The Consumerism Epidemic In America (Escape NOW) 

A few years ago I left the Matrix and much happier. We bought a brand new car in 2005 and we still have it. We take good care of her. In 2016 we got rid of cable, and sold our television. We never bought a big screen tv. Its 2023 and we have one car, one IPhone (its 6years old) We have one laptop. We buy clothes from thrift stores. We don’t go on vacations anymore. Now that I am aware of the Matrix I see how they sell us things we do not need. School just started and I remember the importance of having all new school clothes. The fashion industry tells us what to wear every year so we look fabulous. What a load of crap. I am 67 years old so my age probably has something to do with my choices; 2 years ago I stopped wearing makeup and stopped coloring my hair. I am not interested in looking younger, I am happy to be alive. I do wear clothes that I like to make myself happy. It’s crazy how so many people are convinced they need a new upgraded smart phone every year. I agree it’s too easy for people to buy impulsively through their phones but that’s why marketing is paid so much money. Keep making videos. You are helping wake up people

Getting served an ad just as HYPER-CONSUMERISM popped on screen was some next level shit.

When I was a child my father and I went to the dump. He said "Take a good look around all these things you see people throwing out somebody thought they absolutely had to have." Let somebody else take care of it. Yes it's fun to watch.

This year I started a high payable job and for the first time in my life I didn't have to worry about money. I started buying everything that I wanted. However, after the instant gratification, came the "depression". For example, 2 weeks ago I walked from my house without sunglasses and it was a pretty sunny day. I would be outside for only 2 hours but just entered a shop and bought sunglasses for 30 dollars. Right now I'm thinking: "Yeah it's cool to have such a power but I will not use them anymore." And that feeling is horrible. I feel like I'm being manipulated inside a game or something. That money made me buy things I don't need and that started to stress me even more than when I was buying things more consciously. In the next month, hopefully, I'm going to switch to a less payable job (this one is not working and I'm not going to stay just for the money) and honestly I'm feeling more relieved.

I caught onto this early. My favorite stoic quote is that "wealth is not having great possessions but instead having few wants". As a result, i invest my money instead of buying useless crap. I think i may have bought 3 things online over the entirety of 2023.

A productive citizen, only means a citizen who works to consume. Nothing more. Great Video

Yep… I'm slowly cutting back on consuming.

7:37 That quote by Mr Rodgers critiquing how our consumerist/capitalist society pushes families is so apt!!!

Great video! I am 41, and it's amazing how much things have changed since I was a kid in the 80's and 90's. Of course there was consumerism, but nothing like today. For one, credit cards were not widely used or accepted. You had to have the money for whatever you wanted. Stores offered a limited number of things and they closed- now you have endless options and the ability to shop 24/7 from your home. Ads truly are everywhere online, and now with AI they are just getting more and more tailored to our preferences. Eating out in a restaurant or ordering delivery was a once-a-week treat for most middle-class families. Now, food delivery apps send you push notifications around mealtimes, or times they know you have ordered in the past, and you can give into temptation with the click of a button. It's all become so normalized. It's just really interesting to notice.

Plot twist: It's an ad for the $5000 camera

“Things you own, end up owning you”. - Tyler Durden

Idk what happened, but something clicked a couple of years ago, and now I don’t care about buying random things. I do still want things, but I just don’t want to buy those things.

What traditionally are called antique stores my kids half-jokingly call "junk museums." If you have never been to one, I'd recommend going just for the experience; it's sickening to see how resources (time and material) have been so badly wasted on absolute crap for decades.

I qualified for a $500,000 mortgage and I bought a $140,000 house. I was going to buy a new Ford F-150 last year and was all set, I just had to sign the papers. I decided to buy a 2011 for cash instead. I don’t even buy name brand clothing or foods.

Advertisements are brainwashing us into buying crap that we don't need. I don't know about anyone else. But I am totally sickened and disgusted by advertisements and how aggressive they have become. I don't but anything i don't need.

Man, Its not just America. It happens almost everywhere in this world now ( At least in a developed part and in 2nd world countries as well). Everywhere I have been to (Thailand, China, Russia, Japan, Cambodia, European Countries) it's the same.

