Most of this can be traced back directly or indirectly to too many people in the world.

Every country is committed to expansion and no one wants to go back to a subsistence life style so they compromise the whole planet with an ever increasing struggle to obtain a more affluent life with more and more stuff. Apparently it's a given psychological feeling that you only feel wealthy when you have more stuff compared to ones's neighbours and friends.

We continue to buy more expensive cars, can't live without air conditioning, eating out, overseas holidays, fashionable clothes, electronic gadgets....... we have to keep up with the competition all the time.

I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that all seven billion people on the planet have no chance of enjoying the high standard enjoyed by the "lucky" percentage that tends to live in the so called "western" areas.

"It's hard to be a fully conscious being at all times, in all areas." "A revolution is long overdue in our unconscious over-consumption."

Them and us? What to do about it?

"We are merciless, pitiless, selfish, angry."

Using my newly raised consciousness it seems the best thing is to prevent the untold billions on the planet who don't have what we do from getting the opportunity to emulate us and thereby save them from becoming merciless, pitiless, selfish and angry...

Like what we are.

Meantime, I will be "aware of where [my] hard earned dollars are going" and consciously decide to support the desperate victims of "factory slavery in Vietnam, Bangladesh and China" by buying their goods when needed and regarding this as a charitable transfer of some of my money to them.

A temporary 'win/win' situation and a salve for my conscience.

Well said WmTrevor. I too will continue to purchase from Vietnal, China and Bangladesh, knowing that this transfer of wealth (like yours) is assisting in growing the wealth of those in need.
I like the 'high moral ground' it places me on. Share the wealth I say.

Remember when Japanese uneducated "coolies" produced cheep goods for us, or when you hired a Singapore citizen servant for $5.00 a week.

It is more like us working for them today.

Also remember when the Poms sent their unwanted convicts to Oz. Now they come out here to earn a decent wage.

Cheep labor economies do tend to progress beyond the founder economies, given time.

I don't buy most of this stuff, but my ladies do. Going by what my mates tell me, it is mostly the ladies buying all this stuff. I mostly see them when we meet at the post office, picking up more of our ladies internet purchases. Perhaps if we returned these ladies, barefoot & pregnant to the kitchen, less those iPhones, CD & DVD players, & away from the net, we could reduce our consumption.

To rework an old ditty, You'll wonder where your money went, if your ladies on the internet?

Yes Snake, too many people on the planet. None of the political parties want to talk about this, we have been taught that growth is good and that faster growth is better. Estate agents etc. love more people and so do all those who sell things or make things.
One thing is for sure, if we don't look after the planet then the planet will not look after us.