Proliferation of commercialism
- Commercialization of society
- Mercantilism
Nature
Individuals or societies are becoming more and more dominated by acquisitiveness and valuing all things in terms of prices in the market.
Background
Mercantilism is the theory or practice of mercantile pursuits. It is an economic system that developed in the 17 century with the rise of the modern centralized nation state and was intended to increase the power and especially the monetary wealth of a nation by strict regulation of the national economy, usually through policies designed to secure an accumulation of bullion, a favourable balance of trade, the development of agriculture and manufactures, and the establishment of foreign trading monopolies.
Incidence
A notable example occurred in 2019 in Times Square, New York City, where the introduction of large-scale digital billboards intensified the commercial atmosphere, leading to concerns about the impact on local culture and community identity. This shift not only altered the visual landscape but also sparked debates about the commercialization of public spaces and its effects on residents and tourists alike.
Claim
The idea that everything is for sale and nothing is sacred – that all values are subjective – undercuts our own moral and cultural commitments, not just those of tribal and traditional communities.
The cost of a thing is not what the market will bear but what the individual must bear because of it; it is "the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run".