The hottest Consumerism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

#073 ✰ Half year through thoughts

Objet • 39 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Style Consumerism
  1. The intersection of consumerism, myth, satisfaction, desire, taste, joy, meaning, and pride is explored on Objet.
  2. Clayton discusses his favorite investments, passion for menswear, next contemplated purchase, and current curiosity in menswear.
  3. Objet encourages cataloguing loved objects to share with friends, discover gems, and receive quality recommendations.

These two helped get us into the health care mess we're in. Maybe they can help get us out.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 199 implied HN points • 18 Mar 22
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare policy Medical Debt Consumerism Public Health
  1. High-deductible health plans make people avoid necessary care because they can't afford the out-of-pocket costs. This leads many to skip doctor visits and medications.
  2. Many Americans with insurance are still facing financial struggles, often leading to medical debt and even bankruptcy. This happens because their insurance doesn't cover enough of their medical expenses.
  3. Healthcare executives need to rethink their strategies. The current focus on 'consumerism' has created serious problems for patients, pushing many to choose between essential care and basic living expenses.

A Crisis of Red Roses

Tessa Fights Robots • 35 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Environmental Impact Sustainability Consumerism
  1. The quality of fresh produce and flowers, especially red roses, has drastically decreased since 2020, raising questions about the impact of various factors like supply chain interruptions, climate change, and transportation methods.
  2. Imported cut flowers, like red roses, have a significant carbon footprint due to their long, emissions-intensive journey involving climate-controlled greenhouses, refrigerated trucks, and air travel.
  3. The post highlights concerns about consumerism, manipulation, and coercion in business models, emphasizing the importance of waking up to the lies and manipulation around us.

Fight to Repair Weekly: Week of December 5, 2022

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 07 Dec 22
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Consumerism Environmental Impact
  1. Climate change is not the main threat to the planet, but rather runaway consumption and production leading to biodiversity loss.
  2. Reducing consumption and focusing on repair can help combat ecological collapse, especially in wealthier nations.
  3. Recent news highlights issues such as cybersecurity flaws in cars, Samsung's new repair app, and legal battles over biometric data collection.
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More for Less

The Leftovers • 19 implied HN points • 25 Nov 22
🎭️ Culture Consumerism Civil Unrest Social Commentary
  1. Black Friday is a day that can become a ritualistic and violent frenzy driven by consumerism and desire for material goods.
  2. Looting during protests or riots can be a political act that symbolizes desire to challenge the system and social positioning.
  3. The act of looting is often televised to reinforce the power of consumer society and divert attention from larger socio-political issues.

The Pleasure of (Virtual) Immortality

The Apéritif • 1 HN point • 08 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Grief Technology Philosophy Consumerism
  1. Digital memorials are changing how we remember loved ones. Instead of just gravestones, people can now share memories and stories online, making it easier for family and friends to connect with their memories.
  2. There's a worry that technology might take away the natural process of grieving. If people rely too much on digital ways to remember, they might find it harder to truly feel and work through their emotions.
  3. Using AI to connect with the deceased can create confusion about grief. While it seems comforting, it could prevent people from accepting loss and understanding the importance of real emotions in the healing process.

That's a Wrap! Season One of What The Fix?!

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎙 Podcasts Environment Technology Activism Consumerism Social Impact
  1. The podcast 'What The Fix?!' explored various aspects of the repair industry, from legal challenges to real-world initiatives.
  2. The podcast featured experts discussing topics like right to repair legislation, product design for repairability, and the societal and environmental benefits of repair.
  3. Listeners are encouraged to share feedback on the podcast's topics and look forward to Season 2 as 'Fight to Repair Podcast.'

raccoons under the house

the rohn report • 59 implied HN points • 21 May 21
🎭️ Culture Nature Society Technology Healthcare Consumerism
  1. Raccoons are cute and smart, with their nimble fingers and bandit masks. They try to get along and be part of the tribe.
  2. Tolerating inconveniences in modern society is common, whether it's with cars, phones, or health insurance. We often accept things without fully understanding why.
  3. Dealing with issues like raccoons teaches resilience. Despite frustrations, we may find ourselves unable to let go, similar to how modern society can be frustrating yet we still navigate through it.

