Consumers: the new indentured servants

[Skidmore]

How far off is my thinking? Our industrial base has been shipped overseas and lately the highly vaunted service jobs (you know the ones that would free of from actually doing real physical work) have gone that way also. So what is left for our citizenry in terms of our actual work? It is to consume the ever cheaper products that are sent our way by corrupt corporate and legislative systems. The corporate system feeds off of consumerism. It is our job, our cultural identity, and it is patriotic. If you don't consume, you sell, and are even more indentured to the corporate boss. Because individuals no longer are tutored in the skills necessary to produce all necessities for themselves, consumerism has become essential to survival. Is there another way to structure our society so that the need for products which does not demand we sell our souls to ensuring that some corporation's bottom line makes it attractive on Wall Street?

[rkc3]

1. Wal-Mart is the new company store.

I had this same discussion with a client from Canada. America has switched to a consumer society and this is not sustainable. There has to come a time when your ability to pay is outstripped by your ability to consume - this will come soon enough but after we've lowered our standards of living.

The quality of education we receive, the healthcare we pay for, the foods we eat, the roads we drive on, our public services will all go to hell in a hand basket.

The toilet's been flushed and we've just started spinning down the pipe.

[Skidmore]

2. Your ability to consume has its limits too.

How many TVs, VCRS, DVD/CDs, major appliances, pieces of clothing, plastic M&M (or insert any other brand name here) figurines, toys, and BS ad nauseum can one individual need in a lifetime? Hoarding as a national pasttime. How much stuff is actually essential? How much of this is a function of population growth? Does the problem actually derive wealthy landowners preventing ownership of land to individuals? Create a consumer ghetto so that people no longer can produce even food for themselves?

[rkc3]

3. Exactly - even more than that, your ability to pay for all of this shit

has its limits. At some point you can no longer service your credit card debt, let alone find new money to pay for groceries, utilities, or essentials.

As long as Survivor is on, most Americans will be happy.

[Lorien]

6. Gee, you sound like one of us:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

We are now identified by our government as "consumers" and no longer as "citizens". As consumers, our habits are unsustainable for the world and personally. Consumer debt is at an all time high, and if the rest of the planet were to consume as much as the average American citizen does, we would need three additional uninhabited planet earths to plunder. Look around you; we all have too much stuff; for most of us (but not all, of course) it's not a matter of need, but want.

I'm a freelance illustrator. I work with many clients on many projects ranging from books and film to "collectibles". I design waterglobes that sell for $50-150 for Disney. I design $7 enamel "collectors pins" for the Hard Rock Cafe. These items are manufactured in China and consumed by Americans making between $35,000-120,000 a year.They serve no purpose, but they sell millions of dollars worth of them every year. Recently a client of mine said "I want you to come up with some concepts. Design for yourself; as a consumer, what would you want"? I answered "I don't like to shop, so I'm not a good one judge what's considered a hot item". He was taken aback completely "what, are you like the only woman out there who doesn't love to shop"? I answered "I go to Costco and the health food store. Sometimes a used book store.That's pretty much it. If they don't have what I need, then I probably don't need it". He looked at me as if I had just said "I hate America." Shopping is our "duty", our great national "sport"; those of us who don't want to participate are seen as the worst kind of subversives. I DID shop for recreation years ago, and now i have too much stuff. Since I began sticking to the basics about five years ago, I feel free. I have so much more time for the things I REALLY enjoy. Plus I "buy Blue" if I have to buy at all, so I'm not supporting the regime. Try it-you'll love your new lifestyle, and you'll make BushCo very nervous.

