Lifestyle is the general attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and orientations of a human being, group, or society. The word was first introduced by Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler in his famous book, The Case of Miss R. with the implied meaning of “the basic nature of a person as established at a very young age”. The term has since then been used by social scientists to specify different types of cultural patterns and behavioral responses.
In the field of anthropology, however, the term has been increasingly used to refer to the specific behaviors, meanings, and social meanings that people put into their daily life and their interactions with other human beings. According to this concept, people’s choices are inherently and irrevocably driven by two main factors, namely self-interest and norms. Adler maintained that these two forces interact and mutually affect each other in producing distinctive individualistic and communal behaviors and choices. According to him, culture is the emergent phenomena of human interactions and is determined by the variation in people’s everyday life.
In his theory of Natural Resources and Lifestyle, Michaelis shows how the concept of Natural Resources refers to the real world physical and cultural aspects of a people’s everyday life, while the concept of Lifestyle refers to these aspects as they relate to individual preferences that guide their social actions and relationships. One example of Natural Resources is water, which is essential for the sustenance of human life. It is important for economic development and for sustaining the existence of human beings. Adler’s notion of Lifestyle emphasizes individual’s attitudes towards natural resources and their dependency on them. This idea is also incorporated in the Eco-Lifestyles concept.
The lifestyle of a society is said to be the sum total of all the behaviors and choices of its members that determine its overall direction and functioning. The concept of Natural Resources is designed to assist managers in determining the sources and sinks of lifestyle, which they can use to improve the welfare of society as a whole. This is done by minimizing the use of natural resources and by encouraging consumption of the more renewable ones. Lifestyle changes are made according to the degree of dependency on natural resources. The reduction or elimination of dependency on such resources is termed as lifestyle change.
A concept that is said to underlie Natural Resources and Lifestyle is sustainability. This concept is said to be the main driving force behind the promotion of sustainable development. Sustainable development is a broad term that is used to describe a set of practices and policies that aim at creating a balance between economic growth and the preservation of the environment. This environment will be preserved through the efficient use of available resources and the reduction of the consumption needed to support economic growth.
Consumption, on the other hand, can be seen as the only option to meet the lifestyle that consumers have. In a situation where lifestyle choices become the major factors that determine the level of development, the sustainability of such choices may also be called into question. At this stage, the concept of Sustainable Development has no clear cut definition but it is understood that a sustainable development approach sees consumerism as one among the many choices consumers have and as one that can be used to achieve the level of development that the population may desire. Where a sustainable development perspective sees increasing levels of consumerism as a negative thing, a lifestyle change perspective may see the increased consumption of goods and services as something positive and can promote change towards a more sustainable lifestyle.