Durning and Williams pieces really made me stop and think about myself as a consumer. Do I, being just one of billions, really consume enough to have an impact on the environment?
I consume on a daily basis. I can't function without that coffee every morning. I have a coffee maker, but why take up precious time to make my own when I can just buy one on my way to class?
I'm a bit of a technology geek. I NEED the latest and greatest. They came out with a new cell phone? Mine. That brand new Macbook Pro. Mine. If I don't have the newest gadgets how will I function?
Actually thinking about the amount of unnecessary "stuff" I consume makes me question my lifestyle. Thinking that since I'm just one person I don't really impact the world around me is foolish. That kind of thinking is the reason our environment is being ruined. We live in a society of take, take, take. We see it, we want it, we get it.
The simple things in life just don't cut it anymore. We aren't happy enough with having a family who loves us and a job that keeps food on the table. We need more. We have been taught our whole lives that money is happiness, and the things we can buy with it are even better. Everyone aspires to be the next Oprah. Not because of the great things she has done, but because she can buy anything her heart desires.
I'm not saying that working hard and becoming successful is a bad thing, but using that success to consume more than necessary is.
After reflecting on how much I consume, I want to make an effort to reduce it. I can make my own coffee, and get a reusable mug. I realize I don't need to be the first with the new technology. Consuming is something that everyone has to do. It's part of life. But being smarter about how we consume will only benefit us, and our future generations.
You're right. It is sad how materialistic we have become. That family is second on the list to the newest Mercedes, but what can we do about it? What can we do to change our culture's perspective on what's important?
ReplyDeleteIt is really daunting when you break down everything that you consume in one day. I started doing that too and came up with a huge list of things I could do differently. I think the important thing is that we not try to tackle everything at once. I like your idea of brewing your own coffee and using a reusable mug. One thing at a time and once we have mastered that, move on to something else good for the environment. This pattern can be repeated for our whole lives and can be taught to those who come after us.
ReplyDeleteI like the part when you mentioned that we are brought up to believe that "money is happiness". We are told to go to college not to better ourselves or seek and education in its own right, but to go in order to get a better paying job. Why do we need a better paying job? To buy cool ass shit, duh. I find that the old phrases that have been around for generations really are true. Such as "money can't buy you happiness", true; "it's the little things in life"; true. A loving family, a significant other, and walks in the woods really are all the unnecessary-to-survival "luxuries" a person needs to be happy. We may get excited to get our new cell phone, but it will only bring us "happiness" until the next one comes out, and in that way, we are mass consumers.
ReplyDeleteWe were raised in a generation taught to consume, because it's available and because we can. It was interesting to find out in class how many worlds we consume; in reality, I never thought it would be that many. I recycle, I walk as many places as possible, I try to use as little energy as possible, yet, it is still not enough. It is the fact that the society we are surrounded by has ways of life we have stuck to for generations now. And new technological advances are aiding in our advances, but hindering our 'green' lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteSo is it possible to make a change in the way we live? It would result in a complete 180-degree transformation, but, it can be done. I don't think people realize how much we need to change in order to change the way we are harming the environment but nonetheless, it can be done.
okay i would love to point out that this: " We aren't happy enough with having a family who loves us and a job that keeps food on the table. We need more." and " Everyone aspires to be the next Oprah. Not because of the great things she has done, but because she can buy anything her heart desires." are fantastic and they sound like the reading and in a good way. it's sad but true we are feed the idea since we were born that we must consume, and consume we do. Its amazing now its past the point on how much we consumer which is massive problem yes but also what we consume and how it can affect things is also a problem, so now we need to make sure not to buy to much, what to buy and make sure it is the best choice. but then that makes you want to go replace all you have that is bad for the environment. its an evil cycle that we are taught into, but the little things do count so imagine if everyone did the little things :D
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