Why do we have so much stuff? | BBC Ideas

Modern life just seems to be full of... well, stuff! But why do we have so much of it?
What's happening in our minds when we buy new things? Should we consume less and declutter?
Watch next 📽 Can fashion ever be sustainable? • Can fashion ever be su...
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#bbcideas #decluttering #consumerism

[@bbcideas]

If this video resonated with you, you might be interested in watching this one next. It's all about the fashion industry and how we can make it more sustainable 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYGXk2uBptCfobM

[@alexyang8549]

I am a minimalist since past one year and seeing the amount of stuff these people own gives me anxiety. It has a lot to do with being content with your inner self and validation. Took me 30 years to understand.

[@CiaraLynn]

same here!

[@smoll.miniatures]

I want to be you. And I think I need to get buying out my system. I buy and sell from charity shops and make a decent living. I use the money to buy stuff and at least 90% off on eBay. Normally high fashion products. I don’t have a lot of stuff but everything is high end made in Denmark, USA, Germany etc. I don’t buy any cheap made in China stuff. I wouldn’t be averse too, and have grabbed items from skips and only buy reduced food items. Not sure if It’s the right way or not tbh.

[@sct4040]

I did a lot of damage from 2012 - 2020, the pandemic made me reevaluate my life.

[@sammyruncorn4165]

At a certain amount yes. Kinda like a threshold. It's good to have some stuff (useful, functioning and even actually longlasting happy making items (a plant one cares for or a special painting/ object with a personal history)), but if it takes too much time to clean etc. and just lies around unused it's prone to make one unhappy.

[@user-zf5ri8cz3p]

This good to be minmliset then to have too many staff. The staff ruin my life. All the The time I was work in my house.

[@alanbirkner1958]

I went to my favorite second hand jewelry boutique and after searching through 6 cabinets, I found the perfect gift for my daughter-in-law. My rule is buy used, by local, by when you need to buy something. I am 71. I try to be mindful. Tina

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“Too many people spend money they earned..to buy things they don't want..to impress people that they don't like.” --Will Rogers

[@genaeyoung180]

Oh wow, I’ve also heard Dave Ramsey say that.

[@BiMiHi]

Fight Club

[@CiaraLynn]

minimalism is the way to go! having too much stuff makes me too anxious

[@Kathrine465]

It can be to extreme. I think its more important to be intentionel

[@noisetrade6130]

@@Kathrine465 exactly i say this so ofter, rather embraces intentionalism than minimalism, also minimalism tends to get more and more kinda religious. Just my two cents

[@Kathrine465]

@@noisetrade6130 I agree. I have a channel where I focus on being intentional called" the intentional corner"

[@noisetrade6130]

@@Kathrine465 thanks for letting me know,

[@Kathrine465]

@@noisetrade6130 you are welcome :D

[@a.m.karthick629]

I think our upbringing also plays a major role in this issue.

[@JulEnglefaris]

I haven't bought new clothes in maybe 10 years, but I do buy books like crazy. Not so much in the past few months. Been making a conscience to cut back on buying and just use the library.

[@Sobermama927]

10 years? That’s AMAZING I can’t even go a month

[@ChrisTaylor-dz6nk]

I buy cds🎉😂

[@ernestabor]

Our wants are insatiable, but our needs are limited. Our wants doesn’t bring happiness but our needs fill our void in life

[@aldrousglenncamino1179]

"What we consume is an expression of our identity, because our identity consists of a number of different facets..." Wow, louder please. This topic is quite timely and relevant. ❤️

[@PossumLover1111]

Wow........this spoke to me directly and could relater to everything said by the consumers and the experts on why and what it all means. thank you for this. I'm keeping it in my files. Glad to know I'm not alone in this. I'm in the process of trying to get rid of things.....either selling or just giving away. And I'm living vicariously through watching videos of other people shop for cool stuff.

[@bbcideas]

Delighted it resonated and you could shop vicariously through the vid! Send our best to the birds today 😊

[@michaelbalfour3170]

If you want to stop consuming, don't get exposed to adverts, avoid at all costs. Get an adblocker it will help and don't watch TV.

[@AlbertoJaramillo-eu5us]

Multipliqiese personas como usted ❤️🙏

[@cjhoward409]

I think I have a lot of practical things. Extra food, clothes, sheets, towels, toiletries etc. It’s because my parents were babies in the 1930’s when here in the USA we had the Great Depression. So, our grandparents had extra things and so did our parents and us too but our kids who are in their 20’s and 30’s are more minimalistic

[@ewatkins42]

It would be good to see representations of men as shoppers, so many examples only show women as 'consumers' but this is simply not true! I think there is an unhelpful stereotype that women love shopping, and men hate it, and that women shop for uneccessary items men for practical - let's address this!

[@bbcideas]

Good point!

[@beckypetersen2680]

It's true. If we are going to keep to only the essentials...well, most of the sporting goods shops could be closed, huh? And the shoes...oh the shoes...and the car paraphernalia. They just buy excessive "other types of stuff" than women.

[@stefannikola]

I'm a long, long way from having too much stuff, although I'm not very materialistic compared to most other people. I lack and want to have financial empowerment, financial stability, and financial security, but not stuff, not possessions.

