Of course we all need the essentials of life - a home, health care, food and clothing. But beyond that a massive media machine is in place to persuade us that to be full and proper members of our group, to be seen as 'successful' we need the latest electronic gizmoes, the latest fashion accessory and a new fitted kitchen in just the right design and colour!
Clever marketing taps into our need to belong to the group and our need to be sexually attractive. Yep, I've got that.
Of course, fashion can be fun. Of course, since the earliest human societies we've enjoyed copying those we admire. Of course, we humans have a natural capacity for pursuing novelty.
But 21st capitalism demands too much of us and of the planet. As David Edwards said in his wonderful book 'Free to be human' capitalism keeps us all discontented because if we are discontented we will go out to buy, buy and buy again. We are constantly fed images of the perfect face (white), the perfect figure (slim), the perfect clothes (latest fashion) and the perfect home (straight the ads and tv celebrities).
In 'Prosperity Without Growth' Tim Jackson says 'an important conception of prosperity is the ability to participate meaningfully in the life of society' and 'consumer society has appropriated a whole range of material goods ... in their service.'
It seems that our material possessions are the measure by which others see our place in the world. No wonder folk who have very limited money resort to credit to buy the 'must-have' possessions.
Hi, Eileen.
ReplyDeleteNone academic and succinct (ish), forgive the American-centric premise, it's quite applicable to all western industrialsed civilization.
Stick with it ;-0)
Modern agriculture, industry and finance all extract more than they give back, and the Earth is starting to show the strain. How did we get in this mess and what can we do to help our culture get back on track? ......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y_MleU8iNQ
Hi Eileen,
ReplyDeleteI don't think the World's gone mad.
These impulses that people have to take more for themselves and to hell with their brothers, sisters and the environment have been around for a long time. Read Marx communist manifesto - it's only 20 or so pages if you get one without pages of explanation from some old right wing critic or another. Short and to the point about the historical development of capitalism until that point in the 19th century. It seems to me that Marx was more or less right and that the capitalist class has broken and rebuilt ever since and we are all the tools for that work. If you want a more psychological perspective try Oliver James Affluenza which describes exactly what you re referring to the sickness of buy buy buy with no lasting reward.
Most importantly don't let anxiety about the future divert you from your own happiness, the most important thing for you to hold on to.
Regards
Dan
Thanks for that Dan. I think I grasp what Marx was saying but I don't think the impulses we all have to take more etc are the only impulses we have. I think the problem is that we have an economic/social/political system which feeds into the, if you like, negative, side of human psychology and what we need is a system which appeals to the co-operative and caring impulses we have. When societies were in their early stages of human development the instinctively knew that their survival depended on caring for each other and acting co-operatively. It seems that although Mankind has developed intellectually in quite a dramatic (and life changing) way, we haven't moved at all in terms of our emotional/psychological development.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to make sense of all the horror then I suggest you go and watch a few UK Column Live News shows. Sometimes their analysis is tenuous, but often they are spot on and reveal behind the scenes interests on current and daily events. Todays show being a good example. Much recommended.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ukcolumn.org/live
Posted by margo on November 21, 2013, 6:24 am,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog and share your concerns.
Not sure what the simple answers are - though I agree with your emphasis on 'simple'.
A simple message needs to get transmitted to wider circles that another way of life is possible.
People are in an apathetic state of learned helplessness. Or perhaps they are just coshed over the head with the 'soft power' of Americanised TV/film and celebrity culture which seduces (like advertising) by tapping into acute emotional vulnerabilities.