The rancour and rigour with which locals argue with vendors at the Chelari chanda, a local market in north Kerala, contrasts with that of mellifluous cadence and jostling of malls in Bangalore. Despite the diversity, it drives home the fact that shopping is now an established national pastime of India.

The onset of consumerism has brought a pathetic state to human civilisation which reminds me the famous words of W B Yeats: “All is changed and utterly changed. A terrible beauty has risen”.

Unfazed by the transience of life, human beings continue to engage in large-scale spending, plummeting human civilisation to its nadir. But haven’t we ever thought of its after effects like the value system we pass on to the coming generation and the impact of exploiting our natural resources?

With the wave of affluence sweeping Indian cityscapes, consumer indulgence has been spiraling on an unbelievable scale. This is amply evident from the hustle and bustle in Indian market places and malls which have become the confluence of cultural diversity.

Even in the midst of squalor and deprivation, villagers engage themselves in spending sprees to put up a brave face before the new media created value system. But here their primary task is to perform daily chores rather than indulging in luxury, which, even if they do, will have to be undertaken with extreme care.

To rope-in willing consumers, Indian shoppers are offering generous and truly mind-boggling incentives. In a bid to bewitch them into spending, even the financial institutions are joining the bandwagon.

But here comes the existential question before us. Do we have the right to splurge in a licentious way vis-à-vis the right of other beings on earth? Those who are used to pilfering resources will have no qualms in siphoning off everything that come their way. Can we put a lid on this craze?

Though we know that resources are not perennial on this earth and that we should be cautious while using it, human beings succumb to their greed. We have failed to learn from our mistakes, despite our activities taking a toll on nature.

The Father of our Nation Mahatma Gandhi has expounded his Sarvodaya ideals, envisaging a life under the lap of nature. Though his ideas are being studied with renewed vigour throughout the world, we are embracing myopic western cultural values.

Rather than going berserk about material acquisition, man should practice an austere life which is important for a long-lasting existence of human civilisation on earth. The debilitating influence of this mad indulgence prompts us to think whether we are on the last leg of our existence on this planet.

A few pragmatists among us may say consumerism is a reality which will live through the growth of our civilisation. Even if this is the case, have we done justice to this indulgence in a positive way?

Even in the midst of soaring consumerism our farmers and small scale industries are looted so thoroughly that their survival has come under severe threat.

Reports of farmers’ suicides have become a non-issue for politicians and bureaucrats, who react with no urgency to their problems.

It is high time that we change the course of our history for the sake of posterity. Since youngsters are considered the beacon of hope, let them take the first step in changing the society.