clothes(many times that they had made themselves), had their own gardens with vegetables, and made their own preserves? We got hoodwinked into thinking it was shameful to provide for ourselves and not buy at the stores! Even cooking has been commoditized! Keep up the good work. It's amazing what we are willing to ignore to continue with our believes and to not admit we are wrong.
Good plan. I haven't owned a TV most of my life so I don't watch it except for sometimes watching very old television shows to see what the programming was when I was growing up. There is a movement back to gardening, homesteading, permaculture, cooking, baking, food preservation. There are good RUclips channels for all of that and even sewing and altering clothes!
You stated the key to our imploding American society when you said; "we have begun to lose what it means to be kind...to do what is right even if no one is looking". One cannot count on his/her fellow Americans to read between the lines and act accordingly and do the right thing. And THAT is how the ruling class rules us, by obfuscating the truth. Great post, well presented. Cheers.
I absolutely agree! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for reaching out!
In honesty I feel like a total fool for being the guy who still holds to "doing what's right even when nobody is looking" because everytime I do the right thing, I'm used or punished. Like, let's look at a recent example. I warned some of my Uber passengers that they were right next to a ghetto in this bar they paid me to take them to. They're new to the city. I was given a 1* review and was reported to be impolite...
@@Aperson66779 Yes, the colleges, universities and the mass media have created an entire voting block of woke, poser Karens.
Since that's almost everyone, blaming that on "the ruling class" is insane. Plus, no one is MAKING you buy ANYTHING at even close to gunpoint.
Do dumb things. Blame others. Brilliant -- not.
You’re not a fool but I totally understand it also. Sometimes it feels exhausting almost feeling like you’re being punished for doing the right thing. I think it’s just important to also understand we’re doing it because we think it’s right and to make our own selves proud at the very least. Keep doing your best🤍
Everything you own ends up owning you
Everyone should watch fight club and office space at least once.
Most definitely!! Fight club is a must watch at least once a year. Such a great movie
Your last comments about people and the lack of open discussions is so true. People have become so self-centred and ignorant that it feels like you could never have an open conversation with others, unless its about themselves.
You’re absolutely right. When I worked at a bank I knew everything about everybody, it often felt like I was a therapist but was very rarely asked anything about my life. I found typically the people that talk the most about themselves don’t have someone listening to what they’re really trying to say. I definitely feel most conversations are 75% all one sided. Thank you for reaching out
Indeed
@@DamonCassidyi fully agreed
This!!!
I feel like I'm in a world of literal NPC's. You can't have an open conversion with very many people these days. It's all programmed responses.
No kidding! I remember a couple times I said a totally normal thing in relation to the conversation and the other person faked a laugh because they I guess thought they were supposed to laugh. How weird haha
personally ive found that not caring about fitting in is a huge plus.. also not really watching commercials for like 15 years now when i do see they they are so alien they literally have no impact.
ive also found the capture of planned obsolescence is really hard to shake, tho finding quality made things is extremely difficult.. like for instance car parts, or fucking lap top computers.. btw run linux as your os if you arent
Can tell you don't fit in or have friends with an os like linux
My t410 is still kicking 😅
Yeah fuck Linux, but everything else is pretty spot on.
@fj923n-jg2hc its whats wrong with them :P.. but in all seriousness to each their own..
Don't listen to them. Desk top computers can last 10+ years. And I highly recommend Linux Mint in particular. After you use Linux, Windows seems incredibly slow and annoying. Anyone who doesn't want to be "programmed" should ditch their televisions. I haven't had one most of my adult life. And commercials have zero effect on me except for some of them being incredibly annoying or creepy.
A- A day doesn't pass when I'm not staggered by how much debt-load a huge chunk of our population considers acceptable, or worse necessary. B- Wait...A Ford employee could afford a Model T? I've been working for Toyota for a decade and still can't afford a Toyota.
