Take Back The Economy
So many of us feel powerless over the economy because we’ve given that power away without fully realizing it. Without a Main Street economy we become the pawns of giant corporations and the governments that make them possible.
The start of the economic demise appears to have started back in the late 70’s with the advent of discount stores. Prior to that, they were few and far between. My mother refused to set foot in those stores. Then we got suckered into buying things for less and it became a part of our societal makeup. (I know folks that drive two hours to NH to save $10.)
I’m sure you’ve gone to a party and if someone compliments your clothing, you may reply, “I got it for $12.99 at such and such store.” It’s a bad of courage to get a good deal.
Problem with that is that someone somewhere else has to make the discount stuff many of them slaves or close to slaves. Related to that is the need for public corporations to make money for stockholders and their trend to pay CEO’s huge salaries. (Are they that different from the star quarterback? Hard to complain about one and not the other.]
Until we go for quality over quantity and bring back livable wages in our own countries, we’re on a collision course with our own livelihoods. Until we refuse to shop at corporations that do not share their wealth by hiring employees, we’re on a collision course with our own livelihoods. Until we acknowledge that unlimited quantitative growth needs to be replaced with qualitative growth, we’re on a collision course with our own livelihoods.
I’ve written several op-ed pieces about the need to re-ignite our local economies. Yesterday I got my issue of Yes! Magazine. Inside, I read a super article called, “Who’s building the do-it-ourselves economy?” They offer a three-part plan:
1) local economies, local ecosystems – small businesses create the most jobs. (Most people think it’s big corporations. Not by a long shot.) Buy local, bank local, build from the grassroots up with existing assets, use local resources, do it cooperatively, keep ownership human. Huge companies may still exist as long as they contribute to keeping the world livable. A matter of re-imagining what’s acceptable corporate behavior by the people of a country, who are the government.
2) redefine the middle class. produce and consume less, share jobs, work fewer hours. (not in the article but I’m going to add a link to local resiliency circles, where folks commit to help each other.) income becomes less of a source of identity.
3) movement to rebuild the dream. take back the power from moneyed interests. get government to work for the citizens. redirect the bloated military, prison and drug war budgets back to the people. (my own note, the US has more people in prison than any other country on the planet – one out of every 100, many of them for absurdities. but private prison building is a big industry. are we feeding the system with folks to keep it growing? if it has to grow, like all the other industries, more and more folks need to end up in there. idiocy at it’s finest. That and the spread of prescription drugs to more and more folks, when they have no real illness.
What are your ideas for taking back the economy or do you like it the way it is? Thanks! G.
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I much prefer the little shops – the local businesses – and to be able to support them is wonderful. I like the idea of taking back the economy… I say that as they are about to build a Walmart less than a half mile from my house. While my neighbors worry about the traffic, i voice my displeasure as to their ethics and their suppliers. A friend suggested that I would shop there due to the proximity… and I won’t. I would rather walk the mile to the next shop. There are people who love these box stores and their prices… i am just not one of them. I would love to see communities stand up and say no and ask for the creation of markets and areas that reflect the individuality of each area.
Hi TE,
Good to hear from you again. Maybe 4 years ago, I saw a show I think on 60 minutes about Walmart. The folks on the other end in developing countries like India were living a horrible work life. I had no idea because we’re so disconnected from the means of production these days.
Some Americans interviewed at the end of the show, said they didn’t care if those folks suffered they wanted the cheap goods. I think we are now seeing that what goes around comes around. Big stores tend to wipe out smaller businesses who can’t beat up folks in developing countries to work for pennies.
I’m with you on creating local economies that reflect what’s unique about a place. If we buy less junk, then we’ll have the money to pay folks fair wages. Items that last and don’t fall apart after 4 washes.
Thanks for the comment! G.
Ooh! I know what you mean, Julie! I remember being in Japan and wanting to buy souvenirs for everyone back home, but almost everything I found was made in China!
Living here in the Andes has taught me way more about supporting the local community. Before 2008, there wasn’t even a mall here. Thankfully, many people still opt for the marketplaces and the market vendors who they personally know. =)
I also really appreciate you stating that we shouldn’t be identified so much by our income. I hadn’t realized how much we do so, even here in Peru. You’ve given me another strong reason to “produce and consume” less. Thank you! =)
Hi Samantha!
It’s so interesting that up until recently, most of had forgotten the concept of a local economy. When I grew up that’s pretty much what it was. My mother took me shopping at a one store store. Malls had started but most of the stores were still local or regional. My friend’s father owned a jewelry store in the mall.
Now, I’m shocked at the duplication I see everywhere. I swear the same 40 stores are in every mall across the US and now I’m seeing them in Europe, which really bums me out.
Job sharing me really take off. I know lots of folks who’d love to earn a little bit less but have more time to live!
Thanks for swinging by. G.
I’m a fan of creating jobs.
I think the key questions become:
1. What are the right problems to solve?
2. What does the market value?
I hate the idea of jobless economic recoveries, but my Spider sense tells me that in the information age, that’s what we’ll see more of. (There’s a reason behind it, but I’ll elaborate on that another day.)
J.D., I’m fascinated with your spider sense. Have you blogged about that before? If we are moving towards robots technologically, then the jobless recover seems a sure think.
What really intrigues is your line 2) what does the market value?
If the market would value jobs, then we might create them. At the moment, the market values profit.
And the market can value whatever the people want it to value. I’d love to see it start valuing art, music, creativity.
Anything is possible. Thanks! g.
Giulietta,
A really great piece! If only you could trumpet this nationwide and get people to listen – really listen – to you.
Quality over quantity is a value that was lost forty years ago and I hate to say it, but looking at the current generation of young people, I see little chance of this attitude changing. It’s a throwaway generation. On the contrary, as money gets scarcer, people are more apt to buy quantity though the opposite should be true. Some good, old-fashioned values and education would help, but how to get this message across is almost impossible.
Another problem is outsourcing of everything from clothing to customer service. Just think of all the people who could be employed in customer service instead of Indians or robotic recorded messages. (I know that Indians need work more than we do, but India is also on track to becoming one of the world’s powerhouse nations and they will have to solve their own internal problems.) I was sad to see that customer service in CVS has been replaced with self-service check outs.
I particularly endorse your last paragraph. I first learned about prisons being a profitable business from a PhD who had been in prison a couple of years and was writing about this subject. At that time, he told me, California had more jailed inmates than any other state, and was building prisons in the desert to “improve the local economy.” War is also another area where vast sums are being spent and misspent, misplaced and lost even while the nation’s economy is howling for help.
Most important of all is as you say, to redefine the middle class that is fast dwindling into a lower class, thus making this a two-class society. Now that protests are growing throughout the country, perhaps there will be some response though I doubt it. This seems to have turned into a rudderless nation captained by pirates out for whatever booty they can obtain while the going is good, and futile attempts by well-intentioned politicians or business leaders are being thwarted at every turn.
More voices like yours may help to make a difference. Eventually. It will probably take another terrible dip in the economy before people come to their senses and start turning this around. Americans are very resilient and I’m certain that this country will rebound, given time and effort.
Hi Penelope,
thank you for your lovely comment! glad it spoke to you. it’s really about looking at the world differently and having the courage to do so.
i agree with you that everyone needs to care about what happens to the country before they use circumstances to make a profit.
thanks! G.