[@annapri1526]

I would consider myself a minimalist. I've been a minimalist my entire life. I love never really having to clean up my stuff, it also allows me to pick up everything I own and go wherever I want. I'd rather spend money on a good dinner with friends or an experience out, then on an item. Additionally, I feel as though people don't realize how much stuff you actually need. I always tell people to buy a packet of sticky notes and for one week walk around the house and put sticky notes on everything you touch and use, by the end of the week you will realize that 70% of the items you own you never actually touch.

[@ganesang5537]

What we consume is an expression of our identity.

[@relaxingmeditationsounds9544]

"what we consume is an expression of our identity"

[@bbcideas]

Thanks for watching so studiously!

[@user-bw2zt5jd9u]

I can’t relate to this need to want to stand out by being “ different” or unique. Guess there’s a real desire for attention at work.

[@itsthelittlethings9939]

So........ How to END the cycle?

[@monnikhan1000]

Tbh too much stuff annoys me I just try to get rid of it but sometimes I get sucked in to buy stuff again :/

[@D.von.N]

Having wardrobes full of clothes I rarely use and go to just a couple shelves using the same stuff over and over, I am done with fashion. But crafting world is a whole different beast. Don't let me start on that one!

[@beckypetersen2680]

yep. Me too. But I use it. Constantly.

[@altanaeliza]

At least not everyone can afford to constantly buy unnecessary stuff

[@jochenschrey2909]

Accepting handmedowns before you really need them "just in case" can unfortunately take up as much space.

[@MiaCarter7]

I want to get rid of stuff but I'm scared I'll regrat it!! And wvwn when I do get rid of stuff its like more stuff appears!

[@poushalighosh4661]

I deeply struggle with this sense of academic inadequacy and buy books in hopes of remedying it. Its led to the point where my shelves are overstuffed with new unread books and heightened anxiety becsuse none of those are getting read as quickly sigh

[@hariiv_]

Really excellent 😍💐

[@bbcideas]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@lathabalakrishnan1610]

So much of indirect societal pressure that it takes a lot of effort and strength to fight it. I have started this war , hope I come out a winner.

[@jinyuli3118]

Why the “testers” are all women? What about different generations of Men’s opinion about shopping? Do men not shopping?

[@LocalFiveGuy]

I wish everyone raised their children just like I am raising my own daughter. My daughter watched the ABC'S on the KZbin Kids app on the smart TV, and she has had her own Android phone since she was born. When she was 3-1/2 she learned to read. She is now 6-1/2 and she loves her books. Everyone compliments her intelligence and skills. 👍

[@thejomayah9076]

Buy things if its needed otherwise don't buy it for unnecessary purpose it's leads to money wastage.

[@DeaDellaFortuna]

Well, I try to reduce, too. I dont do it for the environment bla, bla, but only for me. I prefer clean floors to walk barefoot or to sit on it. Especially since I have kids, stuff all of the sudden stresses me out, especially those dozend of little pieces when it comes to child toys. However, I dont want my child to "miss" anything, so I have to reduce my stuff. I am very slowly about it, but every step forward makes me very, very happy and I think, soon I will get to where I want to get. However, I dont want to become a minimalist. Depends on the way minimalist celebrate their live but most of them are caught in a certain live style- they are the same ppl with same issues, but they process their feelings in a different way. I dont look for a replacement but inner peace.

[@ibawanhunlytan8606]

Pls make videos on photography 👍

[@bbcideas]

If you're interested in photography you might like to watch this video next...What would Freud make of our obsession with selfies? kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6Stl3ieq8mth5Y

[@ibawanhunlytan8606]

@@bbcideas thanks

[@Matthew8473]

I'm in complete admiration of this. I recently stumbled upon something with a similar message, and it was absolutely mesmerizing. "The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Living Guide" by Matthew Cove

[@tylercarpenter4329]

I have a problem with gun and musical instrument collecting

[@froschkoenig666]

At least those could be worth something

[@mairathorn3331]

Woah they have much money for shopping then!

[@PeterParkorr]

So proud to spend up to 3hours a day shopping, needs to check herself...

[@user-yd3jd2em8e]

My interest in shopping waned years ago and remains “just stuff” that I don’t want to buy today. All those so called marketing/psychology tricks just don’t work on frugal me.❤

[@s.g2344]

Oh my gosh yes 😅 my fiance and I are moving in together from our both our family homes and we only have a bedroom each to clear out but yeah even then we still have so much stuff that needs to be cleared lol 😋

[@bbcideas]

Good luck!

[@topperbizzare564]

*BBC Ideas* 💕💐 really excellent upload 💕💐💕 Really good content 💕💕💐 Thanks for share 💕💐 stay connect me

[@bbcideas]

Thanks so much 😍

[@piedwagtailrameau]

Less is more

[@chelseamurray1678]

Haha the moment you realize you are addicted

[@roseballerine4395]

You don’t need many items if you are buying designers. I have 5 classic designer bags that I love even after owning it for years, they last a life time and increase in value if I want to sell them. everything in asos, h&m is just ‘meh’ to me.

[@pietro6217]

🙆🏽‍♂️

[@coneil72]

Why is this all about women?? As if men don't consume and hoard???

[@sybil3716]

well，if I can shop without worrying how much it costs,isn’t it great

[@mr.bombastic6498]

deez nuts

[@TheSoaphippo]

3 hra a day looking at clothes and dresses like Steve irwin

[@ajayabrol]

Women ☕