The basic premise of this article is that, quite unlike the evolution of consumption patterns in Europe and North America, Third World consumers are often attracted to and indulge in aspects of conspicuous consumption before they have secured adequate food, clothing, and shelter. The most dramatic instance of such ‘premature’ consumer culture involves sacrificing nutrition for what might well be regarded as the superficial luxury of Western consumption items. The reasons for such unique development include the viability of dramatically different consumption life-styles to Third World consumers, and various factors such as urbanization that bring about altered interpersonal attitudes in the Third World.
