It’s Friday the 13th and I feel brave so I’m just going to say it: There’s an 800-pound gorilla in the room whenever we talk about becoming postconsumers. You know, it’s what many people are thinking about underneath it all (besides the environmental crisis and the stress epidemic) that often makes them queasy and simply leave the room when it’s mentioned: What will happen to the economy if lots of Americans become postconsumers? Hello, are you still there?
Well, there are plenty of substantial and brilliant rewrites of our current economic system available on the web, so I’m just going to say a few words here from the mainstream point of view that the one we’ve got is better than apple pie. Then I’ll have to leave the room, sorry. First of all, how many think that our current economy is actually working? Wait a minute, I think there are three hands up in the back. Okay, if it’s not actually working, could lots of postconsumers who are moving beyond addictive consumerism be something to really worry about?
Second of all, how many like to endure human torture, that is, a superimposed denial of our humanity as conscious beings who are excellent just the way we are? No hands up in the back. Third of all, since postconsumers can find the satisfaction of enough with a little or a lot (and exchanging goods/services will always be a big part of human civilization) is the idea of “enough” in this economy really such a frightful beast? Wow, maybe the gorilla can be our friend.
Those are a few of my quick thoughts – what are yours? Like us on Facebook and let us know. After all, it’s Friday the 13th so how scary can it be?
