28. Parties

1. Does consumerism have any impact on the environment?

Oh yeah! Earth suffers as consumerism spreads. I guess that most of the environmental issues we see today can be linked to consumerism. We are already consuming resources at an alarming rate and more quickly than our planet is able to replenish, and regrettably, the need to produce more and more goods leads to more pollutant emissions, increased land-use and deforestation, as well as accelerated climate change. We are also experiencing devastating effects on the planet's water supplies as more and more water is used as a part of intensive farming procedures, and are turning our oceans into a giant waste disposal pit because of the worldwide problem of waste disposal. So, undoubtedly, consumerism negatively affects the environment.

2. Why do some people like to buy expensive things?

Well, I guess, the main reason is that parties are noisy, and almost all of them grow rowdy sooner or later. And this is what many people find really exhausting and even stressful.... Another possible reason is that some people are not particularly keen on getting to know loads of new people 'cause they simply don't like to mix and circulate. Also, I'd say that some people dislike parties 'cause they have other ideas about having a good time like reading a book or watching a good film with one or two close friends... So, people dislike loud music, making out with random people on the dance floor and inability to have a deep and meaningful conversation.Well, there are quite a few reasons, actually. I guess most people like buying costly items because these things act like a status symbol. Some of these people believe that using expensive items will make them a cut above everyone else. Others think that buying brand names will help them gain acceptance from a certain group of people. I mean they want to belong to the upper class of the society and be accepted by the rich. So they hope expensive products will do the job. Another reason is that buying expensive products makes people feel better about themselves. I mean some people think that brands make them look trendy. Or

they feel proud of themselves if they can afford to buy such things. And one more reason is that expensive things are still associated with superior quality even though people know that super expensive popular brands and less popular ones are often manufactured at the same factory in China, using the same technology and raw materials

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