Why “consumerism” isn’t the way out of the economic crisis
I have a real problem with the current “economic crisis.” Specifically my gripe is that we’re told that the way out of the mess is for people (more commonly known as “consumers”) to buy stuff. That’s simply insane! Sure there is stuff we all need — food, shelter, transportation — and much of this we need to purchase. Under this scenario, however, if the economy we’ve had is to survive, we would have to buy stuff that we think we WANT but that we DON’T NEED.
Now I’m all for fulfilling our wants. But much of what we actually want when we buy the stuff we think we want isn’t actually the stuff itself. For instance, let’s say Gina feels sad and isn’t really loving herself all that much. Her “solution” is to go spend some greenbacks on herself — maybe buying clothes, going out to a movie, or getting a double-fudge brownie sundae. While this may lift her mood for awhile, Gina didn’t address the root causes of her low self-esteem, so her “solution” is, at best, a temporary one…and, it produces more problems than it can solve.
Why Consumerism Isn’t The Right Answer
- Consumerism easily makes as many problems as it can solve. To see one of the most compelling illustrations of the problems of our consumerist orientation, watch The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard. (Video preview below.)
- Most of what we buy isn’t the thing we really want. The “right” outfit doesn’t make us loved, nor does the newest gadget prove our worth, even the stuff we buy for other people doesn’t build better relationships.
- Our planetary home has limited space for holding all our stuff, and we’re using up all the “ingredients” making stuff we generally don’t need. Abundance is the natural state of our world, but it disappears when we don’t respect the gift that it is.
- It’s unsustainable. Just because it’s been working for this long (and many people don’t even think that’s true.) doesn’t mean it will keep working. As The Story of Stuff shows, we’ve created a system that is destroying our leisure, our freedom, and our very home.
“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money.”
~ Cree Indian Proverb
How We Can Help
- Become a wise and thoughtful shopper. Buy what you need when you need it and support the businesses in your community when you shop. Yes, I know that Wal-Mart often has the lowest prices, but are they invested in your community like locally-owned companies are? Usually not. And if they’re not truly invested in your town, chances are they don’t care about your town or you beyond what you do for them.
- Determine what you REALLY WANT and fulfill those deep desires, not the superficial ones. If you crave friendship and love spend time rather than money. If you want freedom and peace, take yourself outside in nature’s abundance rather than cooping yourself up at the mall.
- Get creative and old-fashioned. As organic-food seeking vegetarians, one of the best things we do for ourselves is have a garden. We get what we want, plus extra benefits like fresh air (from time we spend working in the garden) and a sense of satisfaction that we’ve been able to feed ourselves. When I think “old-fashioned” I think homemade/home-grown, borrowed, bartered — basically the way we all lived before we bought into our identity as “consumers.”
- Invest your money in life-giving ways. While I’d venture to guess that most of us would like our savings accounts to grow exponentially and to “retire young,” I also believe that we want our lives to be meaningful not just material. Perhaps you’d like to share your money with local charities, thereby helping make your hometown a better place to live. Maybe you’d like to help people in developing nations improve their lives and help ensure the survival of their families (Check out Kiva.org for such opportunities.). Regardless of your desires, look for ways to make your money be an expression of your deepest values.
“Money is like manure; it’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around encouraging young things to grow.”
~ Thornton Wilder
Birthdays and gifts of being
Today at Jubilee (our “church”) I asked for a prayer for myself. I told Warren that as it was my birthday, I wanted to ask for God to help me be the person I was meant to be, to be the unique instrument that only I can be. His prayer for me was touching and I was glad I’d taken the time to ask for this spiritual support as I enter my 38th year on the planet (that means I’m 37 of course). 
Although I am conscious of my connection to the source of all life, I really wanted Spirit to be clear that I’m ready and willing to hear and answer her call. Funny how quickly one’s prayers can be answered.
When we got home after church, I had birthday wishes from friends and family in my email inbox, on my facebook wall, and singing from cheery ecards. One wish in particular stood out. It was from my friend and mentor, Lance Secretan, who sent me one of his Spirit@Work cards with the word “Contribution” as something he thinks of when I come to his mind. Besides being moved by his kind words and wishes for a great year ahead, the idea of contribution stuck with me. For making a contribution is so much of what I endeavor to do with my life.
“In the game of contribution you wake up each day and bask in the notion that you are a gift to others.”