[Skidmore]

7. Actually, my husband and I

rarely actually buy something new. We've go two vehicles which are both 20 years old and with 100K+ miles on them and are used to go to work. Both are paid for and still have pretty good mileage. We have one newer vehicle which reserve for longer trips and sits in the garage quite a bit. We collect the old oil from oil changes and our mechanic uses it to heat his shop in the winter in a converted furnace he owns. We grow a portion of our own food (I can and freeze veggies and fruits from our garden each year). We are frugal in our use of electricity. We recycle everything we are able to and the some. My husband collects beverage cans when he sees them and turns them in at the redemption center, partly for pocket change and partly because he hates seeing them thrown on the roadside or streetside. He also dumpster dives for small appliances and small furniture items. He services and fixes up the TVs, VCR/DVD/CD players, fans, vacuum cleaners, etc. that people toss and donates them to Goodwill, Crowded Closet, or the Salvation Army. We use the charity donation to offset our taxes a bit. It keeps the stuff out of the landfills and someone else gets use of them who may not be able to afford to buy new. When clothing in our house get too worn to use, they are recyled into rags and buttons and zippers are cut off for the button box and mending kit and reused. Paper scraps and magazines go into a box for the grandkids to uses for craft projects or I use them myself for projects. We do many other small things like this as well. I remember when Carter had our nation thinking in these terms 30 years ago. What the heck happened?

[Lorien]

8. Like I said

you sound like all of us in the Economic Activism and Progressive Living forum. I hope you'll join us if you haven't already.

I grew up living in the way you describe. My mom was brought up Mennonite (like Amish with cars-frugality is a virtue), so we too recycled our clothing, grew our own food, did "dumpster diving" (though one finds far more useful items these days; it's amazing what people throw out!) saved scraps of paper, etc. Now that's seen as "eccentric". I got sucked into the consumer culture for a few years when I worked in the film industry; the salaries were high, and there was a lot of social pressure to live a particular lifestyle. I realized after just a few years that I absolutely hated it. I quit the industry and now freelance from home, where I'm a happy non-consumer!

[Skidmore]

9. Thanks for the link and the invitation, Lorien.

You know, there are many days I'd rather just not go into town at all. I do because we still have house payments and a regular job is something we need now and I'm obligated to a contract for at least another year. I envy you your freelance job. I really want to find a way to open a mom & pop grocery store in our small town. The nearest grocery to here, if you don't count a convenience market (where would our nation be without those crime magnets?) is at least 20 miles away in any given direction. I don't have the capital right now and haven't had time to research it. I'd like to have it be more like a coop (a blue coop) with a market available to the local farmers for produce in the summer. I haven't the foggiest clue where to begin though.

I find myself getting frustrated with how incessantly complicated this consumerism has made our society. It sucks the life out of you. Do you think we'll ever get so sick of it as a nation that people in general just revolt? Or do you think that it appeals so much to the competitive drive in people that it has psychological reinforcements which make it a "necessary evil"?

[Lorien]

12. I think it's mostly driven by advertising

which creates a sense of fear; like Marilyn Manson (who would have guessed he could be a voice of reason?) said in "Bowling for Columbine"; if you don't have our product, you won't be respected or loved, you'll be ugly, the girl won't want you, and you'll have bad breath. Maybe once the TV programming gets SO awful (it's already there for me), people will turn it off and the spell will be broken. I don't know-but I hope SOMETHING snaps our nation out of this sickening consumer cult. Maybe a depression is just what America needs. :-(

BTW- you might want to stop by the "Idea Party" thread in the EA&PL forum and post your thoughts for your blue co-op!

[Acryliccalico]

17. I do these things too

I also use old cloths to make quilts and give as gifts. I also keep the buttons and zippers. I also make my own cloths and cook from scratch. I can and freeze anything that I grow or buy cheep. Dry food products can be bought in large quantities and placed in the freezer and saved for years. When they are taken out of the freezer they taste like fresh. Canning is not hard or difficult if someone wants to try their hand at it. Ball has a good book on it and if you start out with things that have sugar, vinegar, or salt, you can be pretty sure of good results. Recycle anything you can. Be aware of where every penny goes. Be creative in your thinking.:kick:

[mhr]

10. Love Your Main Coon Cat - Is It A He Or She?

eom

[Lorien]

13. Oberon is a dude

here's his Catster page: http://www.catster.com/?100240

:hi:

[mhr]

14. Thanks - I Liked The Photos - Especially This One

[12345]

5. Exactly. I have a neighbor who can't "afford" to pay for running water,

but who has 3 tv's, a dvd player, sterio, cell phone, laptop, etc.

