Anti-Consumption Nation?

Another good example of the reverse marketing approach, briefly mentioned in one of my previous posts, is Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard's manifesto, Don't Buy This Shirt Unless You Need It.

I am liking this trend - the disillusionment with "stuff" as we once knew it, and the almost implied criticism of brands that are ignoring this message.

I also really like what Hugh's been saying about advertising being dead. Could it be true?

Maybe ideas are going to count for something? The return of France's Age of Enlightenment? Artists and thinkers get on your mark... Creativity and idea-commodity will surpass material items - material items other than those used to generate, communicate, and harness ideas, anyway.

My inner cynic says, "Come on, this is just another business angle," just a different product. I wonder if that's all together bad?

I had some thoughts on the issue of materialism and disconnection over at my personal blog. Since Wayne was good enough to stumble upon my other blog, there's no hiding now. And identifying with things is exactly what I'm talking about...

...There is loneliness in this, a loss of truth that creates a need in us to fill that void.

And boy do we try.We fill it with lots of stuff, addictions, religious zealotry, sexual partners, children, etc. Still, the loneliness remains... but not connection, which is the very thing we need.

Richard followed up my post by saying that we all like the love-in that happens 'round this time of year...how about an extension?

In his words, "It's not enough to be compassionate once a year, and only then since "everyone else is doing it."

I'm not so sure. I think we all need a little peer pressure sometimes. That's how paradigms are shifted, I say. If there's a trend to consume less and appreciate ideas, compassion, and creativity more, I'm in.

Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. ~Edward Abbey

The discussion of the disillusioned consumer-based society is an interesting one. People speculate on the US as another modern day Roman Empire, ready to implode. I expect that's what is happening with big brands and the rah-rah consumer culture.

At least, we're already feeling the move to cheaper.

Of course there's always the earth plundering, big marketing, big development cheerleaders still rubbing their coins together. There will always be that... But how long will they be successful?

I better get my Donald Trump voodoo doll out now.

If you fall in love with an idea, you won't see the merits of alternative approaches—and will probably miss an opportunity or two. One of life's great pleasures is letting go of a previously cherished idea. Then you're free to look for new ones. What part of your idea are you in love with? What would happen if you kissed it goodbye?
Roger von Oech