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Selling & Being Sold – Consumerism & The Internet

Pursuit of Wonder | September 19, 2025



With the Internet, we are now living in a direct to consumer and attention based economy. Buying powers have never held such power and the ability to sell has never been so accessible. The effects of this economic shift are fairly massive, and only time will tell where it will take us and how we will use it.

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Correction within the video: Abraham Maslow was the son of Russian immigrants, but not Russian born himself. He was born in America, and thus the statement that he was a Russian psychologist is inaccurate, as he was an American psychologist.

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Written by Pursuit of Wonder

Comments

This post currently has 45 comments.

  7. @zehrajafri9252

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    As long as wealth, luxeries and status are worshiped, and Capital, is elevated to godlike eminence, that humans are slaves to, the world will continue to be one big market where the main product sold cheap are human souls instead of giving value to humanity, all life, and it's provider, Mother Earth. When extremely expensive baubles are produced for the rich Elite and advertised as a symbol of status, it is a direct attack on the souls and willpower of people, that's why most advertising and products are focused on teenagers and the young, that don't have the depth to realize that stuff doesn't bring joy or peace of mind, being Satterfield with one's self does.

  9. @ddaanat

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    Thank you so much for your amazing and arousing work! I just stumbled upon that video while checking out your content and this couldn't be more relevant regarding today's behavior and lifestyle trends on social media.

    The interview sequence hit pretty hard: " Because people, I think, want dignity and a sense of self-worth and a sense of creating and doing something important. That's what we are! And I think it's taking huge efforts, enormous efforts that a huge part of the economy is devoted to trying to drive these things out of the people to make you think that all you want is more commodities…"

    So true! I think it almost makes you doubt yourself and your capabilities, neglecting the talents you perhaps possess and that need just practice and devotion or let alone the possibility to make a greater impact and enrich the people around you.

    Thanks again for this possibility to snap out of it šŸ™‚

  10. @zeatoen

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    I think I"m not much matured in this topic to understand it.
    but if u know what you want if you have that knowledge to find it you won't fall into unwanted things

  11. @grimgrudge

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    Ironic that you started this video talking about advertising and how annoying it is… after I had to watch an advertisement. Then again half way through the video!

  15. @Greg-xs5py

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    The premise of anti-consumerism is very misguided. Essentially the argument is that companies sell us stuff that we don't need and don't make us happy and leads us to be empty and unfulfilled. While perhaps true there's another way to look at it: the existence of material goods provide us with choices, the choice to purchase or not to purchase. If I don't have the choice to waste my resources and time on material things then I have been robbed in some way of the opportunity to be wise versus unwise. Only when we have a choice do we have freedom to be good or evil, mass consumerism, if nothing more, at least gives us a choice on what we view as important and worthy of our limited resources. It is up to the individual not the state to determine what is worthy of our resources. It is up to the individual to determine for themselves that activities such as the pursuit of wisdom over material goods is what is worthwhile. The only job of society and the government is to prevent others from choosing for us.

  28. @coolkid9901

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    This is what I'm struggling with right now. I need to find the solution to this (which does not mean choosing a side) in order to be successful with Business and Life in tandem. Has anyone got any wisdom on the topic?

  32. @johns9478

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    I recently bought a night vision monocular that I could barely afford. I'm not in the military or law enforcement and night vision is illegal to use for the type of hunting that I would do with my friends and family. All things considered, it was a large sum of money spent on something unnecessary.

    I bought it because I've been talking to some guys who are really into airsoft and have regular games in the woods not far from where I live. I've never really been very actively involved in that sort of thing before, but I like the idea of having a group of friends who I go on regular outings with and this seems like it might be a really good bonding experience. So, I've been slowly building up a decent set of gear for airsoft so that I can play with guys who are seriously into doing milsim type games.

    I didn't buy night vision because I wanted night vision. I bought night vision because I want more meaningful social connections than what my current relationships offer.

  33. @shuoyang9536

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    A truly radical composure of ideas. Finally something that's different than other contemperary sets of bipolar perspectives on similar topics. This video helped me fully realize my long-buried ideas and opinions where I couldn't do so myself beforehand. This objective yet optimistic analysis is worthy of praise.

  36. @frazzleface753

    September 19, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    Humans are competitive (in an evolutionary sense) and vain. This isn't likely to suddenly transform into a creative, enlightened and caring society. For example, a great deal of people viewing this video and smugly agreeing with its message, do so on an Apple product built by slave labor, while sipping a $7 coffee.

Comments are closed.

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