In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task but nowadays, many people regard it as a hobby. What are the reasons for this? Is this a positive or negative development?
In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task but nowadays, many people regard it as a
hobby.
What are the reasons for this?
Is this a positive or negative development?
Shopping was believed to be a regular household task by the past generation, while a majority of today’s society considers it as a leisure interest. From my perspective, the increasing living standards and self-pleasure are the reasons leading to this phenomenon, which creates a negative development as it brings about financial and environmental problems.
To commence with, it is undeniable that the habit of purchasing products is altered for several reasons. The rise of living needs plays a crucial part. In the past, people exchanged goods in the most deliberate way in order to ensure their basic needs. However, nowadays, individuals’ goals are not only to make ends meet but also to have a rich life both materially and spiritually. Therefore, people now take the act of shopping as self-satisfaction. For the consumers, purchasing items is a relaxation and stress relief therapy, or even a high-status indicator. For this reason, shopping is currently not solely a way to meet primary needs, instead, it is seen as a leisure activity.
On the other hand, increased convenience in shopping malls and online portals has caused people to spend more money on items that are not only unneeded but also unaffordable. Many young people have fallen into debt as a result of convenient payment methods such as credit cards. In addition, the environment is also a victim since more expenditure means more disposal. People buy reusable items but only use them once, then discard them immediately, which leads to a significant amount of waste. If that amount of thrown-away products is not properly managed, environmental pollution will become increasingly severe.
To summarize, although shopping has become a vital and necessary aspect of modern life, I believe that people should be aware of its negative consequences because of its impact on personal economic status and the environment.