I love how the speaker made it a point to tell us that he owns THREE five thousand dollar cameras. LOVELY 😊

It’s even more insidious. The things we need(human connection) have been whittled away so we feel emptiness inside. We fill that emptiness with consumption.

I agree on the consumer part, not so much the travel. I naturally am adventurous. I tell people if I was born 300 years ago I'd be on HMS Endeavour, and if I was born 300 years from now I'd be in Starfleet. I go to places off the trail like Estonia and Moloka'i, because seeing new places and experiencing new things brings me joy, I don't do it to make people jealous, I do it for ME.

The b-roll in this one was awesome man. Not only did I learn a ton from this, but you also made me think about this topic in a way I haven’t before. Keep killing it dude!

Well said, how the ego seeks priming "to impress people you don't know..." with things. Enjoyed your humility acknowledging your hypocrisy with high end tools that don't of themselves create great videos. Reminds me what dad, an old school photographer said "most amateurs know far more of the camera than i, but they know so little of what makes a picture, the composition (& no toilet signs in the background), the framing, the light, the story it tells with respect to the subject ..... Thanks Casey

It took me till I was 62 to learn the difference between a want and a need. I feel free now and my choices are based on avoiding purchasing things that are filling an emotional need. Instead I workout, spend time with friends s and family and have hobbies that are environmentally friendly.

The Matrix has us all. Tragic.

Y'ALL live in a consumer society. I save an overwhelming majority of my money. I would never waste it on things just so that somebody else would perceive me differently. People want a 1,000 dollar iPhone, I just want the 1,000 dollars. So I don't relate at all. While most people spend that money, all that money is still sitting in my brokers account making more money off my money.

The whole social life was different back decades ago too. Back then family, friends, and neighbors entertained each other in their homes. And things were shared. Lije ine friend had a color TV. Orhers would xone over and watch cartoons. One neighbor had a pool and others would go over there for cookouts. Another had a trampoline. Somebody else had animals to go see. A lot of group events and parties were potlucks. Now it's go out to meet. If at home, either order from a restaurant or have a caterer do it. There are many free or low cost things to do if you get creative.

Such a good video. I feel like people miss the good of life and the small things in life and get so fixated on materialistic goods or the "quick fix" to make them "feel" happy. This where I feel like people miss the mark. Yes modern life and goods make life much better but, there is a point where it becomes an obsession and you start chasing the next high of the next produc you can buy and not value what you have. Awesome video.

the things i've wanted the most, that i thought would bring me the most fulfillment, are things that i wouldnt care about recording or showing off to anyone. after a certain point, even the most stubborn people realize that objectifying everything makes life hollow. that eventually, the next expensive toy you've been dreaming of, wont give you that rush of happiness when you acquire it. psychopathy tends to occur at this moment for most well off people. they either have an epiphany and change their lives (rare in eurocentric culture tbh) or their capacity for logical thought becomes completely drowned in cognitive dissonance and they spend the rest of their lives chasing a high that simply cant be found, and causing severe harm in their wake.

My wife was talking about potentially buying a condo for retirement. I quickly shot it down. Whereas I loved the idea of being around other, amenities, pool, etc the idea of costs that I could not control and that were subject to change were a non starter. A big red flag. These people are an example of that. I'll stay with a paid off free standing home in a non HOA community.

Dude, you're incredibly underrated. Great vid!

Ive spent my 60 year life seldom buying things new , but buying second hand. I look around and see items that I probably would not have chosen if I bought new or on sale. Sometimes it gets me down because the new items in the store look so tempting. But I can't seem to change. I own 11 houses now , no loans, no credit. That feels pretty good . I have many long term furnished rentals now and enjoy my career

Great video Damon ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ The way you presented is more professional day by day. You are so underrated and I wish you to approach more subscribers in the near future ! 🌷