Toyota is better than Ford, so there's one reason. The other reason is just greed.
this is what happens when your entire monetary system is BASED on debt
Tbh, I am from Europe, and I just buy cars second-hand 💀
I can't afford to pay in full otherwise
The real reason is that blue collar wage earnings don't allow you to buy a little house and a car anymore @TheScrubmuffin69
Well, the good news is that both Toyotas and Hondas can last over ten years and 200k+ miles. So do like I did and only buy ten year old vehicles with about 100k on them. Back when I did it, they were $2000-$2500. No telling how ridiculous they are now -- but still better than new.
Nobody forces anybody to spend more than they can afford
Americans buy things they do not need, with money they don't have, to impress people they don't like
Yep.
That's not really true. Basic necessities are now beyond affordable. There's a serious lack of real options due to shady industry-wide practices.
@@michalsvihla1403 Depends how You define necessities,
Omit Starbucks, food delivery services, artificial vitamines, hard working people don't need a gym or a swimmingpool.
Buy the car You can afford, not what You want.
Why is the AC set to a temperature that You have to wear longsleaves and pullovers inside
@@RickTheClipper Glad you asked. I can't afford to live on my own, much less spend any money on too much takeout. I don't drink coffee, soda or anything sweet. I don't smoke, do drugs, or own a car. I don't own anything except for a 5 year old laptop. I can only put away about 300€ a month due the high cost of everything. And everything that I can buy for my money is getting crappier every year. I can't buy easily repairable stuff anymore. That's the lack of options I'm talking about.
@@michalsvihla1403 Where do You live?
I have stopped being a "consumer" I dont buy stuff anymore !😊
Im boycotting the overall economy now.
Alot of people have no interest in the truth... they prefer the lie.
people will believe a lie before the truth by the time they realize the truth it's too late
@@newmobile1455~ yup. It takes People until they are 70 yrs old to realize none of this BS on earth means anything.. we are born into this world naked & we depart from this world naked .. & they spend 50 yrs of their lives consuming nonstop & still don't realize that .. marketing was the biggest con job our species ever created
The truth is always ugly, so yeah not surprising. Life just sucks.
Your video is a good reminder that critical thinking and the ability to resist impulse buying are necessary skills in life.
Not sad and gloomy - I found it honest and transparent. Another thing lacking in so many things in today’s world. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if social media had been around during ww2 and the heavy hitting propaganda machines. It was horrendous as it was. I agree that kindness needs to make a comeback. Great topic!!
So glad you enjoyed it! You’re absolutely right! The horrendous nightmare that would’ve have been!! Kindness is so needed right now, another component I missed was forgiveness. I feel like so many of us are holding grudges for years and years and forgiveness is really needed to move forward. Great to hear from you! I hope you and your family are doing well🤍
I want to fix a misconception about the light bulb deal. It stardised watts to lumens on light bulbs. Lifespan is inversely related to luminosity. Thicker the filament, the longer it lasts, and the dimmer it burns. Any development that could have increased lifespan would still have been competitive benefit to any of the companies as it would have meant more luminosity from fewer watts. When lighting was the big electricity drain, 50W bulb that gives same lifespan and luminosity as 60W bulb would have been a bestseller, but physics didn't allow for it until leds were developed really. The bulbs were always cheap. It was the electricity that cost money.
Wow! Incredible! Thank you for sharing this. Sorry for spreading the misconception
@@DamonCassidy Yes and no. There are bulbs still burning seemingly indefinitely. But they are dimmer. And obviously they're not in rural areas where lightening greatly reduces the lifespan of all types of bulbs including LEDs. Every light that was on when lightening struck close by either immediately popped or went out shortly after power was restored.
LEDs are bad for our vision and mental health too.
Ah yes! Planned obsolescence!
Where they make a shovel with an iron blade, a wooden shaft, but an aluminum neck so that it snaps.
Absolutely! My dad is a carpenter and the amount of new tools he’s bought that have broken is unreal compared to the tools that were handed down from his dad
Great video. So much of everything we buy isn't just cheaply made, but purposely designed to break after a certain period of time.
This includes cars, phones, appliances, just about everything and there's always special exclusions and caps to the warranties they supposedly come with.
The Right to Repair movement struck me as a nice and good idea, but if the last decade has shown us anything, we need to drill into ourselves the importance and need to develop the skills to repair our own tools, computers, appliances, furniture, whatever it may be.
