Re-Imagining Consumption
We need to reimagine. Re-imagination needs no bounds. Let me start from today, October 2020. We are in a COVID world right now, we hear a lot of things and they trigger questions.
“The supply of essential goods was not impacted but the economy has fallen” — Is the economy dependent on consumption of non-essentials ?
“The supply of essential goods was not impacted yet the pollution reduced and the earth got a chance to heal itself” — Is pollution dependent on consumption of non-essentials ?
This leaves me pondering: Us, Our consumption of non-essentials, the concept of economy, and the reality of pollution.
The idea of voluntary simplicity is a very powerful one! Most consumptive behavior is degenerative, meaning that we take more than we give. Can you think of consumption that is regenerative? Have you ever been consumed in an activity?
As humans, we must consume. However, we have the ability to decide what and how we consume. What guides us to consume what we do? If the candies are on the table, we are going to eat them. If there is unhealthy food, that tastes delicious, and has an attractive package, kids are going to want to eat it. What are some defaults we can change to make consumption healthier? Could there be a way to incentivize food companies to produce healthy foods with natural ingredients that are affordable?
By consuming non-essentials we are in a sense consuming ourselves. What are your essentials?
Lead Author: Abishek Taneja (first 4 paragraphs)
Abishek is the co-founder of an organization called EarthJust, which is based in Himachal Pradesh in India.
Anchor Author: Daniel Rudolph
Daniel Rudolph is interested in exploring alternative, experiential learning opportunities for people of all ages. He is passionate about forming community, and building public spaces for meaningful, transformational gathering. Currently he is spending a lot of his time learning juggling and facilitating gatherings. He also enjoys writing and sharing poetry. Daniel is a very curious and playful person and is always open for creative collaborations.