Never cared about fancy cars. I've stopped shopping for new clothes. My goal for next year is to establish a steady and easily achievable grocery shopping and cooking habit to cut down on eating out and eliminate the consumer trap that is emotional eating. Vacations are important because I want to see the world. I want to see Venice before it sinks, the great cities around the globe, climb the rainbow mountains in China, see the national parks in Chile, hike the mountains in Switzerland, see the biodiversity of China's Yunnan province and the African savannah with my own eyes before I die. A really nice, thoughtfully decorated home is important to me because a home is a sanctuary, and I want mine to be a source of peace after dealing with the world, not stress. I also want to be able to house family as needed, so I want a big one. Maybe 4 bedrooms. Otherwise, external satisfaction is coming to an end for me I think. Consumerism is stubborn, and it'll probably die a slow death in me, but it'll die. It's making modern day slaves out of us, and I refuse to not be in control of my own mind

Very insightful, especially the point that children are admonished to "be something" when they "grow up." I just read today that PayPal co-founder, David Sacks, "when he was five . . . did not know he wanted to be an entrepreneur, [he just knew he] did not want to work a profession like his father . . . !!!!!" Wikipedia, of course, but what utter nonsense!

Filtering out marketing wherever possible. Even when youtubers sneak in sponsorship, moving the slide further to skip. That's not why I clicked on the video or any website. And yes, satisfaction comes from within. Create something you are happy with and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. I made 3 such things yesterday. Very rewarding.

Admittely this is me, but on the subject of cars specifically, I did specifically want a nice car. I have been in many wrecks in economy cars. So many that something broke in my mind after my latest. I basically wished to treat myself for reasons I cannot articulate. After having four cars destroyed under me through no fault of my own, I was simply tired of the idea of buying another econobox. I wanted something beyond econobox 4. So I went and bought a higher end car. It's served me well thus far.

Downsize everything. You buy something new, donate something to make room for it.

I don't know, a nice mattress was life changing to me even though technically i didn't need it to live. There's certainly some wants that are closer to needs than others. Brought to you by expensive mattresses.

This vid is so well done, I love the tone of the whole video,keep going !!

I buy too many clothes, but what is so stupid to me and something I never do: ordering food!! What a complete waste of money!! Just go to the store and cook a meal! I will never understand this stupidity

For me, the solution was second hand stuff. I love vintage furniture because it will last another 150 years and it's mostly cheaper than cardboard IKEA stuff. I get my clothes from vintage stores - which means shopping really is like a treasure hunt and it's way more satisfying if you find something. And you get the chance to look unique. Most current fashion is really boring anyway, every store only offers beige, grey and black/white. It's sad. No wonder society is so depressed

I own a 1991 Isuzu SUV, 2012 Honda Scooter and a Used not so Fancy but Presentable House from 1995, people around me (friend or not) always ask me : Why I don't buy/upgrade new stuff? Why I'm punishing myself? Am I broke? While them living paycheck-to-paycheck and have a continuos debt due to their stuff and lifestyle that they can't afford... And if you are good in financial management, you know my answer...

I’m still attempting to work out whether consumerism is a symptom or a cause of the downfall of our culture. The fact that government and politics have become a larger part of life Western countries since 1945 shows that consumerism is not a creature of capitalism alone. There are three kinds of choices. Firstly, there are choices made for us by law. These restrict us from giving way to our base urges. At the opposite pole to that is individual choice. But in the middle is what Lord Moulton called the Third Domain. This is the realm of acceptable behaviour, where individual choice is restricted not by government laws, but by social rules. Hence, you don’t break wind loudly at the opera or play loud music to annoy your neighbours. These rules are not enforceable other than by social pressure. But since 1945 that Third Domain has shrunk, as governments try to legislate manners and individuals become more interested in their won wants and forget their responsibilities. Consumerism is a symptom of this. In a world where bureaucracy and regulation has encroached in just about every sphered of life is it no wonder that in spending and in sexual relations people have found the only “freedom” they can. They have no purpose. On every side they are told that the bourgeois norms of the past are “uncool” or even evil. They are told that “freedom” consists of. Wing deviant, whilst still acquiring lots of consumer goods. But of course this “freedom” is really just a dopamine fuelled slavery.

