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Social paradigm of consumerism

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How would you characterize the dominant social paradigm of consumerism?

What cultural symbols or messages drive this paradigm?

How are these symbols/messages conveyed?

What are the environmental impacts of this way of thinking?

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Solution Summary

This solution examines how to characterize the dominant social paradigm of consumerism, including the cultural symbols or messages that drive this paradigm, how these symbols/messages are conveyed and the environmental impacts of this way of thinking. References are provided.

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1. How would you characterize the dominant social paradigm of consumerism?
In reference to sustainable society, Ted Trainer in his book The Conserver Society suggests that the essential elements in a sustainable society must be...much less affluent and more simplistic lifestyle(s)...(which are) more self-sufficient and cooperative..."7 It is clear from the indicators of our current consumption patterns that an economic system based on growth and affluence is unsustainable. In response to this, Lester W. Milbrath in his article 'Becoming Sustainable: Changing the Way We Think,'8 states that achieving a sustainable society will require us to supplant the Dominant Social Paradigm with the New Environmental Paradigm. For example, the chart below, taken from the same article, contains selected points in reference to characteristics of the dominant social (consumerism) economic systems as compared to the new environmental paradigm (NEP):

Dominant Social ...

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