We are not consumers

Have you ever been called a consumer?

If so, like me have you thought to yourself - I am not a consumer.

In the world of marketing we often hear about companies striving to please its consumers.

I say we are not consumers. We’re people. And don't let any suit wearing bespectacled soulless pundit ever call you that. For if the revolution is to happen we must not let such labels to be thrown at us.

When we allow ourselves to be branded with these types of corporate terms, we’ve given in to the consumerist mindset. We’ve allowed the debate to be framed around buying: should we buy organic or local? How can we protect consumers? Do consumers have rights? What’s the best way to spend our money on products? How can we be savvy consumers? How can we affect change in society by making ethical or conscious buying choices?

What about the question of whether we should be buying or not? That gets thrown out the window, because it’s already assumed in the term: we’re consumers. Of course we buy. It’s just a matter of how, how much, where, from whom, how often.

But if we stop thinking of ourselves as consumers, and start calling ourselves “people”, then we open up the question. Should we even buy in the first place? Is it possible to live a life without buying?

We talked a bit about that in society, reimagined … that we can grow our own food, make and trade and share everything we need. It’s possible — of course it’s possible! Human beings (not consumers) did it for hundreds of thousands of years, and at least 10,000 years in civilized society: we lived and worked and played and loved, without buying. We did it in tribes, of course, but also in larger societies that weren’t based around the basic unit of corporation -> consumer.

I’m not advocating a return to tribalism. I’m saying we need to change the debate. We need to stop calling ourselves consumers. We need to open up our minds, so that a different way is possible.

This is beautiful

Listen to bono speak about the boy with no arms and legs before the music starts. It touched me.

revolution one step at a time

I mentioned about meeting a vegetarian in my last post. I haven’t become a vegetarian overnight but I am not thinking more about the walfare of the animals that we eat.

I have now signed up to the anti KFC campaign. They treat their chickens pretty poorly. If we are going to eat animals we should at least treat them humanly and with respect. They say you can judge a person by how they treat animals. There is some truth in this.

Read great quote from Noel Gallagher on his brother Liam: He's the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup". Haha! Sometimes life can seem like that for all of is. Maybe we should open our eyes and lift a spoon sometimes.

Carpe Diem Blogits. Lets start a revolution one step at a time. Every day we have an opportunity to manifest change. Today is the greatest day you will have. Its not a dress rehearsal.

Love and Peace

The Veggie Haunts my ड्रेंस

Was at a BBQ at the weekend and happened to get chatting to a veggie. It was actually a good BBQ for a veggie if that is possible in that there was a wide selection of pasta and salad type dishes, little bowls of olives and mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes etc etc.

I stuck to steak burgers, chicken and a couple of sausages.

I asked her about her motivations for not eating meat and she continued to tell me a few stories about her childhood experiences and her love of animals. She explained she grew up on a farm and would give the pigs, sheep and cows individual names. Then they would suddenly disappear. They had gone to a new home apparently, or so that’s what her uncle or dad would tell her.

One day she accompanied her dad to a Slaughter house and witnessed her farmyard buddies facing the chop. That was the turning point for her. She gave up meat from that day on.

I never thought much about it at the time but over the last few days it has entered my head a few times. Are we meant to eat meat? Could we do without our bacon sarnies or chicken tikka?
Is their cruelty involved in your ribeye? Are pigs intelligent? I could go on. All I know is its got me thinking abou things. Was also on a friends farm recently so maybe thats tainted things for me a bit - so maybe the future will mean only eating meat from animals who had a good, healthy life and were well cared for. Or does it mean going full blown and becoming a veggie. Time will tell blogspots.

Love and Peace