Well, as far as the pros of consumerism are concerned, it stimulates economic growth by creating a never-ending cycle of buying and selling. The more goods are consumed by society, the higher the growth rate of the economy is. But unfortunately, this economic growth is possible only if all these consumer goods are not only consumed but also produced within the country. In real life, consumerism has more cons, to my mind, as the more it spreads, the weaker is the incentive to manufacture long-lasting, quality products, and the greater is the likelihood that cheaply made products will instead be imported from the lowest-wage, environmentally unregulated overseas manufacturers. This usually leads to the loss of manufacturing jobs, which in turn leads to a corresponding growth in unemployment and the number of welfare recipients, less personal wealth, a shrinking tax base, fewer public services and greater public and private debt, hopelessness for job seekers and a growing negative balance of trade.