[IrateCitizen]

4. Sure there are other ways to structure our society!

The problem is that you're really swimming against the tide when you try to do so.

Personally, I've sought to vastly reduce my consumerism. In many ways, I've succeeded. In others, I've failed. For instance, I still have cable TV (I'd be rid of it if it weren't for my wife's insistence on keeping it). But at the same time I only buy new clothes when my old ones wear out, I try to read more than I watch TV, I have begun to get into gardening as a hobby and to grow my own food, and I tend to engage in local "vacations" more now than going away somewhere. I'm also working toward a teaching certificate because it will give me the opportunity for a "richer" life, even as I take a considerable cut in salary.

A good place to start is http://www.simpleliving.net. It's got some good advice toward moving away from "keeping up with the Joneses" and instead choosing the life that brings you maximum fulfillment.

[mhr]

11. TV Free For Three Years Now - It Can Be Done - Death To Television!

eom

[IrateCitizen]

15. I've been in the past too -- and want to go back!

When I was single and living by myself, I dropped my "regular" cable to the bear basics -- networks, public access and local news. After a time of that, I disconnected it entirely, unplugged my TV, and put it in the corner. I lived like that for about 2-3 months, and loved it!

Then, I moved into a place with two other people. TV was back again. Then, I met my future wife and finally got married. I would actually like to at least reduce our TV to the most basic cable again. I will readily say that there are programs on PBS that I want to be able to see -- like the current documentary Slavery and the Making of America. But she's the main resistance on that end.

Anyway, I figure it will come to a head when we have our first child, because I'm a big believer in raising young children without TV, and I'll be standing firm to get rid of it entirely for at least the first two years of their lives. I really don't understand what my wife's so afraid of, why she's so adamant about NOT getting rid of TV. I actually think that if she tried it for a while, she might actually like it....

[earth mom]

16. Great thread and excellent points!

I resent it big time how much we are being "sold to" on a daily basis! I hate being called a "consumer"! It's the rampant consumerism and greed we are being force fed that is at the root of all the evil that is systematically destroying this country and that robs us of the simple pleasures of life while it steals our peace of mind and our health too.

Living simply is something that I've believed in for years now and even more so since we moved (about 6 years ago) from the gimme gimme gotta have it lifestyle of Southern California. I care not a lick for keeping up with the Joneses and really could care less about having the latest this or that. I can't stand the mall and usually shop discounters like Ross or TJ Maxx for clothes -which we usually wear to just about threadbare except for our good special occasion clothes, lol. For just about everything else I hit the thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales and occassionally auctions. We have no credit cards, though do have a car payment and house payment. I really long for a time when we don't have those either! We have a vegetable and fruit garden and we try to recycle as much as we possibly can. We got rid of the cable last year, though we still watch the basic (free) channels. We use the beautiful new local library weekly instead of buying books, though I do buy used books for my son and for myself when I come across books that I know we will get a lot of mileage out of like dinosaur books for him and gardening books for me. I actively avoid being sold on this or that and by muting the sound out on the t.v. during commercials and not looking at the ads in magazines if I can help it.

However, even with all my efforts to not be taken in by consumerism, I still have a lot of stuff-collectibles, books, craft/art/sewing supplies. LOL! I am constantly questioning myself whether there is more that I should be doing to cut down and cut back on this "stuff". Often, I look around the house at all the "things" we've accumulated as a family and wonder how it happened in spite of all my efforts to not be taken in by consumerism! Then I visualize myself carrying all of my "stuff" with me everywhere I go-virtually impossible! My stuff may bring me a bit of happiness as well as a creative outlet, but ultimately I suspect that I would feel so much freer and most likely happier without any of it!