If that sounds cool and fun to you

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 59 implied HN points • 16 Apr 21
🎭️ Culture Social media Influencers Consumerism Globalization
  1. The market for faux-liquor or non-alcoholic beverages is vast, with products like Töst, Seedlip, Lyre's, and others being marketed mainly on Instagram.
  2. Many products fall under the 'Instagram brands' category, characterized by minimalist branding, direct-to-consumer models, and high price points, appealing to a specific demographic.
  3. There is a trend on Instagram towards products with aspirational consumerism, wellness themes, and pastel branding, often aimed at the 30-something middle-class demographic.

Science as a religion: how science harms the effort to save the planet

Technology, Environment, and Art • 3 HN points • 16 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Science Climate change Consumerism Global Economy Environmental Activism
  1. Science is not a religion to be universally believed in, as there are skeptics, particularly among populists.
  2. Science's near-religious belief as a problem-solving tool for climate issues might fuel skepticism due to the focus on consumerism and capitalism.
  3. Addressing climate change requires moving away from blindly trusting science and taking more drastic actions like dismantling consumerism.

A Major Regret in My Life: My Camera Roll

Total Rec • 1 HN point • 15 Jun 24
🎭️ Culture Photography Social media Consumerism Self-reflection Legacy
  1. By observing the evolution of our camera roll over the years, we may uncover how our perspectives and values have shifted.
  2. The content we consume and the people we follow can subconsciously influence our behavior and priorities.
  3. Reflecting on the purpose behind our constant documentation and the focus on material possessions helps in reevaluating our values and priorities.

Lessons On Advertising From Across The Atlantic

WriMoReMo • 7 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
💼 Business Advertising Marketing Sales Finance Consumerism
  1. People around the world share common emotions like happiness, sadness, and fear despite playing life's game on different boards.
  2. America has a deep-seated culture that resists centralized power and favors institutional proliferation, with capitalism being a prominent 'god'.
  3. American business thrives on a combination of sales, service, marketing, value creation, and finance, shaping a society deeply rooted in consumerism and desire creation.

we live on planet Earth and we’re human beings

the rohn report • 19 implied HN points • 04 Oct 20
📖 Philosophy Existence Humanity Communication Consumerism Appreciation
  1. Being alive on Earth is a miraculous journey that took 14 billion years of universe evolution.
  2. Communication is essential to human nature, from microbes sending messages to global expressions like rap music.
  3. Our world is filled with consumerism and commerce, but we should appreciate our existence as human beings living on this beautiful planet.

The true purpose of AI

Technology, Environment, and Art • 0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Consumerism Environmentalism Content creation
  1. Ideas and actions that seem to be for the greater good often serve to strengthen capitalism and consumerism, benefiting the wealthy at the expense of common good.
  2. Green initiatives like solar power, while seeming environmentally friendly, can unintentionally encourage greater energy usage and resource consumption, due to their integration into the capitalist system.
  3. AI, though touted for its benefits, primarily serves to make consumerism more efficient, distracts from environmental destruction, and may lead to a toxic cycle of technological dependence that harms nature and society.

Culture in China

Logos • 0 implied HN points • 18 Oct 18
🎭️ Culture Cultural History Traditions Consumerism Aesthetics Philosophy
  1. China's culture has changed greatly since the Cultural Revolution, leaving many people without a clear moral or artistic framework. This has led to a focus on commercialism and imitation rather than originality.
  2. Revived traditions in China often lack deep meaning and personal connection. Many people celebrate old customs without understanding their significance, almost like trying on someone else's clothes.
  3. Innovation and creative thinking are not always encouraged in Chinese culture, which affects areas like customer service and productivity. While there are impressive advancements, they often stem from improving existing ideas rather than creating new ones.

The Dark Side of the Fashion Industry

The Climate Historian • 0 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Sustainability Labor Rights Consumerism Environmental Impact
  1. Fast fashion creates a lot of waste and pollution. It produces billions of clothing items each year, with most ending up in landfills or polluting the ocean.
  2. The fashion industry uses a huge amount of water and chemicals, harming both people and ecosystems. Growing cotton and dyeing fabrics often uses toxic materials that contaminate water sources.
  3. Many workers in the fast fashion industry face exploitation, including low pay and unsafe working conditions. The industry often relies on the labor of vulnerable populations, leading to serious human rights violations.

Gift giving

Hazy Bridge • 0 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Gifts Consumerism Alternatives
  1. Disposable trinkets and souvenirs as gifts are often cheap, meaningless, and environmentally harmful.
  2. Consider alternative gift ideas like experiences, personalized gifts, subscriptions, or charitable donations.
  3. For acquaintances, opt for neutral gifts like gift cards, consumable treats, office supplies, home decor, or books.