Minimalism. What would happen?

[Blues Man]

What would happen if people decided to disengage from the consumerist nightmare we live in and instead put value on the intangible meaningful things we have access to?

People will say the economy would crash but so what? Do we have an obligation to the corporate world to keep their coffers overflowing? Do we have an obligation to the government to make more money so we can pay more taxes?

Or do we first have an obligation to ourselves and our own physical mental and financial well being first and foremost? If the economy is not based on the things that will foster this well being should it not be crashed?

 

[JGalt]

What intangible meaningful things, and does everyone have access to them?

 

[Blues Man]

What intangible meaningful things, and does everyone have access to them?

Music, art, books, the beauty of the natural world the company of friends and loved ones and yes everyone has access to them for free or next to nothing

 

[JGalt]

Music, art, books, the beauty of the natural world the company of friends and loved ones and yes everyone has access to them for free or next to nothing

But then socialists would demand that you share a portion of your music, art, and company with them.

There are always going to be "haves" and "have nots", no matter how much is redistributed.

 

[Dadoalex]

What would happen if people decided to disengage from the consumerist nightmare we live in and instead put value on the intangible meaningful things we have access to?

People will say the economy would crash but so what? Do we have an obligation to the corporate world to keep their coffers overflowing? Do we have an obligation to the government to make more money so we can pay more taxes?

Or do we first have an obligation to ourselves and our own physical mental and financial well being first and foremost? If the economy is not based on the things that will foster this well being should it not be crashed?

I think a better way to phrase this is

"What if we could eliminate greed?"

Greed is the driver of most of the world's man made evils.

How about

"What if we could eliminate all religion?"

Imagine, as Lennon posed, a world without religion or the foundation of religion, greed.

 

[citygator]

What would happen if people decided to disengage from the consumerist nightmare we live in and instead put value on the intangible meaningful things we have access to?

People will say the economy would crash but so what? Do we have an obligation to the corporate world to keep their coffers overflowing? Do we have an obligation to the government to make more money so we can pay more taxes?

Or do we first have an obligation to ourselves and our own physical mental and financial well being first and foremost? If the economy is not based on the things that will foster this well being should it not be crashed?

On average you have 70-ish years to enjoy. If it makes it more enjoyable to be wearing Nike’s and using an IPhone then have at it. If you want to live off the grid with a compost toilet, solar power, and a garden then have at it.

 

[Vastator]

What would happen if people decided to disengage from the consumerist nightmare we live in and instead put value on the intangible meaningful things we have access to?

People will say the economy would crash but so what? Do we have an obligation to the corporate world to keep their coffers overflowing? Do we have an obligation to the government to make more money so we can pay more taxes?

Or do we first have an obligation to ourselves and our own physical mental and financial well being first and foremost? If the economy is not based on the things that will foster this well being should it not be crashed?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

There would be a lot more poverty that is for sure.
All you have to do is look at America before run a muck consumerism.
Poverty in pre WW II America had very real poverty. Just before WW II, 40% of Americans lived in poverty.
2022 America suffered through the highest increase in people living below the poverty line in history.
But even with that - it is only 12%.
Consumerism brought America out of poverty.

 

[ReinyDays]

Sound like a hippy ... free food, free sex, free rent ...

But who hauls all the poop away? ... there's 8 billion of us moving our bowels as we type ... plus our domesticates ... yeesh ... I'd rather you pay taxes ... to be honest ...

 

[Vastator]

Sound like a hippy ... free food, free sex, free rent ...

But who hauls all the poop away? ... there's 8 billion of us moving our bowels as we type ... plus our domesticates ... yeesh ... I'd rather you pay taxes ... to be honest ...

But what happens when men say "no"? Then what?

 

[ReinyDays]

But what happens when men say "no"? Then what?

Go ahead ... are you afraid of a little hardship? ... call me when your roof is leaking and there's no money to pay a roofer ... you'll be getting wet ... how about when the roads are impassible in winter ... bad weather destroys local crops ... small pox ...

Life was really shitty in the 18th Century ... just saying ... and that's what the hippies discovered, their parents were right, it's way cooler to be rich ...

 

[Vastator]

Go ahead ... are you afraid of a little hardship? ... call me when your roof is leaking and there's no money to pay a roofer ... you'll be getting wet ... how about when the roads are impassible in winter ... bad weather destroys local crops ... small pox ...

Life was really shitty in the 18th Century ... just saying ... and that's what the hippies discovered, their parents were right, it's way cooler to be rich ...

Sounds like it could be a problem then... So what is modern society doing about it?

 

[ReinyDays]

Sounds like it could be a problem then... So what is modern society doing about it?

Here ... we license our roofers ... so they have both liability insurance and a performance bond ... still expensive, but that's just the cost of home ownership ... we also keep snow plows available for the uplands, so the all-weather roads are clear ... and small pox is extinct in the wild today ...

Of course ... these solutions bring with them more problems ... so it's a choice ... modern society brings us $7 a pair school shoes for our children ...

 

[BULLDOG]

Yes, we need all our businesses, even the big ones to supply all the things we use every day. We just need to cut down on the greed and unfairness that is rampant

 

[Vastator]

Here ... we license our roofers ... so they have both liability insurance and a performance bond ... still expensive, but that's just the cost of home ownership ... we also keep snow plows available for the uplands, so the all-weather roads are clear ... and small pox is extinct in the wild today ...

Of course ... these solutions bring with them more problems ... so it's a choice ... modern society brings us $7 a pair school shoes for our children ...

That in no way answers the question. What happens when the do'rs, stop doing? Or just decide to do the bare minimum?

 

[BULLDOG]

That in no way answers the question. What happens when the do'rs, stop doing? Or just decide to do the bare minimum?

That's what performance bonds and liability insurance are for. They define and require what the bare minimum is.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Yes, we need all our businesses, even the big ones to supply all the things we use every day. We just need to cut down on the greed and unfairness that is rampant

That is a fluffy argument to present without stating what is unfair and rampant, and why it is that way.
Until you, and others just like you, will admit that all of these things you speak of are happening because BOTH parties in Washington rubber stamp corporate mega mergers, and BOTH parties in Washington pass legislations/regulations that assist mega corporations to operate with less competition.

Do that... and you will have the merit to say this.

 

[BULLDOG]

That is a fluffy argument to present without stating what is unfair and rampant, and why it is that way.
Until you, and others just like you, will admit that all of these things you speak of are happening because BOTH parties in Washington rubber stamp corporate mega mergers, and BOTH parties in Washington pass legislations/regulations that assist mega corporations to operate with less competition.

Do that... and you will have the merit to say this.

There are lots of longstanding reasons why the rich are allowed unfair advantage. None of those reasons, in any way make my remark inaccurate

 

[Vastator]

That's what performance bonds and liability insurance are for. They define and require what the bare minimum is.

Performance bonds, and liability insurance doesn't incentive the capable amongst us to go out and fulfill critical infrastructure roles, or promote comsumerism...

 

[BULLDOG]

Performance bonds, and liability insurance doesn't incentive the capable amongst us to go out and fulfill critical infrastructure roles, or promote comsumerism...

They require fulfilling agreed on terms. If you don't agree to the terms, somebody else gets the contract.