One concern is that the message to buy overshadows other messages about helping each other, caring for our environment, and contributing to community. What follows is a summary of concerns about the influence of commercialism in our lives. The information is not presented as an objective argument on the pros and cons of commercialism. In fact, this list and essay were put together by an organization that works to fight commercialism. Commercialism distorts our culture by turning every event into a reason to consume.
Anthropologists say that holidays reflect a culture's values.
In America, every holiday is a sales event. Advertising projects false images. For example, some ads imply that you're not cool unless you drive an expensive car, that smoking means you're an independent spirit, or that to be mature means drinking alcohol. Commercialism contributes to environmental problems by encouraging wasteful use of natural resources. Over-packaging, disposable goods, and buying things we don't really need all contribute to unnecessary use of limited resources.