When you fix something, you take pride in it. Same as if you build it. That's the first step in getting people to realize they don't need that new upgrade or product; they need to have pride in what they have.
When I worked in the computer industry in the late 1990s, the design standard was "Mean Time Between Failure" (MTBF) of 60 months, e.g. 5 years. If components didn't support a 5 year MTBF, then computers couldn't last for five years without breaking down. This was when you could repair a computer for far less money than replacing one, and I repaired my original Macintosh computer twice. Now with sealed batteries in both phones and laptops, you're lucky to get two to three years out of these devices. When appliances turn into leased experiences, your personal economic situation is worse off.
This is one of the best videos I have ever watched since I started RUclips a decade ago. Love from South Africa🇿🇦
What a compliment!! Thank you so much for your very kind words! I hope you’re doing well!
Fantastic video! It's like you crawled into my head lol. If I speak about these topics to friends/family, I get looks as if I have lost my mind. Keep bringing these great videos out. Thanks for taking the time to educate people 😊❤
I am so glad that you enjoyed it! I totally understand, I feel like I am from another planet sometimes the way I get looked at haha. I will continue to do my best! Thank you so much for reaching out! I hope all is well🤍
@@DamonCassidy I too feel like I'm from another planet. How do we get off of this one? 😂
@@DamonCassidy There are many like you. Check out John Kay's song "Endless Commercial". He's the lead singer in the band Steppenwolf (of Born to Be Wild fame). ruclips.net/video/Kh0O2HAC5AY/видео.html
Haha I wish I knew. I need a planet a little more kind and relaxed at the moment haha
Man, that was such a great presentation. You really covered some ground and not only covered consumerism fantasticly well but also dug into a lot of America's problems (and across the planet) at the moment where there is such deep division and people can't even have a conversation with someone with opposite views let alone consider what they might say could be true. My hope is America can heal itself and once again become the united States. ( that incase it's being misinterpreted does not mean "make America great again" ). I'm not meaning to single out America but the division there in just a few short years is mind blowing.
The division has ALWAYS been there. The reason you're so shocked by the intensity over such a short time is because you aren't seeing something nasty grow from scratch, you're seeing the mask get pulled off a fully mature monster.
Facts!
I’ve seen two posts crying out for money recently… but when I looked at their profiles I got the impression firstly, that they’d recently separated, secondly they weren’t that wealthy with holidays to Greece, Spain, whatever but third, probably for social media, they’d blown a fortune on designer clothes not just for themselves but toddlers too…. Dolce & Cabana shoes for toddlers, Louis Vuitton etc, because they’d been selling it all. Sorry but toddlers really don’t need designer gear, and neither do adults. It reeked of look at me. No doubt why they’d seperated and got into serious financial difficulties.
We cant judge someones situation. Here I sometimes buy designer clothes on sale as quality is better and I would rather have better quality pieces and less, then more items of clothes but they are made of poor quality and quickly deteriorate making them unwearable. In small country the designer clothes I get are only about $30 more but quality is way better. I used to think was no point in designer clothes untill I discovered the quality difference
Telling us to work for the money just to give it right back to them. The workers are also the customers
Absolutely right! It’s a gnarly cycle
Thanks for this video! It was actually pretty helpful on understanding what people have meant by “consuming” things - most of the stuff I buy is to make something (music, art, videos) and my metrics are usually for its utility or if it matches what I was looking for already. Advertising has always seemed weird and forced and almost begging-like at times. And if I ever run into people that care about what I wear or have, I just avoid them, because they don’t care about anything interesting lol.
Absolutely! Glad that it was able to provide some value! I agree, especially with car commercials. Never makes sense and is so incredibly unrealistic from practical use. I appreciate you reaching out🤍
I have never been in debt my whole life. Never made sense to me.
How did you buy a house and car? Actually, most important question first is, how old are you now? No point you being 18 😂.
@@robbylebotha Built my own home paid for lot with cash. I only drive junk cars bought for junk value.
Hi Damon! Loved the video, but the main ad at 7:05 was a fake ad created for the video game "Rapture", so is the cigarette company. Even thought cigarette companies at the time did definitely downplay the negative health affects of smoking.
