What would happen to the American economy if the majority of us went minimalist?

[boedicca]

In some ways, that is already happening with Urban Millenials. In San Francisco, many don't own cars. They live in itsy bitsy "living unit" apartments. They don't own physical books, CDs, or LPs. They get their t-shirts for free at work (as well as many of their meals).

And despite population growth, total inflation-adjusted consumer spending is actually declining.

 

[Centinel]

If people chose to consume less, then they would not need as much income, so they would cut back on the amount of work they did or choose less productive work, and less would be produced. Which would be fine, because the minimalists want less.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

One option could be that the economy shifts towards an export model, .

100% stupid, liberal, and typicially violent. It is none of your business if people want to consume x amount. Only a nazi liberal would violently change behavior in a free county for no advantage and out of pure violent Nazi ignorance. Good luck in your after life.

 

[CultureCitizen]

One option could be that the economy shifts towards an export model, .

100% stupid, liberal, and typicially violent. It is none of your business if people want to consume x amount. Only a nazi liberal would violently change behavior in a free county for no advantage and out of pure violent Nazi ignorance. Good luck in your after life.

Violent?
At which point of my statement I said I wanted to force people reduce their consumption ? Sure enough, I think kids would be better off consuming less junk food, but that is basically up to their parents.
Please read carefully before calling someone else stupid or risk being showed off as one.

And please , take into account the question asked in the opening post (which wasn't me):
What would happen to the American economy if the majority of us went minimalist?

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

Violent?

yes dear liberalism is all about violent intervention at the point of a gun because liberals throughout history were always sure they knew best

 

[Donald Polish]

One option could be that the economy shifts towards an export model, .

100% stupid, liberal, and typicially violent. It is none of your business if people want to consume x amount. Only a nazi liberal would violently change behavior in a free county for no advantage and out of pure violent Nazi ignorance. Good luck in your after life.

Violent?
At which point of my statement I said I wanted to force people reduce their consumption ? Sure enough, I think kids would be better off consuming less junk food, but that is basically up to their parents.
Please read carefully before calling someone else stupid or risk being showed off as one.

And please , take into account the question asked in the opening post (which wasn't me):
What would happen to the American economy if the majority of us went minimalist?

Unless everyone's stuffing their hard-earned cash under the mattress, then the economy will continue to function. What might happen is an economic shift where walmart's business decreases and local theatres increase...

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

What would happen to the American economy if the majority of us went minimalist?

stupid thought as always, if eveyone bought half America would need about half the employees. For about half that would land them in abject poverty. Another great liberal idea.

 

[kaz]

An Interesting theme as I see...
I found a statistic on MoneyWatch.com about how roughly 70% of the American economy is based on consumer spending. That number is staggering and honestly, frightening.

This question may sound silly but I don't know the answer to it - are we harming the economy by getting rid of excess possessions and choosing to not spend our money on collecting more junk? If consumer spending were to radically drop below "normal" levels, would the economy crash?
How do we depend on consumerism? Was this the main idea of american dream?

I'm not clear what you mean. In the end, isn't 100% of our economy driven by consumer spending? Isn't anything money is spent on in the end that is not intended for citizens pure waste? Give me some examples of things you think should drive our economy that is not spent in the end for the interest of consumers

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

walmart's business decreases and so on for all those who sell consumer products s .

and our biggest employers lays off half their employees and we have an instant depression????

 

[Teddy Pollins]

An Interesting theme as I see...
I found a statistic on MoneyWatch.com about how roughly 70% of the American economy is based on consumer spending. That number is staggering and honestly, frightening.

This question may sound silly but I don't know the answer to it - are we harming the economy by getting rid of excess possessions and choosing to not spend our money on collecting more junk? If consumer spending were to radically drop below "normal" levels, would the economy crash?
How do we depend on consumerism? Was this the main idea of american dream?

This may come as a shock, but even a minimalist can be stuck with a shitty job and little money in this economy. Walmart has sometimes given me the chance for clothes when I couldn't afford it elsewhere. Not everyone can drop a hundred bucks on a pair of super-awesome durable jeans.
Every dollar should be a vote, but that doesn't mean we all have a lot of votes to begin with.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

An Interesting theme as I see...
I found a statistic on MoneyWatch.com about how roughly 70% of the American economy is based on consumer spending. That number is staggering and honestly, frightening.

This question may sound silly but I don't know the answer to it - are we harming the economy by getting rid of excess possessions and choosing to not spend our money on collecting more junk? If consumer spending were to radically drop below "normal" levels, would the economy crash?
How do we depend on consumerism? Was this the main idea of american dream?

This may come as a shock, but even a minimalist can be stuck with a shitty job and little money in this economy. Walmart has sometimes given me the chance for clothes when I couldn't afford it elsewhere. Not everyone can drop a hundred bucks on a pair of super-awesome durable jeans.
Every dollar should be a vote, but that doesn't mean we all have a lot of votes to begin with.

A liberal will lack the IQ to understand free trade between NYS and CT and between the USA and China. Since they are too stupid to understand it they have a solution that they would apply to 1000 areas of the economy: magical soviet regulation.