The environment for anthropology in its final chapters tries to bring out the contrast that exists between the American society and other societies based on their individual consumer habits. An instance of the contrast is between India and the United States as expressed by Akhil Gupta where he observed as the average Indian consumes 4 kgs of meat annually the typical American consumes 112 kgs in the same period. This mass consumerism has made the American population be the cause for the massive exploitation of resources in the planet. Based on this argument, this account as concludes by Wilk tries to incorporate consumerism as the main ecological factor impacting the environment in the field of anthropology. As quoted in the chapter on consumption and globalization in so doing it would attract the ecological field in a territory that is dominated by cultural studies.
“Using decision rules that look plausible to an individual, not only the LTG but almost all SD models exhibit undesirable cycles.” “The actions of some individuals within the system cannot override the structure, even if those individuals understand the system as a whole.” (Pg 410). The models and recommendations of this account portend some inconsistencies hence making some of the arguments impractical. This is owing to the fact that there is no compelling evidence to support theories. Theoretical and ethnological citations for consumerism from an anthropological point of view proposes western institutions to make more considerations for a future that can be sustained to offer a sensible way of living. This is a western society that has been built on capitalistic ideologies of liberal market models is not as viable as industry expansion and scale of operation is not regulated.
The suggestions on the chapter of consumption and globalization seem to appeal to the moral obligation of such business entities which is not plausible as regulating such bodies requires a more implicative approach usually enforced by conscious government policy. In relating the collective work of these authors, they all serve to provide conceptual clarity in a chronological manner in the field of anthropology.
Works Cited
Haenn, Nora, and Richard Wilk, eds. The environment in anthropology: A reader in ecology, culture, and sustainable living. NYU Press, 2006.
