Materialism has become common among populations, which is largely caused by an increase in consumerism. I support this opinion, and freedom of choice and modern trends are the main reasons for it nowadays.
Since the industrial revolution, the number of factories and companies has been evolving, as well ashuman beings. This suggests that the rise in the number of industries brings about a diversity of products that disrupts people from thinking clearly. Having a lot of choices when it comes topurchasing any essential home appliances puts one into a dilemma of which products to buy, thus making us buy more than we actually need. As a result, a person ends up with tons of clutter, and this, ironically, invokes our collecting instincts, passed down from our ancestors, who used this skill to survive, that drives us to buy more. This vicious cycle is called materialism and has been constantly affecting more people ever since.
Another piece of evidence that supports my view is the popularity of owning cars or other products of particular brands. These days we can witness people being obsessed over bags, phones, and anything that is claimed fashionable or is considered as an element of status by the fashion industry. Owning that product leads to you being respected more, and the reverse is true if you do not have it. The most obvious example of it can be the iPhone, which has become more than just a phone for teenagers and determines whether or not you are going to be accepted in a friend group or bullied.
In conclusion, consumerism, indeed, resulted in the increase in the materialistic behavior of people, mainly because of having more choice when shopping and the popularity of some products over others.