Dismayed by comsumerism

[goneveryquiet]

To think that this is mockery of the highest level.

In a country of food banks and poverty a well know department store has opened a shop selling fake food as toys. It's sold out and people are paying £50 for a chip with a cute smile.

AIBU that we have lost touch with reality l? Consumerism gone mad?!

I don't know why you're getting such a hard time OP. I agree with you. We are all guilty of it (buying crap that we don't need, it's quite shameful when you really think about it)

@selfesteemfan Have you seen what some young top level footballers spend their money on?!!

The majority of footballers are thick as shit, so I don't understand what the point is here.

Jellycats are basically soft toys that are either a cute creature type ie a bunny/cat/lamb or a version of food like the “slice of pizza” jellycat that my 13yr old dd bought from John Lewis in Liverpool.

they are not plastic toys or pretend food like you would get in a children’s toy kitchen/supermarket/trolley but an actual collectible, highly sought after and often sold out brand which are really well made and pretty cute to be honest ( once I got over the price ) and the collection is massive now.

if everyone thought like you then the economy would collapse.

edited to add the Jellycat pizza slice was £30

Oh fgs OP people can spend their money as they like. As it happens I think that Jellycat food stuff is ridiculous. Good job I'm under no compulsion to buy it.

OMG. I know. I heard that there was such thing as a Barbie house. A HOUSE for a dolly! It's discusting when there's people who can't afford their own homes.

I wouldn't waste that much money on a stuffed toy, but then again, I wouldn't waste my money on beer or wine, because I don't drink alcohol, or particularly expensive shoes, because I don't care about fashion. Meanwhile, I'm certain there are many here who would think it's wasteful that I collect watercolor palettes, sketchbooks, and fabric for quilting.

Why single out this one expensive frivolity?

🤣🤣🤣 Toy food has been around for yonks! In the 80s we had toy cookers & food. What a weird thread. You could say the same about any thread!

Looks no different to stuff like those build a bear type shops, where you can buy overpriced outfits for your overpriced bear. Lots of these types of things are expensive. DS had some of these in the 90s.

People on here are obsessed with food banks, or rather telling others how they donate to food banks.

Yabu. And weird, tbh.

You are outraged that some children have toy kitchens and play with toy food? This has been a thing from before my kids were born, and they are adults, and I suspect I may have even had toy kitchen equipment and food (??) and I’m quite old.

What exactly is the issue here?

I can’t see how anyone could possibly have a problem with this. We are all free to spend our money as we like.

Yes there is too much consumerism. We are all guilty of it to some degree.

But if you are a jellycat fan, then this stuff appeals. I am off in a week to Paris with my daughter and we are hoping the jellycat patisserie will be open.

I still sponsor a child and give to charity. I work in the public sector and am a pretty decent person. Who likes buying nice stuff occasionally for my daughter. Even if it’s an overpriced jellycat millefeuille.

There’s always been fake food as toys, my kids had fake food when they were young. Maybe I haven’t read the thread properly as it’s early but I don’t get what the issue is.

I do think consumerism is nuts, but that’s a separate issue to food banks. I believe it’s entirely up to individuals what they spend their money on, but I still can’t get my head around people spaffing £60 on a big plastic cup or feeling like they have to spend £100 on a pair of leggings to go to the gym. I also have a problem when people waste money on silly things like this, and then claim to be struggling. Not a problem with the people themselves, but with a society that makes them feel like they’re not good enough if they don’t have this ‘luxury’ item that in reality will make very little (if any) difference to their lives. It’s just brainwashing.

I sort of agree with you OP but in a broader "consumerism makes people go a bit mad" type way. It does seem crazy that people see it as so important to get an overpriced soft toy, that they queue for hours, spend £££ and buy something that could have been bought for far less at IKEA or Asda. And that will probably get forgotten about in 6 months! Slaves to trends and fashions. And yes the thought of all the wasted stuff that gets bought, just for the sake of people being able to say they have it is depressing. But I've always been a bit minimilist and I'm getting more so as I get older!

This would be well down the list of things I'd object to, as not that common.

What I would target and want to consign to history are expensive events. Having hen/stag weekends or weeks instead of a night out, proms for 11 year olds (and indeed 16 or 18 year olds), 'big birthdays' (all are 24 hours long), Christmas Eve boxes. All designed to get you to spend more.

Some people are homeless; does that mean I shouldn't have a home?

I saw a cute little jellycat key ring of a tortoise that I wanted to buy… til I saw it was £25.
It was tiny!

Ive got a jellycat cat that cost less than that.

Luckily for everyone else you don’t get to try and control what other people spend their money on 😊

Disclaimer: I have Jellycats! And am part of the problem….

I do think the OP has a point, we have the cheapest and most pointless tat in all of human history. Costs to the planet are enormous. At the same time houses are the most expensive they’ve been.

I used to feel a bit similar about build a bear boutiques. Those seem to have closed down near us. To be fair the kids did play with them quite a lot.

is it comparable to replica toy cars or silver cross toy buggies?

Or other unnecessary things adults spend money on like Swarovski crystals, acrylic nails, bath bombs, clothes for dogs, Stanley cups, caviar??

Agree that we are a consumerist society and far too sensitive to trends and advertising.

No one should live in poverty that they can’t house, feed and clothe themselves.

A certain level of "consumerism" is beneficial to society as well

People earn more so they spend more on "luxuries" so more luxuries need to be made and people need to sell them so more people in work to then earn more and spend more...

That's the theory. The issues are - manufacturers aren't based in the UK so jobs aren't created there, places aren't willing to hire more staff, places expect more work without paying more, the ultra-rich hoarde wealth and spend it abroad too on fancy holidays or imported items or surgery that is illegal here, being homeless/unemployed makes it hard to get back into work

None of these are solved by those who can afford it buying a soft toy shaped like a chip.

And buying a soft toy shaped like a chip doesn't mean you won't give to charity nor is it a slap in the face of those who need food banks. That soft toy being sold isn't causing price hikes in food, isn't taking cheap food away to be used frivolously, isn't contributing to low wages, isn't stopping someone also donating to a food bank...

Quite. The Communist Party of Britain received a total of 2622 votes in the General Election last month (it would've been 2623 if they'd fielded a candidate in my constituency, but sadly they didn't).

There are few supporters of any kind of regime that would seriously address the issue of wealth divide in the UK. While it exists, civil unrest and crime rates are likely to continue to get worse.

Have to admit, I’ve never, ever felt ashamed about buying stuff I don’t need. If I can afford it, I’ll buy it and you’ll never make me feel guilty for it. I work hard for just above minimum wage before you start accusing me of being rich