WTF is CSR?

Today’s shopping is driven by selfish priorities that shelter consumers from the global impact of their purchasing behavior. A study conducted during the winter of 2008 questioned 59 Drexel University freshmen on their purchasing decisions. The purpose of the study was to determine whether ethical issues affect Generation Y consumer behavior. The results determined style, fit, and color as the first factors considered when purchasing garments. Price is also an essential factor and often serves as the final determinant in a purchase. Deborah Brosdahl of Kansas State University analyzed diverging consumer ideals between the United States and Europe. She found that in the US, “the consumer ‘wins’ by being able to acquire a lot with practically no money,” whereas in Europe, “the consumer ‘wins’ by buying the most ‘perfect’ object” (p.12). These contrasting ideals redefine the concept of getting more for your money suggesting that in the US more means quantity, but in Europe it means quality. Therefore consumers are driven by reduced prices rather than product quality. Garments are easily disposed of after a single season instead being cherished as an addition to a wardrobe. Consumerism has become a practice of isolationism in which shoppers only consider the personal impact of their purchases.