If you do a little research
If you do a little research into origins of consumerism, you get an interesting, and particularly blindsighted individual: Thomas Malthus. The same idiot's rantings they design their one child policy after in China. Sad state of affairs that the chickens are coming home to roost. I hope they start reading Ludwig Von Mises for solutions! And maybe Murray Rothbard. Both wayyyy better economists than Thomas Malthus. Ron Paul alone is a far better economist than either the State of China or the State of USA.
Allow business cycles to happen, and allow property owners [farmers] to enforce being smogged out of business in the courtroom, a lot will change.