Too Much

[mlerules]

The Disease of Stuff

Comments

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

AMEN!!!

But I still want my central air ;P

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

But what opportunities does that create. People who could at public service or jobs that aren't getting done now; environmental clean-up and improvement.

People can only be at these jobs if they exist. I'm in favor of a new New Deal where this happens, e.g., gov't creates/encourages this sort of program to put people to work, train 'em, and in the process create/design what's needed: infrastructure, local agriculture, &c.

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

You could eliminate the "socialist" label by reverting to local individuals having to hire contractors to maintain roadways and walls and the like. Then it's all private industry. The trick to maintaining job opportunities is the age old question of supply and demand. No one THINKS about the infrastructure anymore because they've been allowed for several generations now to take it for granted. The demand for such things would increase or gain priority higher than it currently has if the government stopped providing it. Suddenly Sanrio and the like would seem much less important than they used to... ;P

(That said, not so much thinking I'd want to wait for my particular neighbors to get a clue before my local infrastructure sees attention...)

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

I usually endorse the government providing said workforces as well (typically because I don't expect the general populace to be forethoughtful enough to demand one, or pay it a decent wage - being a civil engineer I *like* my bridges safe!).

I typically don't have a problem with capitalism in general. The recent corporate trend to not thinking any farther than next quarter's profits (societal trend to instant gratification sound familiar?) drives me bonkers. It leads to so many bad business practices, and the economic and environmental disasters that follow.

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

Yay for us getting it right! (Those safety multipliers we toss in for security are AWESOME.)

[clayshaper.livejournal.com]

That kind of thing has been on my mind for months now, no surprise... What /things/ are actually needed and what things are just a lame grope for happiness in the wrong place?

I realized the other day, I had been five YEARS since I bought new shoes. :P I only own one pair, mind you.

Isn't it strange, that I would have begrudged myself a pair of SHOES... when I didn't begrudge an occasional movie or a festival, or such? I mean, yeah, it's true, I haven't bought /things/ in a long long time- but DUDE... I fel less guilty buying dinner out to celebrate something, than I did to buy SHOES... maybe we all just need to shift what /kinds/ of things we spend on.

And yea- I spent the (gasp) 30 bucks for shoes. (chuckle) ...I can honestly say it was worth it. ;)

[sidhefire.livejournal.com]

Yes! Some of the underlying principles of this are why I have always been so "pro-intentional-family"..

[vismaya-viewer.livejournal.com]

Amen. A soapbox I so stand on often, after I move some of my stuff to get on it. *grin*

[wildwoosi.livejournal.com]

Love it! I wonder how much less energy & resources we'd use if people stopped buying those McMansions...