I think that our colleges/universities also contribute to consumerism. Why? Because many graduates go to work in sales and marketing no matter what degree they get- they can't find their degree job. They make way too many graduates and those graduates aren't prepared for the job market, so the only job they can do is sales/marketing. And those sale-marketing people contribute the most to consumerism. Also, they have inflated ego, because they think that they finished their degree, and think that they are doing the real job, but in reality it's bs job. I am surprised how many stupid firms make and market stupid products and make huge money out of it.
Atleast half of sales people fail at the job for many reasons. Some include, bad territory, cant work like a robot how most companies want them to, insane and unrealistic metrics, bad product, too much competition, etc. I used to be in sales and at first it was good but after I got laid off the next 4 jobs I had were awful. Finally had enough and went all into my business and doing much better now than I did at those 4 sh*ty sales jobs
Modern slavery - debt, consumerism, deep in mind manipulation.
I really, really liked your speech at the end. When I was in college I worked as a teacher's aide in a preschool classroom, and something I remember very profoundly was the realization of just how subtly consumerism can affect one's behavior (obsession with brands, IPs, franchises, products, etc... this was a classroom after all and we had LOTS of books and various types of other toys in addition to our classroom materials to entertain them during free periods, so the debate of "Want VS Need" was something that came up every now and then), even when we're very young, and we would always do our best to mitigate this by modeling the right behavior whenever we could; pointing out the positive traits of the things that we *do* own, no matter where we got them or how long we've had them in our possession. For example, one of us might say to the other "Miss [x], I really like the sweater you're wearing!" and the other would reply, "Thank you! It's soft and it keeps me warm".
I’ve been watching RUclips for over a decade. This is the best and most impactful video I have ever watched on this app.
Excellent video Damon.
You are really putting out high quality content, with zero filler..
So glad you enjoy it! Hope to continue making valuable content
I have never impulse bought since I became an adult and I don't understand why others do. I did have friends who shamed me for saving and investing my money. They're not my friends anymore.
About twice a year, I find a reason to explain planned obsolescence to someone. But I didn't remember that it was actually INVENTED by someone.
What an asshole.
Unreal right! I mention that again in the video that will come out this evening and it’s unreal to hear what Lehman brothers said about it as well in the late 20s
This is the kind of history lesson I should have paid attention to in school (assuming it was even covered. I honestly don't remember). Fantastic video my friend. You earned a new subscriber.
They likely wouldn't cover this unless you took an elective like Psychology and Media Literacy like I did.
That desire for more summarizes humanity’s growth as well as its destruction
Everyone is WASTING THEIR LIFE AWAY working to be able to afford bullshit.
I'm the cheapest person in the world and am immune to being convinced that I need something.
I am TOO SMART to worry about impressing people and looking wealthy.
Meanwhile, the average human (idiot) busting their ass to buy shit they don't need is making other shit cheaper for ME.
That is my CHEAT CODE. Be smart and let others lose so you can win. 😊
'Men will always be mad, and those who think they can cure them are the maddest of all.' - Voltaire. -- GREAT VIDEO! Thank you for your hard work!!! All we can do is what you did here: give people the information and let them do what they will. At least it's the right thing and I think you may make a dent.
Thank you so much for your kind words! What a powerful quote! Doing the best I can! I hope all is well🤍
I really appreciate your excellent hard work and hope that you can continue. I look forward to following your work. Thank you.
You’re 100% right-we can FEEL that something is wrong… collective herd instinct or whatever it is. We know this is unsustainable. Great video. Thanks man 🙌🏻
I believe in balance, the middle road, the kindness, the courageous acts ,the intelligence we all are capable of educating ourselves and listening to our inner morals, the ability to lose the ego and greed that rising around us. All we need to do is to start initiating steps with opened mindset. I love this video. I feel this is the most authentic video I have seen so far. Thank you for your time creating such an impactful contemt 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I don't buy anything anymore. I am fighting inflation and just imvesting and growing my wealth living my frugal lifestyle. So i am doing something about it.
Me too! Though at times I like to thrift for cheaper alternatives instead of buying in store.
