consumerism

It is possible to examine nearly any aspect of modern society – the conduct of war, government, marriage, education – and find a similar practice, an earlier version, in history. In most cases, the seeds of the present can be seen in the past. But this is not true for consumerism, for consumerism has no parallel in early human societies.

The closest thing to consumerism – and this is offered only as a point of reference, not comparison – is the practice of barter. In barter, two or more individuals met and exchanged what they had for what they didn't have. Advertising either didn't exist or was very primitive, and there was no hierarchy – no natural division between producers and consumers, because everyone was both a producer and a consumer.

The motivation for barter was also much more basic – the point was to avoid being dead. It was very straightforward – you could trade your surplus of corn for some arrowheads, or for the services of a mercenary to guard your ...