Consumerism

Just finished reading "Not Buying It" by Judith Levine (2006) about the year she and her partner only purchased essential supplies. Full of reflections on how we ended up with a consumer society; the way it permeates all our activities; the role of gift giving and sharing as social bonding activities. Reading it reinforced my desire to participate less in the economy.

However, it didn't make me think that consumption is wrong. Some flow of resources through our lives can be very positive. Spending does allow us, in some ways, to contribute to or participate in society, and that isn't wrong. Newness adds energy. this doesn't mean that we need brand new; that we need a lot; that buying is the only way to accomplish these goals. But it did remind me, first, that we all probably could do with less; but no matter how much less, we will invariably need new things many, many times throughout our lives. Therefore, an economy and manufacturers and stores and products fill an important need. Even though I wonder what would happen if we experienced radical social collapse, this is clearly not an ideal. Being able to have so much more in the commons - to know that others will continue to produce essential products - is a form of social security, and in fact, enables us to avoid hoarding and live with less.

The other question, though, is what is produced, how much and how. And from that perspective, current western consumption is not sustainable. Vast quantities of consumer goods are produced annually. Many are intended to be disposable, or rendered obsolete by fashion very rapidly. Incredible quantities of resources are used to produce these things. Energy is used shipping bulk goods around the world. Cheap wages are needed to keep prices cheap to allow us to consume MORE. Replacing some of these with a slower turn-over, local production, higher quality, would certainly look differently and structure the economy differently.

Next to read up on: Herman Daly & steady state economies.