I really am thankful I did not have children and did not squander my earnings too much just to keep up with the Joneses
In a sense I regret not having children, but not for the reason you might think. A huge chunk of the American Dream was not making yourself rich, but to make a better life for your children. I didn't have that motivation. So instead I lived around 150% of the poverty line for a good chunk of my life and invested the extra time in mentoring others. I have never lived next to the Joneses, commuted by bicycle the better part of a decade, and had adult roommates more often than not. But somebody else's children whom I have never met will have a slightly better life.
Kids aren't as expensive as everyone claims. I mean it's not like you have to throw the kid in an Armani suit as soon as he's born.
the real problem is there's hardly such thing as work life balance to actually be able to RAISE your kids properly.
@@newdawnfades444 I mean, taking a loan for 100k-200k for 20 years is expensive for me. That range is the projected expenses for raising a child in this age from 0 to 20. Me, I don't have that kind of money and don't want a repeat of my childhood with food insecurity. 40 years ago it was the norm and I knew many of my childhood friends who suffered through this kind of upbringing. If you are well off, knock your socks out and have three.
@@newdawnfades444obviously you have not brought an infant into the world and incurred the expenses from 0 to 18 years . 🙄
Everything is in reverse. Oftentimes, those who appear wealthy have their fancy cars and handbags bought on credit and they are mortgaged up to their eyeballs, or just renting, and living well beyond their means. They have all the stuff but no appreciable assets, and their lifestyle is funded by borrowing money from the bank. On the other side, many people who are very wealthy don't display it - you'd never know it from looking at them or their house. They drive an old, cheap car, they don't buy the latest phone or luxury handbags. They might not even have the most prestigious or impressive job. But they are great at saving, managing, and investing money.
3:34 I had a friend who commented about how the newest Land Rover always made the prior model appear so out of date. I had no idea what he was going on about but sure enough it’s a thing for some people.
Absolutely! It’s unreal looking at the quality and usability of certain older vehicles compared to their newer editions. Really unfortunate
Debt, have kids. You will NOT quit your job no matter how awful and you will not be happy.
There's a potential where we don't need to eat bacon or eggs in the morning. We can eat anything we want.
I don't eat breakfast
I’ve never liked eating breakfast but where they really got me is I eat eggs for lunch hahaha!
Intermittent fasting is wonderful
Funny, I can't do eggs or bacon anymore. Makes me feel psychological and physically ill. No wonder, considering how horrible both of this industries are.
A salted banana and a charred steak are my go-to.
Another great Sunday video!! Great work!
So glad you enjoyed! Hope all is well!
This explains why when I was growing up, we called commercial breaks "propaganda" colloquially
Zero consumerism is gaining momentum and is the way to go. Understanding "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" will help align with selective purchases during unpredictable economic times and minimize the expenditure on unnecessary (luxury) merchandise. Consumers need to take control and incorporate critical analysis and thinking into their spending habits, regardless of purchasing power, to avoid getting caught in credit card debt traps.
Absolutely! Critical thinking is something society really needs more of! Eliminates so much unnecessary spending
The government will quickly stop this trend. They will impose taxes on your savings. You will pay a wealth tax starting from $10,000 if you do not want to buy goods. So do not call anyone to reduce consumption. Save on the sly.
@@vidaus-ir-lauko-durys, could you elucidate on the taxation with links that were involved in a government, which you mentioned? I am sure many like to read more on the source you could provide. The lack of cognitive capabilities to comprehend vicissitude needed to elude the vicious cycle of debts, and the differences between baseless assumption and critical thinking; that is to offer a positive preventive solution than pointless assertive, is detrimental without having concise understanding on economics and social impact on financial management. Perhaps most of us have leapfrog beyond your stagnation. Find that solace path with enlightenment. Stop living in fearful mindset.
Refrigerators are worthless these days! I can’t believe how badly they are made- don’t last 4/5 years! Ridiculous! Same with IPhones
Absolutely! I think this is especially the case with newer vehicles! It shocks me how poorly made these 80-100k trucks are. Totally built to be in the shop within a year
When I bought my little bungalow in '97, they replaced their fancy fridge with a new plain Hot Point for me and it's still running perfect today. It's a shame how bad quality has become just to keep us buying essentials.