~ Benjamin Zander
Being a contribution
I think we’re all put on earth to make a positive impact on the world. Sometimes the effect is global and highly visible, sometimes the ripples are local and seemingly invisible. We are always in all ways adding to the mix. We can add love or fear, trust or suspicion, calm or anxiety, faith or skepticism, forgiveness or bitterness. The choices are ours. Some are clear-cut or easy, others complex or difficult…but nonetheless we have a choice. So here’s what I choose for the year ahead; here are the contributions I want to make with my life, blessed by the love, guidance, support, and life experience that’s helped make me who I am today.
- I choose to add love. While I do this naturally and freely at most times, when I’m angry, super-serious, or over zealous, my thoughts, words and actions–though many times good in intent–are laced with non-lovingness. Especially at these times, I commit to doing the best I can to bring loving energy into being.
- I choose to connect with people. Again, I do this as a part of each day. What happens fairly often, however, is that I trade people-time for thing time–watching a film instead of having dinner with friends, loitering on the Internet rather than taking a walk with Bruce, paying bills in lieu of petting the kitties (they’re furry people to me). My commitment is to choose these “real,” connecting experiences with greater frequency in the year ahead.
- I choose to be a role model and invite others to play with me. I strive to set an example that I believe is worthy of following–being a vegetarian, making eco- and socially conscious choices, contributing to charitable causes, etc. At the same time, I sometimes don’t vocalize these choices as much with my wider social circle as I don’t want to proselytize or chastise. In the year ahead I want to invite others to learn with me and then trust that they will make the best choices they can.
- I choose to have FUN. While I’m light-hearted and have a playful spirit, my desire to make a positive contribution can leave me coming across as heady, serious, and even solemn when such emotion isn’t required. For my own pleasure as well as for the benefit that joyful exuberance brings to others, I commit to being a source of laughter, lightness, and childlike merriment in the coming year.
- I choose to be grateful. I love the feeling I have when I take time to say “thanks.” When I look around me and give praise for all the world around me (even when I sometimes don’t like or even understand what I see) I’m more loving, creative, generous, patient, happy, and courageous. I’m also more connected to God when I take time to thank him for all the gifts I’ve been given. My commitment is to be fully present each day in my gratitude practice.
“The choices we make in the microarenas of life contribute, for better or for worse, to what happens in the world at large.”
~ Parker Palmer
Conspire to create a meaningful holiday season
“When we have a spirit of thanksgiving we can hold all things lightly. We receive; we do not grab. And when it is time to let go, we do so freely. We are not owners, only stewards.”
~ Richard Foster
I grew up primarily as an only child (I have had a stepbrother since I was eight) and was treated generously with love, attention, and material gifts. Though I didn’t act spoiled, I did take pleasure in getting great stuff. Add to that that I am an American, living in a culture addicted to stuff, stuff, and more stuff. Christmas–which is followed closely by my birthday–is a time when I used to get delirious with desire. Now I still have some “gimme-gimme” fits from time to time, but thankfully have found my way to a new way of being when it comes to the consumerist Christmas season.
At church last week we watched an inspiring video called Advent Conspiracy. While the creators of the site have somewhat differing views from my own, I think the primary message of the video is right on. I hope you will watch the video then take the time to comment on my three questions below AND then follow through with specific, conspiratorial action.
- What relationships, causes, and issues are most important to you?
- If this were your last month on earth, how would you want to spend your time?
- Given your answers to the first two questions, what is one thing you could do to bring such meaning and fulfillment to your holiday season?
Get out there and conspire to create that meaningful vision and have a wonderful holiday season!
Your Voice Matters
“It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.”
~ Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
Every day, every minute, every breath we move the world toward a specific result. We either add more love or more hate. Our actions foment separation or foster connection. The way we relate can inspire others or discourage them. Though we often discount our impact on the world around us, the truth is that everything we do makes an impact and changes the world, even if we can’t perceive the change ourselves.
If you’ve been silent, hesitant, or less involved than you could be, I invite you to reclaim your full voice today! Proclaim the truth that is written in your heart. Sing the songs that have awakened your soul. Bring the full measure of yourself to each and every action, putting your visions into action. We need you to live with even more boldness, imagination, passion, and courage than you already add to each day. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, so give today, this very moment, the best that you have to offer! The world will be better off because of you!
May these two videos below awaken, inspire, enliven, and embolden you. Enjoy!
Here are links to use if either video doesn’t appear on your screen below.
- http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oVi4rUzf-0Q
- http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid900881681/bclid900480414/bctid1767973351
