oxymoron wrote:^ I live about 20 min outside of LA although my parents work mainly consists around this area anyways. They're franchisees which means a big part of their job driving from point "A" to point "B" all day long, leading to all the mileage. Would you mind to explain what is wrong with "running a car into the ground" and then buying a new one? Also, how long is a appropriate time for you before you buy/lease a new car? I think the saying "Different strokes for different folks" really applies here.
Environmental damage, wear on roads, contributing to traffic congestion, incurring more or perpetuating a cycle of debt, etc. And there's always the annoyance of ongoing paperwork as you update insurance, state government, etc.
I prefer not to lease, as ownership is a better deal for me since I intend to keep my car for at least five years. If, after I finish paying off the lien on it, I decide I need a new car, then I will purchase a new one. But, barring accident or catastrophic problem, I would like to keep my current vehicle until I have at least paid it off, which will be in about five years.
And I drive a 2012 Ford Fiesta. No shame in it.
The thing is you answered whether it was bad or not just like BurningDoom did. I'm asking if it is consumerism or not. Although I do like some of the points you made.
The issue here is that consumerism can have different definitions, depending on the person. Here's a short list of definitions:
1.One sense of the term is to describe the efforts to support consumers' interests. By the early 1970s, it was the accepted term for the field and began to be used in these ways:
A)."Consumerism" is the concept that consumers should be informed decision makers in the marketplace. Practices such as product testing make consumers informed.
B)."Consumerism" is the concept that the marketplace itself is responsible for ensuring economic justice and fairness in society. Consumer protection policies and laws compel manufacturers to make products safe.
C)."Consumerism" refers to the field of studying, regulating, or interacting with the marketplace. The consumer movement is the social movement which refers to all actions and all entities within the marketplace which give consideration to the consumer.
2.While the above definitions were being established, other people began using the term "consumerism" to mean "high levels of consumption". This definition gained popularity since the 1970s and began to be used in these ways:
A)."Consumerism" is the selfish and frivolous collecting of products, or economic materialism. In protest to this some people promote "anti-consumerism" and advocacy for simple living.
B)."Consumerism" is a force from the marketplace which destroys individuality and harms society. It is related to globalization and in protest to this some people promote the "anti-globalization movement".
This is where the confusion on your question comes from. I believe you specifically mean 2A, but it is also possible that you meant one of the others. There are a few factors to consider about the purchasing and collecting of games that we do here though:
1) While we are acquiring games, many of us here make it a point to acquire legally but only at a reduced rate. We wait until after the major releases of games, in some cases waiting years or potentially decades to gain a title we wish to experience.
2) Video games are of considerably less value to a producing corporation within a few months, as the majority of gamers move on to the next big game swiftly, sometimes within a few days. By the time a new hardware generation comes out, most of these games will be heavily devalued from their initial prices, enably those of us who have spent years checking on titles to have an opportunity to swoop in and purchase en masse.
3) Much of the acquisition of retro games occurs between private individuals. Money may change hands, but the bartering of goods or services may also occur. We use garage sales, private offers, and trade requests to acquire new products.
4) Our reasons for purchasing should also be considered. I have bought and sold games here as a pretext for charity. If I see a friend in need, I will often peruse their list to see if there is something I can purchase solely to give them money without potentially demeaning them by just flat out giving them money. I know there are others here who do this as well.
5) Some of our purchases are also solely for a new means of access. For instance, I have bought games on GOG and Steam that I already own, not because I need to fulfill some kind of urge but because I may need the ability to access that game over the Internet when I do not have the ability to use a physical copy. I play games with friends who live across the country, and I may visit them for LAN parties. Not having a copy of a particular game hinders that, but by purchasing a title for use on a service such as this, I have access so long as I have the Internet and a machine capable of running a particular title.
so he cheats.