I'll never understand how people can be so consumeristic. Saving is the way to go
The last chapter of this video just brightened my entire day. I try to live by "be kind to each other," or as you said, "lead with kindness." I believe that it will be an important first step toward all of us helping all of us into a better situation.
Thank you.
This one, as many of your other videos are very inspiring to make positive change in our lives! I hope all of your content continues to grow and help as many people as possible. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to witness your work. Cheers!
Im homeless. I've spent a total of 4000$ in the last couple years on "unnecessary" things. a phone and a laptop. both allow me to at least attempt youtube and content creation while i try and get off of the street. It still boggles my mind to realize im living off of less that 250$ a month in food to see people complain about X,y,z subscriptions or payments they have to make on some of the most frivilous stuff. Now dont get me wrong i get enjoyment to a degree. But watching people buy iphones when android has many cooler features across cheaper (and sometimes more expensive brands), or that you watch better content on youtube than you can on netflix. like this video. or others. I have literally watched mass produced 5$ items fly off the shelf because someone put a yellow label sticker on it that says "sale". Why is anyone buying it? because it says sale. As someone with so little spending power it's insane to be on the underside of the belly of the beast to watch how it churns through peoples pockets.
I’ve been living on minimal consumerism for about 3 years now. Literally homeless habits, I have savings now 😂 and I honestly had a great time being feral lmao
❤ Shared. You said what I had been feeling but couldn't put into words. Everyone agrees that we've completely lost humanity and the art of conversation. 😢
This is a great video! It's pretty shocking to read statements that are decidedly undemocratic, such as the majority of Americans have lower intellects. A true democracy would not allow the manipulation of its people to enrich an elite class, but that's where we are, isn't it? We must remember, we're citizens, not consumers. Great information! ❤
It's a double edge sword, I work in cellular industry and the amount of people drowning in debt from financing phones is quite alarming. At the time it's a necessary evil that pays us workers. If we don't have people buying things the business can't pay it's employees which leads to layoffs etc.
That was exactly what I needed today. To see other people aware of the people being enticed into propaganda and forgetting to be humane to each other.
I tend to be more on the addictive side and not just to drugs, but all kinda of stuff, but because I didn't really deal with society so well, being fairly autistic at root, I don't get integrated better into society, but just trampled by the tactics of this social engineered cognitive programming. I only ever see it's evil and nothing good, so I really appreciate this explanation. Maybe, understanding it, I could at least understand how to avoid what's done on purpose.
"Today more than 70% of Americans eat bacon in the morning"... I don't quite believe that amount of people do so regularly, but that would make sense with how unhealthy we are becoming. I just can't think of a more unhealthy thing to be eating, ironically in the name of a "healthier breakfast".
So ironic isn’t it! I don’t think it’s as common as that either, at least I can’t imagine it! If you have time look up the sandwich Elvis ate everyday! That has to skew the numbers hahah
Bacon is in fact, quite healthy.
Cereal, on the other hand, is not
Wow Damon, this was such a wonderful video (especially the ending). We need more people like you leading these crucial discussions about the detriment of this slow, steady (as you presented) change in society due to greed, money and a general lack of compassion for the everyday citizen. More and more individuals don't feel hopeful for their future but we need to analyze our history (as you have done) and wonder why we are in this situation in the first place. Thank you for this video - automatically subscribed :) Take care!
The main problem is the rent is too high, buying junk isn't the problem. People are debt from paying rent and buying the food.
I agree! I think it is both. When I worked at a bank I saw both sides of the coin largely occurring
I have recently subscribed to your channel and I want to congratulate you on your content!!! Your voice tone is extremely powerful and I think you would be a wonderful TV anchor!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I really appreciate your support!! That would be incredible! Would love to offer a sense of stability on a platform like that. I hope all is well🤍
This is an excellent video which addresses the importance of discussion, independent thought, free will and kindness.
I use a iPhone 6s, its 10 years old, still does near anything the average person would want to do, or would, if app support wasnt withering away
About 70% of the economy is based upon consumer spending so if you stop buying things the economy will contract.
