Consumerism
Sorry for taking such a long break (for all my imaginary fans who've been waiting impatiently for a post since 2007), but what can I say...I've had nothing to say. After all, one needs to be a little crazy to continue appeasing imaginary fans, or at least to have a massive alter ego. But now, I've reached that happy place -- either the little crazy part or the ego part, I know not, but the urge to write again has come back.
So, all of us liberals, especially the back-to-earth ones rail about consumerism. That the darn thing is a disease, it must be eradicated, it is responsible for everything from global climate change to the housing bubble. One such article is from Amitai Etzioni in the New Republic.
Well, I think all of us are wrong to focus so much on consumerism. Accusing someone of consumerism is like calling them stupid or greedy, it just doesn't work. When we tell them that consumerism doesn't buy happiness, instead why don't they try having a quiet family dinner, it is enough to make most people's blood boil. They may even think you're right, but damn it, is their God-given right, the American Way of Life, etc to do whatever they bloody well want without a do-gooder telling them otherwise.
So, I have a small suggestion. Replace the emphasis on consumerism with, instead, an emphasis on less waste. Sounds trivial, doesn't it, but think of it. If everyone couldn't throw things away, they would spend far more time ensuring that what they buy they really need.
OK, it is also a value, and as a value it is as hard to inculcate in a society used to throwing things away, but there are a few differences. The phrase "less waste" is not a negative judgment, simply a value. And as a value, it is easier to instill in people. Also, it is easier to incentivize. For instance, the EU law on manufacturers is that they are able to take back their products after they've reached their end of life.
One incentive on less waste is likely to happen -- when products become more expensive. So, a falling dollar is sure to benefit the world even as us Americans struggle to consume. This is naturally so in most developing and under-developed countries -- it is simply too expensive to buy something that one doesn't really need.
So, all of us liberals, especially the back-to-earth ones rail about consumerism. That the darn thing is a disease, it must be eradicated, it is responsible for everything from global climate change to the housing bubble. One such article is from Amitai Etzioni in the New Republic.
Well, I think all of us are wrong to focus so much on consumerism. Accusing someone of consumerism is like calling them stupid or greedy, it just doesn't work. When we tell them that consumerism doesn't buy happiness, instead why don't they try having a quiet family dinner, it is enough to make most people's blood boil. They may even think you're right, but damn it, is their God-given right, the American Way of Life, etc to do whatever they bloody well want without a do-gooder telling them otherwise.
So, I have a small suggestion. Replace the emphasis on consumerism with, instead, an emphasis on less waste. Sounds trivial, doesn't it, but think of it. If everyone couldn't throw things away, they would spend far more time ensuring that what they buy they really need.
OK, it is also a value, and as a value it is as hard to inculcate in a society used to throwing things away, but there are a few differences. The phrase "less waste" is not a negative judgment, simply a value. And as a value, it is easier to instill in people. Also, it is easier to incentivize. For instance, the EU law on manufacturers is that they are able to take back their products after they've reached their end of life.
One incentive on less waste is likely to happen -- when products become more expensive. So, a falling dollar is sure to benefit the world even as us Americans struggle to consume. This is naturally so in most developing and under-developed countries -- it is simply too expensive to buy something that one doesn't really need.
posted by sri at 8:51 PM
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