A binge consuming culture: The effect of consumerism on social interactions in Western societies

We live in a “binge consuming” culture. Indeed, a certain compulsion to consume seems to characterize the way in which people not only relate to the object world of luxury goods, but also to the way we relate to other people, institutions and society in general. In this sense, the term “binge” – usually associated to some substance or without substance addictions – may be also useful in identifying our consuming culture. The aim of this article is to discuss how the same psychological processes that are taken into account to explain binge in its compulsions may be applied to binge as a consumerist and utilitarian way of relating to others. In particular four aspects characterizing binge addictions – i.e. present-time orientation, impulsiveness, the crisis of the relationship with authority and narcissism – may be recognized in the “normal” way of approaching life and society too.