Conspicuous Consumption, Conscious Consumption, and the Fulfillment Curve
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 04. 7.08
Where should shopping fit in to our sustainable lifestyles? The latest bulletin from the David Report delves into consuming and where to draw the line between conspicuous consumption, conscious consumption, and the sociological and psychological implications of both.
Beginning with the (correct) assumption that we can't discard consumption altogether, and that consumption has both good and bad connotations, the report encourages us all to take a sip from our consumption cocktail (stirred, not shaken): mix in factors of production, corporate social responsibility, necessity, and more; avoid "makeover consumption" and be aware of what your consumption patterns say about you.
For the seasoned TreeHugger reader, though, perhaps the most interesting notions of the piece are the sociological and psychological implications of consumption. Why is our society compelled to shop? Is retail therapy an attempt to replace something missing from our lives? What are the behavioral implications for shopping? The Report thinks, "A classical psychological symptom is also reflected in our shopping, humans are group animals and will do anything to stay in their group. To be excluded means death and to avoid being excluded people do what all other people are doing, in this case shop!"
The old adage that "money (or stuff, in this case) can't buy happiness" also pops up in the discussion, in the big picture context about what part stuff and shopping should play in our lives, essentially coming to the conclusion that we can't shop our way to sustainability. That is to say that there are two ways to look at the way we live, in this context: you can either buy as much stuff as you want, as long as its green, or you can simply buy less stuff. Research, like in the graph below, cited from Encyclopedia of Earth, suggests that the latter is the way to go.
There's some further good reading about future consumption, patterns for sustainability and best the notion that the best lifestyle accessory is mindful presence. Check it out at ::The David Report
See also: ::National Downshifting Week, ::Living with Less - Extreme Edition, ::TH Update: What Ever Happened to Hugh Sawyer? and ::Daniel Akst on Conspicuous Green Consumption
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Become an Un-Consumer, Join The Compact, Save Money, Reduce Your Eco-Footprint
- American Media & the Green Movement: Questions for Readers to Ponder
- Green IT Report Round-Up: IBM, Toshiba, SAP, Xerox
- Planet Facing an ‘Ecological Credit Crunch’, WWF Says
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I think John Feeney explained this best in his latest interview on why "green" consumerism cannot save the planet:
"[...] [I]t gives people the impression that they're being good environmentalists if they simply buy the right products, if they just make sure they buy the non-toxic stuff or the biodegradable stuff. Not only does it blind them to much bigger and more fundamental issues such as population, but it also promotes continued consumption at rates (population size x average per capita consumption) the earth can't sustain."
http://www.corrupt.org/act/interviews/john_feeney
As my friend says, "I buy, I don't shop." Which means he only goes to the store when he actually needs something, and comes home with nothing more. Then again, my GF can shop without leaving the couch...
That first phrase "I shop hterefore I am" was originally used by Barbara Kruger in a very high-profile activist design piece. It was really effective when it was first seen. If I'm not mistaken it was about gender identity.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
This is a great resource for understanding the impact of consumerism and where our drive to BUY, BUY, BUY came from.
The average consumer will need to go through a process that will be long and at times painful. But buying green - yes, shopping and buying and being excited about the shiny new thing - is a necessary early step in the process. It certainly needs to give way to a new awareness and realization that getting by with less is also an acceptable reality...but very few people are going to jump directly to that step in the process.
Kent
www.ecounit.com
The average consumer will need to go through a process that will be long and at times painful. But buying green - yes, shopping and buying and being excited about the shiny new thing - is a necessary early step in the process. It certainly needs to give way to a new awareness and realization that getting by with less is also an acceptable reality...but very few people are going to jump directly to that step in the process.
Kent
www.ecounit.com