If we are going to have a sustainable world, this extreme consumerism and waste has to stop. Fortunately help might be on the way. Some cryptocurrencies exist to reward people for living in a sustainable way. Or allow you to get paid for seeing all those ads. To own your own data. To own a piece of a solar farm. Just a few examples.

Nice video. Thank you for breaking it down for maximum adsorption. 🙂

I got broken of any lingering materialist mindset the day I had to move all my junk to another state. That very night I became a minimalist and it was the greatest thing to happen in my life since I divorced my filthy ex-wife.

Another great video, and I'm wondering where you get your inspiration for your approach to your videos. Is it other youtubers, film/television directors, a many types of creative people I list for days honestly? Anyways just curious.

Great video - also 6:45 Sony FX3 looks great - may i ask the exact type of Zeiss lens type are using?

Nothing crazy unique here, but it's quality content with a good message. Good luck!

A great video and message! To paraphrase Mr. Rogers, you will be a RU-vidr some day, but you are appreciated right now for who you are. Keep up the good work!

Absolutely excellent video!

Basically, Rockefeller was saying he wants a nation of wage slaves. Well, his dreams came true!

How you only have 2K subs? This is such an underrated video. Truly a dime in the shit pile of RU-vid videos nowadays.. Hope to see you grow🔥

I buy some things for dreams which are expressed wants. But it then turns out just to be fantasy and that's why they are dreams. I'm trying to be more realistic and buy things I currently need or could really use. And just appreciate the other things, maybe imagine using them, but don't buy them.

New products daily, I need at least 5 new packages a day. Door dash every meal, new car every year, new phone every month! Consume! Consume! Consume!

The fact that Henry Ford actually wanted a sustainable future by supporting natural alcohol powered hemp made cars than oil product powered unsustainable material made cars.

I just want a Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster. I swear after that, I’ll stop consuming.

Oh well and here we are on "Prison Earth". I am glad my only child doesn't go to regular school, it is enough nonsense in society as it is, what a joke!

I feel like you are missing some pieces in the puzzle. Please let some years pass and do this video again, I would love to see how your point of view has broadened by then. Good style, good narration, good work.

I appreciate the heart and artistry of this video! Thanks for sharing your ideas. I identified $3000 of non essentials I purchased over the year and was floored. Consumerism is a trap 🪤. And I’m slowly returning back to the truth that one only needs themselves, not the item or thing, to prosper!❤

I couldn't imagine spending 18,000 a year on NON-ESSENTIALS ALONE. I barely crack 20k with essentials, my non-essential spending probably adds up to 100 dollars a month.

Excellent work 👏

Not sure a vacation can be described as consumerism…a fancy car yes but experiences are priceless

7:20 spot on.

I prefer to buy things i need. Not the things i want. When i'm in shop, i ask myself qustion "do i actually need it? is it usefull for me?". I focus on my needs. Not mega corporations needs. Buying overpriced tools just because ads is weirds for me. This way i have money for my needs, while literally rest of people around me is bankrupt with debts.

Thank you for the video. It was interesting and made me think. Just one criticism...the music was distracting and had nothing to do with your video. But..i liked the music for itself. What was it?

I just see myself going on Ebay or Amazon by default without thinking looking for something I don't need, 🤔

Thats why kids are important...it stops u from buying bullshit for urself....u buy it for ur kids instead

Jesus bless you. wow that is something the more deeper I jump into minimulsim and bible studying the more I see how deeply munipulated we are to believe something that isn't right for humans to do and be. the bible speaks about loving others and not loving the things of this world, just as dalai lama XIV said. I would really recommend you checking out the bible it has deep quotes.

It’s ironic that he talks about hyper-consumerism while owning 3 expensive cameras, high quality microphone/lights and doing the video from a nice studio…

I like your video, I hope more people see it.

Great topic

We do not buy things we don’t have the money. Our household has zero debt. We always ask ourselves, “Do we really need it”. We do less and enjoy more.

You know you come across a (usually) small and good indie channel when they pin an early comment instead of the channels own promoting something.

