You're not necessarrily what you eat, but capitalism evolves around supply and demand and to educate the public to watch it's spending dollar is the best solution I can think of for our failing world economy, and ecologically unsound buying powers.
Americans are stuffjunkies and just like any other addict they don't give a fuck about repercussions as long as they get their fix.
I think it's more of a no time/formed habits -type of thing than whether the "care". I think most people haven't taken the time to think about the right or wrong of it, and, knowing that, do you think law should be enacted to govern this issue? I do. It doesn't matter WHY people don't buy right, the fact remains that they don't, and that hurts us all. Not only that, it's not good for them and from a healthy person's point of view, and knowing a little bit about law, it looks SO EASY to take some action, but one person can't do it all alone....
You need to educate the people before you can force change on them. If you try and pass laws of conservation, decreasing consumption so that there is something left for the later generations, then you will just be chucked out of government. The public won't understand. They would just think, hey, why are you taking away my cheap petrol and games consoles and useless junk I didn't really want but was going to get from the shopping channel anyway? I want all that back. You need to make them see the light and explain, You can drive your SUV and buy all the shit you want and in 2 years time the shit will hit the fan and it will all disapear very quickly. Or, you can buy a lot less now, try to walk and leave your SUV in the drive at every available opportunity, and survive comfortably but not luxuriously for the next 10-15 years while we try and work out way to keep the system from falling appart. Tell that to any average joe and the'll just go, "your a wacko, nothings going to run out, everything will last for ever, America is the greatest and we'll think of something". Then, in two years time, the economic recession will kick in hard, everything will cost 10 time more and millions of people will be being made unemployed every year, all because oil is used for everything in the modern world, and when we get past half way, production will start to decline and there will be this sudden realisation that it is a limited resource!!!! Wow, it can run out!!!!! Shit, Economic growth has just vanished. We need a new system. Then you say, Thats what I told you two years ago. I tried to tell you to consume less but oh no, you just laughed. Human need a shock to change them now. Our social reaction time has just proved too slow. Problems with unlimited economic growth and global warming and population growth all came out in the 60's and 70's and our societies still haven't understood the message. So we need a shock. In our words, we will consume less, when there is less available. We are just like any other primitive animal. We gorge while we can, get fat, and then hope to survive the times of shortage, with no real plan for how to get through.
I agree. A shock that will resound, but with so many people in the world today, any collapse would be proportionately more devistating than any that has gone before. I just hope I'm living on an island in the ocean at the time!! I feel one lesson that might affect change is learning that your worth isn't defined by the things you buy. The sooner people invest in their minds and not in ostentatious displays of wealth, then this cycle of unsustainable consumption may end. It of course would help if the media didn't make it appear as though you HAVE to buy things or else you will socially exclude yourself. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE DIFFERENT DO YOU?
are you saying that I am a waterpipe? im just kidding yeah some people call other people packrats for collecting old junk. i call my brother a packrat cuz he keeps old useless stuff but when i think about it whats the difference between old and new? i have more clothes then 5 (or more) of my best friends put together.....i guess im shallow or sumthing but your on target there bro.
are we all being sucked in to a comercial world ?.materialism is not neccesary(it causes debt and stress)freedom is just that=free...........ps at this moment i am a big joooooooooooooooooint man
Whoops sorry for that last one. I totally agree with this 'shock theory'. Too bad that the people who ARE changing their lifestyles, or already have, will also be victims of these unavoidable disasters. Plus only realizing this could make people not change because 'it won't matter anyway'. So although the majority of people in developed countries need this shock before they'll change, we do really need the positive 'a better world is positive vibe' to get as much people as possible to make their way of life more sustainable, bringing a world where there is true quality of life a litlle closer. Because I do think that we will reach that point, no matter how many disasters humanity will have to overcome. Maybe this is false hope, but as I argued, I need a bit of positive thinking in order to make the effort.
