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Pathological consumption article hits home

This article on pathological consumption made me realize how much I'd internalized our collective consumption madness. Sonic screwdriver remote control? I posted about that in the Tardis group. I've linked to other cute but mostly useless gadgetry in Geek & Nerd Haven. Time to rethink.

Time to Face the Facts: Our Level of Consumption Is Pathological

... many of the products we buy, especially for Christmas, cannot become obsolescent. The term implies a loss of utility, but they had no utility in the first place. An electronic drum-machine t-shirt; a Darth Vader talking piggy bank; an ear-shaped i-phone case; an individual beer can chiller; an electronic wine breather; a sonic screwdriver remote control; bacon toothpaste; a dancing dog:...

The fatuity of the products is matched by the profundity of the impacts. Rare materials, complex electronics, the energy needed for manufacture and transport are extracted and refined and combined into compounds of utter pointlessness. When you take account of the fossil fuels whose use we commission in other countries, manufacturing and consumption are responsible for more than half of our carbon dioxide production( 2). We are screwing the planet to make solar-powered bath thermometers and desktop crazy golfers.

Rivers are poisoned to manufacture talking fish. This is pathological consumption: a world-consuming epidemic of collective madness, rendered so normal by advertising and the media that we scarcely notice what has happened to us.

Tags: pathological consumption

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris Breman on December 20, 2012 at 1:57am

Like anyone with a not-too-big income, I need mountains of things - or is that true? It isn't, and that feels very good. You can use sites like this one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buy_Nothing_Day to cure yourself of wanting all those unnecessary things. And it has a very positive influence: "I buy, therefore I am." changes into "I am and I´ve got other things to do."

Permalink Reply by Tammy S on December 20, 2012 at 10:05am

This thread reminded me of one of my favorite songs by Tracy Chapman.

Mountains O Things - Tracy Chapman

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on December 20, 2012 at 11:41am

Yes, some of the things sold are just weird stuff you don't need. But, for some reason people buy these things. It is all based on profits.

Permalink Reply by Chris Breman on December 20, 2012 at 1:48pm

for some reason? It must be the ads, that tell us constantly that we'll be happy, smart and successful when we buy junk.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on December 21, 2012 at 11:03pm

There's a lot of social pressure this time of the year to participate in Secret Santa type gift exchanges. At my gym today the staff were doing that. That social custom almost guarantees useless things will be purchased. Tchotchkes anyone?

Permalink Reply by booklover on December 22, 2012 at 8:24am

One of my favorite hobbies is reading blogs about Minimalism and Simple Living. I only buy things that need replacing at this point in my life. I've given lots of things to Goodwill. I don't want things. Things own you. I don't want my husband working so hard so I can buy unnecessary junk. I love frugality. I am not stingy, I just would rather have an experience with my family and a few friends than a bunch of junk. We live in our 'starter' house. I definitely do not keep-up with the Joneses'.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on December 22, 2012 at 6:08pm

Here's a humorous example of pathological consumption.

Permalink Reply by Natalie A Sera on December 23, 2012 at 11:52pm

Yup, totally agree. I don't make it a practice to give gifts just because it's obligatory for a season or a birthday. I wait until something strikes my eye and tells me that so-and-so would really like to have it. And then I give it. This always surprises and pleases the person I give it to, and since they know I don't give for birthdays or holidays, they are relieved of having to reciprocally give me stuff that I probably don't want or like, anyway. I already have too much junk in my house, and I DON'T want to add to it! If they want to please me, they can take me out to dinner, or to a movie, or just spend some time with me -- those are the best gifts of all! :-)

Permalink Reply by Chris Breman on December 24, 2012 at 1:57am

Same system here, and it works very well. I call them un-birthday presents. And I wrapped all the usable junk that accumulated in the last year (small gifts from shops or books I don't want any longer) and made a small pile under the xmastree in the entrance hall of this building - the next day half of it was gone and I found the neighbours had followed the example - took a book that was new to me.

Permalink Reply by James Kz on December 24, 2012 at 1:41am

The Weather Underground is run by a fellow who was the first civilian in a hurricane hunter, and is a strong proponent for mitigating problems associated with human-caused global climate change.

In addition to a whole set of pages on the Website with the evidence for and debunking denialist claims, he also has an interesting video about a company named Relan, a company thinking outside the box.

Six hundred thousand tons of polyvinyl chloride billboard poster material goes into landfills every year. Relan was founded with the idea of recycling these billboards (reuse being the best form of recycling), hiring American workers to create new objects from old billboards such as purses, wallets, and carry-bags.

It also gives new life to the original purpose of the advert, a bonus for the company which commissioned the billboard: its product or service continues to be advertised. - James.

Click for weather forecast