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WHY THE MARKET AND CONSUMER ACTIVISM WILL NOT DEFEAT THE CLIMATE APOCALYPSE:
I want to first off make two things clear:
The first is that the point of this thread IS NOT TO DISCOURAGE CONSUMER ACTIVISM. It is to argue why it is ineffective and should not be a primary solution.
I want to first off make two things clear:
The first is that the point of this thread IS NOT TO DISCOURAGE CONSUMER ACTIVISM. It is to argue why it is ineffective and should not be a primary solution.
The second is that I understand where this desire and the appeal of consumer activism comes from. Capitalism instills in us a mentality that we have a vote in this economy with our dollar. It screams at us to choose consumer activism.
And also...in the face of a crisis like this, people just want to feel like they've got some control over it - even if its the smallest sliver. But the truth is that as *consumers*...you really don't.
And the reason why is because consumers exist in a market.
And the reason why is because consumers exist in a market.
The market cannot fix this crisis. First and foremost because it is system which thinks only in the short term. The quickest way of getting from A to Profit is what the market will encourage every single time.
The second is because the market overproduces like fuck.
The second is because the market overproduces like fuck.
Let's take food. The Earth has a population of roughly 8bn people. But we produce enough food per year for 10.5bn people. Supermarkets are highly competitive, and in a market the most competitive actor is the one that can deliver the cheapest and easiest solutions.
Supply and demand. If demand stays the same but supply goes up, price drops. We do this with food. The world overproduces food so food prices can be cheap and supermarkets can stay competitive. This is also why we waste 1/3 of all food on Earth. Rotting food emits methane btw.
Supermarkets are in a hyper competitive industry. They need the cheapest possible prices they can offer so they're not undercut and most importantly of all don't lose market dominance. You, as a consumer, are incentivised every which way to go for the cheapest and easiest option.
This most of the time means the already most well-established products and solutions.
People are being screamed at by the market to go for the cheapest option and are penalised if they don't. Telling those people to defy what the gargantuan market that dominates our lives when they're likely already under a lot of economic stress is a large misfire.
HOWEVER
That does not mean there *are not* problematic consumers. Hell, most of the Western world is consuming problematically, but there's a specific fucking group that really deserves your ire.
You see, far from the working-class Joe eating his beef burger, you have...
That does not mean there *are not* problematic consumers. Hell, most of the Western world is consuming problematically, but there's a specific fucking group that really deserves your ire.
You see, far from the working-class Joe eating his beef burger, you have...
The fuckers that own the 11,259 private jets worldwide (Forbes) and the 10,000 superyachts. Because at the end of the day, if every working and middle-class person across N. America and Europe gave up animal products entirely, gave up their cars, stopped using...
...oil & gas entirely and powered the rest of their lives with 100%, it would still be less than what the rich put out in lifestyle emissions.
The main driver of this crisis is a system of endless growth and consumption on a planet of finite resources.
The main driver of this crisis is a system of endless growth and consumption on a planet of finite resources.
I know you want to feel like you have control over this situation as *consumers* and that is how capitalism has brainwashed you to view your power...but you don't.
However, you *definitely* have power as an individual. And here's how:
However, you *definitely* have power as an individual. And here's how:
You can start by learning all the shit I talk about in this thread below, and then knocking on doors in your neighbourhood and talking to people about it. Arrange talks in local community centres, churches, synagogues and mosques: https://twitter.com/HasBezosDecided/status/1162767410862202880
At those talks, reiterate to people that we are looking at the end of the world. Then start talking about the solution to bring what we need into reality - a general strike. Host weekly meetings about what your community would need in the event of a GS.
Communicate with folks about what they'll need in the event of it and who can volunteer to help get it. When people see it's the literal end of the world...you'll have a small army. Have those conversations, get people together and most of all - ORGANISE ORGANISE ORGANISE!
Final Thought:
There is one form of consumer activism that would make a real dent.
Telling the rich to get rid of their fucking private jets and superyachts and to start using clean energy because God knows they can afford it.
There is one form of consumer activism that would make a real dent.
Telling the rich to get rid of their fucking private jets and superyachts and to start using clean energy because God knows they can afford it.
