Buying Less

 

We often wonder when this mindless merry-go-round of consumerism will end. When people suddenly realise that they don’t need to keep buying the next best thing, to fill their homes with chain store tat and their wardrobes with clothes they rarely wear. Why is there so much importance put on stuff? How did the human race get persuaded to spend huge amounts of money on winter religious festivals? The whole crazy buying thing is quite bizarre to us.

If you are a consumer – do you look into where your stuff comes from before you make your purchase? Does it concern you that your fellow humans are being paid peanuts to make some of the items you buy, or that there is still slavery in the world? Large corporations continue to exploit people because they can and will do so until they are found out and they will no doubt blame “customer demand” for pushing them to make things cheaper.

What would happen if we all stopped? If we found a local person to make something for us and instead of using money - we offer our skills in return. Well, many people are doing this and have been for a long time. We don’t need to be making and buying new furniture; surely there must be enough already in existence for us all. The charity (thrift) shops and online marketplaces are full of second hand stuff...so why do people want new? Clever advertising...They tell us that we need the latest device, gadget, luxury item etc, etc. We are nothing without it all and will feel alienated if we don’t have it.

Was the industrial revolution such a good thing? Were people manipulated into thinking they needed a better way of life? Move to the cities, work long hours in factories and eventually - save for a deposit on a little box. The drudgery continues today, people feel trapped with high rents and mortgage payments – probably one of the greatest scams ever, but mortgages mean willing workers. Work, work, work hard all your life, but oh by the way...don’t forget to save for your retirement!

The whole world has become one huge money-making treadmill and if you dare to step off - you will find out how you have been duped...tricked into thinking you need to work hard to buy more. Life doesn’t really have to be so difficult and we all have the power to make this a better place. Start by becoming an ethical consumer and use your money wisely, work less, grow more and concentrate on the people around you, nourish and nurture each other because money doesn’t make the world go around, love does.

Love Kay (and Sime) xx