Good.
As an economist I can assure you this is a widely adopted misconception, perhaps pushed as propaganda from the credit card companies
#1) people will always be a consumer as we have basic needs that require money.
#2) Think logically about what happens in two families.
Family #1 spends 10% more money than they make for 5 years in a row and puts it on a credit card. Assuming they made $100,000 at the end of 5 years they spent $550,000. Moving forward they would have $88,000 to spend a year for the rest of their life.
Same family, but they spend 10% less for 5 years will only spend $450,000 for 5 years. They will then have $105,000 to spend a year for the rest of their lives.
That’s a $17,000 a year difference for life. On top of that the $100k principal doesn’t go away.
If every citizen saves and spends on different cycles, the economy is far better off with savers than spenders
Absolutely, it would be nice to see more of a priority into infrastructure to help a bit with that percentage
Really interesting! Thank you for sharing this
So be it.
Really great video mate! Keep up the good work 🤘🏻
So glad you enjoyed it! I hope all is well!
Yes, that's so true. Thanks for the talk.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for reaching out🤍
I wonder if Bernays knew just how much societal chaos his ideas would end up unleashing. Probably not.
I don’t think so, after reading so much about him I genuinely think he thought he was doing good for society. So wild
Nobody is saying we need to stop commerce. What we're saying is 'capitalism' is hurting us.
Damon, you can see in your eyes that you are very passionate about what you are speaking about. I really appreciate the stance you take.It’s not all gloom as you say. I love how the video brings up history and data. You’ve done your homework and that matched with your views and opinions was great to watch. My eyes are opening to consumerism and I’m starting to see that we put on shackles (debts) but the shackles was given to us in disguise of shiny goods. The cost of these goods that aren’t needs weigh heavy on our body, mind and soul. It’s not just financial we are impacted and most people realise too late when the debts are uncontrollable. I hope we can do better than this with better awareness and better decision making. 😊
Think thats bad, work a labor job where you have to provide your own tools. Hundred dollars for a ratcheting wrench is fucking insane. You can buy cheap ones but then I end up purchasing multiple for the same cost as one good one.
People laugh because all my cars are 25+ years old until they ask for help and see how much parts cost, especially "cheap" electrical components.
It is absolutely unreal. My dad has been a carpenter my entire life and the amount of money he has invested in his tools is something most people do not think about. It really limits the barrier of entry. Thank you for sharing this
Hey Damon great message and content. Maybe a good step into learn to spend using ‘value’ and ‘impact’ rather than want. And yes, help each other and be a community.
A content customer is a terrible customer. So they create those fake needs for stuff we don't really need as for the ones in charge profits are everything. So for consumerism to work they have to keep people in the constant grip of need. It's a vicious cycle which destroys societies around the world and the planet as well. The key is to resist this drilling of those needs for the junk. It's easier dais then done as we are all constantly bombarded with propaganda aka commercials. I developed that anti-mainstream position that 'just because everybody runs into this direction or follows person X or agenda Y you have to first ask 'WHY?!?' Don't let others think for you or tell them how you have to feel and believe. Instead remember your earliest lessons in life like e.g. 'Treat others like you want to be treated.' and make those early but also very simple, humanistic common sense rules the base of your philosophy for life to resist this relentless onslaught how others try to bend and change you for their agenda. Learn throughout your life to sharpen your mind and keep pushing your horizon, keep your mind open and also important, keep a feeling heart and keep that heart with your mind in a healthy balance for a content life of integrity and personal honor to help others in need as they should aid you as the satisfaction that you made someone else's day is more worth then any frigging money. The goal is to free yourself from this inhumane urge for stuff you don't really need when your mind and heart are not behind you to resist this corporate feudal slavery system.
They just changed the shackles with plastic cards, but slavery is still slavery when you allow them to own you with their debt bondage system.
