"Buying now. Dying later" , by Erik Pevernagie, oil on canvas,100 x 80 cm

When life hasn’t got a swing anymore, people may give in to obsessive oniomaniac compulsions, in as much as they are going out of their way to construct a flamboyant lifestyle and change their identity from “don’t-need” to “must-have” consumers, to satisfy their gripping buying desire.

Consuming can be a "life purpose."

Consumers, however, are trapped by over-consumption and guided by phony enjoyment. Consumption can be a remedy against boredom and may convey a sense of fictitious power and supremacy, by standing out from the crowd through the extravagance of the expenditure. As it becomes an addiction, however, it might be cured, if the right medication is administered: humbleness and mindful discovery of the others.

Many seem to suffer from an "obsessive-compulsive disorder," as they want to buy, with money they don't have, things they do not need.

The "hidden persuaders" of Vance Packard make an effort to convince them that they are on the right track. By ignoring their addiction, though, they can become victims of severe financial miscalculations, as well.

Some are in tune with the swanky, but not in tune with themselves. Their desire has become the desire of the others. When we crumble under the exorbitant weight of conspicuous commodities and the material pressure in a universe of illusion, life may become disheveled and devastated, while our mind has been dumbed down and our willpower crippled.

Phenomenon: Consumption

Factual starting point of the pictureː Person with shopping cart