there was a time consumerism didn't rule our economy

At what point did society transition to how do we make money over how do we solve problems?

Are any businesses left that consider making a product to fill a need or gap or has the economy slipped so far that there is no longer a thought of if we need something or something is a good product with a good use?  We are left with products and services only aimed at making money.

I'm an avid YouTube consumer, where YouTubers, if they branch out start with clothes, and that makes sense.  Fashion is very maliable and need isn't necessarily as much a factor, as we do all need to cover ourselves.  

The next step is water or alcohol which is a very big celebrity, YouTuber, sport star driven market as we consumers have allowed.

But how can we be sold water and alcohol in so many different ways.  To only fuel the other sides lifestyle?  Or to actually quench a need, with a constant revolving door of brands of the day?

I guess I have to drink to survive, and some drinking is for enjoyment, but our markets have allowed for so much choice that it is a blinding force that forces the question of do we need this, is this of any quality, what is left for value and quality.

Water and alcohol are one thing but this is how all products and services are turning into a pool of unnecessary, unreliable, lower quality that continue to denegrate the consumer through increased cost, decreased quality, and an over saturated market driven more by consumer need and choice but by companies that only concern is profit.  

Profit at any cost, especially consumer preference.  

They would rather control that.

production over consumption

We're looked at and positioned to be consumers, and as Americans, consume more than needed in many senses.

Production is then the only combatant to consumption.  So if we're able to offset our consumption by our production, and even force our production over consumption then we have beat a system aimed at driving our consumer insatiaties.

If the focus is on production, and a continued production, no matter what is reaped, then consumption will at least be battled.  When production starts to gain actual benefit and increased demand, then real consumption can be ignored.

Many times our focus is limiting consumption, whether it's cutting down on carbs, bills, or something more innocuous that we can inevitably consume over focusing our efforts on production.

Focusing on production can be fruitless for a long period where there still has to be an effort on reducing consumption where able.

Life feels very loss mitigating and losses and consumption must be managed.

But if production, and eventually, fruitful production, is the focus, consumption can be maintained.

And I guess I've looked at consumption in this negative way but more so the larger focus on reducing consumption and taking away that need for production.

I although assume consumption, as it is necessary, there can be good consumption.  Consumption that increases production per se.  But still the focus would remain on production.

This may seem a bit theoretical, or even simplistic to the point of mundane and unnecessary, but many do not care or care to understand their role as a consumer and the benefit to being a producer over a consumer.

A consumer is led by everything around us, while a producer can direct production, and consumption.

The Worker Revolution

At many levels, we are seeing the negative effects of "our" collective, corporate actions on society.

The Great resignation I believe it's deemed is due to a workforce having more options.

Many of those options were government driven, a government that has laid the framework to allow workers to be treated secondary to profits and "shareholders", a concept of financial making that takes the meaning of a company from producing a product or service with compensated workers to producing a profit, any any expense and cost, without an association to the worker.

This is the US.  Better than some in the treatment of the workforce, certainly.  But not world leading where other workforces are granted more at the bottom half of the workforce. 

And while I allude to the workforce as a class, this is also taking place on larger scales.  One of the more visible worker transitions is in the highest levels of professional golf, where outside, and not conforming, money is providing "better", more lucrative opportunities for the workers, ie golfers. Even those at this elite level, industry representing individuals are being chased away by years of corporate culture focused on profits but lacking the creativity to put efforts back into those that make the product and service.

Obviously this happens at the lower ranks than elite professional sports, but until recent years, the company seemed to have the upper hand.   Maybe, at the hand of the times and circumstances, not necessarily union or institutionally driven, workers will see their day, and their keep, and society will reep the benefits of a people that are compensated in a fair, and agreeable, for both the worker and the company, manner.

Until then, the people will always sway the industry or the landscape, but the individual is responsible for what they can control and do and produce, and where they do it.  To an extent.