I haven’t had any spending money in my bank account for 6 months now. My job still gives out checks cause it’s so expensive to do direct deposit for small business. Only have a banks account open so I don’t get charged $10 each time I cash a check & for when I do wanna buy something online or pay a bill it m makes me actually think about what I’m buying & if I really want it
I’m 25 by the way
This video kind of hit weird because, it's talking about there veing no profit in need so you have to convince people to buy stuff they don't need. But like....all my money goes on shelter, insurance and food? I haven't bought something like a tv or other big box item in over ten years. I only replqce my phone when the previous one breaks, my car is almost as old as I am, and I only really have my work clothes and my not work clothes. I don't understand how a system that relies on convincing me to buy crap instead of just needs when I can barely keep up with the needs. And I thought I was in a better position than most since I'm actually currently employed.
thought this was a really interesting video, and i love how you connected all of the history. one thing i think warrants further discussion is your conclusion- while i agree on the importance of communication and kindness, i feel like after a long overview of the systematic ways in which people are manipulated by education, government, and corporations putting the focus in the individual to make better decisions feels like letting everyone who made individuals this way off the hook. i’d love to see your thoughts on ways we can fight back against these systems, as in my personal opinion i feel like that could create a more lasting mindset change in our society!
I literally cancelled 2 streaming services and an ad-free add-on during the video. Saving me 300$ CAD yearly. 😂
Incredible!! What great news!
“The things you own end up owning you” - Tyler Durden
Incredible quote and movie
If we stop consumerism, the economy would readjust for cheaper housing, and other more important things.
Great video. Glad RUclips recommended this video and your channel.
So glad that it provided value to you! I really appreciate your support! I hope you’re doing well🤍
Pity people with their Pathetic Consumer Driven Life, if they are suffering financially it is their own fault. What a person spends is their lifestyle, if a person is deep in debt or living paycheck to paycheck it is because they are living a lifestyle they cannot afford. Get real with your choices. 50% of your earnings should go to maintaining your lifestyle, cut expenses, cut subscriptions, make your own meals, drive an older car, do what it takes match your lifestyle to 50% earnings, the rest of earnings should be saved for emergencies & retirement.
Thank you and I completely agree with your message at the end 🙏🏾
Absolutely! So glad that it provided value! I hope you’re doing well🤍
This was brilliant. Good job!
So glad you enjoyed! Thank you for reaching out!
Superb video! Leading with kindness is powerful.
You've likely already seen it but the PBS Docu series "The Great Depression" (from the 90's) is absolutely fascinating. Must watch. Free on RUclips
Thank you for this recommendation. I am watching it right now and seems interesting. A few videos popped up im watching ' The Great Depression- America's biggest economic Crisis by Free documentary - History
I stumbled upon this video, and Im glad I did! Love your content! You've earned a new subscriber✨️🤗
@@ColeenCastillo so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your support! I hope you’re doing well🤍
I think this video is very well and thoughtfully done.
I am so glad you enjoyed! Thank you for your kind words!
This video has changed me forever, Thank you.
War is also big money. Look at what the contractors and civilians get for supplying ammunition, basic needs, etc. congress and the senators have stock in all of these vendors.
Really great video, thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for reaching out🤍
I think a good question to ask is whether elite cynicism is the problem at hand.
Obviously Bernays struck gold in this idea that a well-pitched narrative is the best advertising campaign since it captures the public imagination so well. But as you said earlier, the more information we are exposed to, the less critical we become. It feels like in 2024 this idea that many people lack criticality, or self-regulation has become pervasive. Needless to say, these people exist in society today, and I am sure there is fantastic market research on how people behave at the individual level, needless to say I think its not unfounded to suggest that there are broad profiles and categories built on these behaviours which create a "type" of person in society.
From the philosophical perspective, many people seem to argue that self-determination is possessed by the minority of people. If we are aware of this, imagine what these kind of people with near oligarchical-power are able to accomplish if they operate under this assumption. This feeling of unease which has captured our modern society in the past five or so years may be a result of this type of mass-manipulation.
We’re all consumers. The level of self control, budget, and how much we want the item or how much we want to impress people is what will ruin your finances.
We can’t even herd our kids together in schools to create community anymore… Let alone have manufacturing jobs on our shores for them to go to…
Me having under 2k in debt that imma pay off pretty soon, not understanding how people can be in over tens of thousands of dollars of debt....