The Industrial revolution started in 1760 and Henry Ford opened is first motor company over a 100 years later.

It's only a problem if you can't control yourself...... if you have some semblance of self control it's a wonderful thing to have all the options. Consumerism it's only as toxic as you let it be.

What if these are hobbies? Are hobbies an example of unchecked consumerism? Because I know some collectors can go way overboard but still have the money.

Really interesting video

I have no social media presence, so no one sees or hears what I'm doing. Nobody but my neighbors see my cars. Only my family sees my vacation pictures, if they ask. So, on a large-scale Facebook or Instagram, I'm not jumping up and down screaming LOOK AT ME. But on a small scale a few people know what I do. In my case I still want to travel and own a car. But there are lots own other spends that we don't partake of. So, you could have probably done a better job trying to drive the philosophical point you were trying to make.

Your job/wage depends on other consumers using debt to buy your produce. And vice versa.

3:00 Pure American experience

I think this was a great video, but as a feedback, the background music was quite distracting and too loud IMHO. Especially towards the end. Great content though. 🙏🏻

I was actually thinking about the camera you use for the video while watching the video, thinking to myself- so, he is preaching not to consume, while filming this with who knows how expensive camera(s) and lens(es). Found it quite "cute" that you then mentioned that in the video and it was indeed better than watching some influencer for example criticizing fast fashion, while the video is being sponsored by yet another brand wanting to make money from the viewers. And I am saying this as someone, who would also invest in top gear, to get that best possible quality etc.- but still, regardless of the fact I actually subscribed to your channel- do you really think your message would not be transported if you used a camera that was great 10 years ago, that allowed someone 10 years ago to express themselves? I am not really someone who is not doing the same in my context, but I do feel all the vlogs basically look the same. A worker in many countries in EU would need to work a minimum wage job for like 2 years just to earn enough money for the camera and lenses you use, not to mention all the rest that comes with a studio. I am not really trying to criticise you, that`s not my point here- I just think that you have a very good message and that it would come across even if you used 1000 dollars worth of equipment. In a way that is also something you are saying in this video. The reason why I noticed that is because in general- when I watch youtube content creators I often feel like the content is more or less an ad for equipment they are using. Like people who buy expensive drones and then make a channel about cinematography and cameras, however, in the end, all they do with those cameras is make videos about those cameras or make a trip where they make some shots of Iceland or something like that. And the followers are doing all they can to achieve that same kind of level of cinematography and photo camera brands have a never-ending pool of consumers for an updated model every year or so.

Oddly enough as reached age 49 I spend very little time in stores.

I'm so cheap you might mistake me for a bird, cheap cheap. Sure I sometimes buy items but they're always...quality items that I want and can afford despite not making too much...how can I afford them? Oh easy just skip on the shit you don't need. I only buy stuff if the old thing is absolutely falling apart. I don't have cable, nor do I do "streaming" (except for music) nor do I do social media (I don't feel telegram/discord count) actually started reading again this year and knocked out 4 books already

Rockefeller made it sound like it was his country. What a jerk.

Brilliant, well thought out and informative video, but the music is just under being too loud.

Once upon a time doing nothing was considered being lazy and unproductive. These days doing nothing means u are doing ur bit for the planet.

Yes, setup own home at 12. The guy in the end of the video is gifted 😂

great video. the music mixing could use a lot of work though

Conspicuous consumption at its finest.

Sad the way people don't see 18k/y or 1500/m, plus interest on this if one borrows to buy on non essentials as throwing money away. Yet essential need of shelter by renting for less than this seen as throwing money away? Rather rent and live below means than be in tons of debt

I am poor and I would like to consume, a lot.

Good video, but the music is too distracting 😞

The African continent provides by far the most raw materials!!! So it's far more likely that Africa will be the promised land, than the USA!!!

Free yourself from stuff. 👍

He’s good looking!.!.

I love my PS5. I wish I was created to be loved, but I think most people were created because of lust, not love.

I have even decided to quit thrifting.

We should be citizens, not consumers.

Anything over $20 would have to be a need not a want unless it’s my Birthday or Christmas 😂