Not Buying Anything Blog Vision Statement
Our vision is a world where simple, eco-sensitive and joyful lifestyles are the norm.
Big corporations co-opt everything and anything that can turn them a profit. They have even managed to make simple living lifestyles into a commodity, creating a curious conundrum where one buys ones way into the simple life.
So I decided to co-opt something from the corporate world - the concept of a vision statement. How could a succinct, helpful blurb not be useful anywhere, not just in profit-making ventures that push competitive shopping as a way of life?
I am all about wandering, serendipity, and letting life flow unimpeded, and yet, sometimes it is necessary to have an idea of where you are headed. Coupled with focus and discipline, one can go anywhere, achieve anything.
So it is that I share this blogs guiding vision. Along with our recently published manifesto (which is similar to a corporate mission statement, but with a nice anti-establishment ring), our vision statement helps to give our work (and play) focus and intention.
Will we (and by 'we' I mean all of us that are part of this blog, and the simple living community) succeed, and create a simpler, more gentle Earth that provides for everybody, and all of life?
Did Ray Crock think he would sell billions of hamburgers?
What if we DID succeed in helping millions of people adopt a joyful alternative to unchecked consumption and the busy lifestyles that are required to support them? What if consumers turned en masse to voluntary simplicity? Before they were forced to by resource depletion and deteriorating environmental conditions?
For one thing, unhealthy behemoth fast food burger chains wouldn't do as well as they do now.
Saying sayonara to the corporate model, and hello to global cooperation, is definitely part of our vision.
So beautifully sums things up - and is a vision I too can adopt as part of my own purpose here on Mother Earth. Thank you. - Mary
ReplyDeleteMary,
DeleteWe are glad you are with us. They have the money and the power, but we have the answer.
I like to add focus and direction and simple living is part of that. Simple foods are nourishing and do not cause craving. It's good to keep progressing and I mix physical and mental training. Practicing non attachment helps and own as little as possible.
ReplyDeletePeace,
Alex
Alex,
DeleteYou lead by example, and it is inspiring for all of us.
I'm tremendously thankful for this blog and community. It's easy to align mentally and behaviorally with this vision and NBA manifesto no matter where you are on the path. I look forward to the day when there's a face-to-face community here on the ground where I live with values similar to those participating on this blog.
ReplyDeleteTerri,
DeleteHey, you are back in full force. Nice.
Loved your Mom's Day boat trip pics. So nice. You are lucky. Thanks for sharing.
Miss seeing your comment, but back here tonight. I'm glad you enjoyed the Mom's day photos. I thought you'd enjoy seeing some of the sea shore in South Carolina. That island was incredible. I don't go many places or often. In Dec, 2017, I was thinking of the things I most enjoyed last year, that boat trip was top of the list. It was only for a few hours, but I very much enjoyed it.
DeleteIt's a great vision to have, one I hope many of us will see come to be.
ReplyDeleteRob,
DeleteThe way Linda and I see it, is adopt simplicity voluntarily now, or by force or necessity later. We like to decide for ourselves, plus we much prefer this way of life. Less stress and damage, more joy and connection with each other, and nature.
Simplify now and avoid the rush later. Keep on jamming.
There have been several changes that I've seen as of late that indicate a shift in lifestyles that is having an impact on big business. For one, retail stores are closing left and right, malls are going out of business. Companies are trying to compete with the chemical free products, there are healthier choices at fast food places. I see simple living at every turn in the media. But that brings with it those who want to sell us things for a simpler lifestyle. Times are changing and the death screams of big business and the 1% can be hears very loudly, but I have hope it truly is a death of the materialistic society.
ReplyDeleteI certainly wish that retail stores were closing because people were buying less. Check out the profit Amazon is turning. Other online stores are turning amazing profits. It's so much easier to shop on your computer at 2 in the morning in front of your cable or satellite programming than to fit brick and mortar store hours into your waking schedule. I work for USPS, I tangibly feel this gluttony daily. Fortunately, when I began working for USPS, my eyes were opened to the sheer magnitude of our consumptions. I stopped buying so much, stopped subscribing to publications and reduced my footprint for the sake of my own conscience.
DeleteMarla,
DeleteI agree that things are changing, although we are not likely to hear the truth of that in the mainstream media. People are increasingly catching on to the ridiculousness of consumerism as a lifestyle, and many more are rejecting this destructive and ultimately unsatisfactory way of living.
But the monster we have created will not die quietly, or without a fight. Just read about how The Establishment is all pissed off at Millennials for not playing the game (I am working on a post on this right now).
I think it is the death of Materialism. We want a better life, and now we see that does NOT mean more crappy stuff or experiences.
Rena,
DeleteThank you for sharing your unique perspective of this whole train wreck that is unchecked consumerism. You are in a position to see how shopping habits are changing. It is worrying when shopping becomes easier to do, but harder to pay for. Lots of debt as people try to maintain lifestyles on shrinking salaries.
Congratulations on cutting your personal consumption. There are many of us that are doing so, not just Millennials. It is the way to freedom, and a better world for all.
Statistically people are buying less stuff. Much of Amazon's huge profit is from their cloud arm of the business. You can find a few articles about Amazon sellers who say they're hurting because people are buying much less and won't pay high prices. I think we might be saved by the millenials who seem to have no use for accumulating things. And people have a new perspective on consuming after the 2008 recession which continues, for most, today. We are all being reminded that climate change has been hastened by the ugliness of consumerism. The only question is; will we all stop shopping for anything other than what's needed in time to save our species (because mother nature will save her planet by kicking us off of it permanently - humans, the next extinction)? D
ReplyDeletei think in the west, this is true, but i dont think globally, when i look at SE Asia and China, i can see consumerism growing after decades of poverty. a bit of "its our time".
Deletehoping not but think trends are still there
Dudes, I wonder if you need the question mark at the end of this sentence. I think not....I could be wrong though.
ReplyDeleteWill we (and by 'we' I mean all of us that are part of this blog, and the simple living community) succeed, and create a simpler, more gentle Earth that provides for everybody, and all of life?
I guess it could be phrased as a statement, as in "We will..."
Delete