The economy needs you to increase your consumption. Forever. That is the only way our economy can function, or rather, lurch and fumble from one crisis to another.
Eventually, because the Earth does not have infinite resources to harvest, we will hit Peak Consumption. Perhaps we have hit it already.
In my own life, my personal peak consumption was years ago, and my consumption graph has been falling ever since. So how is it that I have never been happier?
A developed economy is dependent on the practice of infinite consumption and infinite growth. No growth means everything breaks down. Even if Gross Domestic Happiness does not grow, the economy must go on.
If the consumer does not increase their purchases year after year after year, the economy is immediately headed for trouble. Consumer confidence is The Thing since a modern economy depends to a large degree on The Consumer.
Think you don't have power? In the USA and Canada up to 70% of the economy is based on what you buy. Want to change things? Start altering your purchasing habits, and the system will notice right now.
Or just do you patriotic duty and keep on buying stuff until we experience total collapse.
Don't have money? Not to worry - the system will lend you some at a 25% interest rate.
Don't need anything? Nonsense. There is always something to desire and buy. The infinite growth consumer model makes sure of that.
Scary but true. As I try to down size and become more reasonable in my purchases ( and it is hard) I marvel at all the things in the store and wonder at who will buy all this stuff?
ReplyDeleteWho will buy all the stuff? What happens to all the stuff? Is there enough room for all the stuff?
DeleteWe are going to need 2 new planets - one to exploit so we can make more stuff, and another for storing all the stuff when we run out of room on Earth.
Well done for starting to down size, we all have to start somewhere.
DeleteI don't know if it will resonate with you, but when I used to think I wanted something new - eg for the house - I would instead give the place a good Spring clean, rearrange the furniture and find something from the garden to put in a vase - even just a few sprigs of rosemary. Taking loving care of what we have can help us really appreciate it more, and realise that it is actually 'enough'. And don't engage in anything that makes you look at advertising! And maybe stay home and bake a cake instead of looking at the shops ;-) Put the kettle on...ahhhh!
Madeleine
Interest rates have just dropped again in Australia, no doubt to stimulate buying. As they only dropped a little while ago I sense the big boys are panicking that spending is slowing. Hopefully our catastrophic weather conditions have reminded folks they don't need another (insert useless, cheap item made with slave labour here). I can't really think of anything I want, or need....oh yeah, some rain might be nice so we can have the important stuff, like food.
ReplyDeleteMadeleine
Everyone, individuals and governments, are operating on borrowed money. Got to keep the illusion going by any means necessary, and damn the consequences.
DeleteWhat a beautiful feeling to not want or need anything. For me, that is true freedom, and I cherish it. Being content with enough is an enjoyable and Earth-friendly way of living, and I highly recommend it to anyone that will listen.
They are not reporting on your situation in our national media. It does not fit with the "everything is ok" narrative.
How interesting, and yet not surprising, that they are not reporting on the Australian situation in your media. They obviously don't want the truth to get out so that things can remain 'business as usual' for the US.
DeleteI had an interesting chat with one of the women who works in the op shop (charity shop) today. She said that because of the drought people are hanging onto things and not donating, and also people are not buying. Perhaps we have reached a tipping point. Whilst the drought will eventually break, I do not foresee us returning to the way things were. The water issues will be ongoing, as will the fires, and we will have to adapt. Hopefully that means less shopping is the new normal.
Madeleine