create or consume?

I have been thinking about something I read out there in the 'blogosphere' about being a consumer or a creator. This has struck a cord with me. Our culture is not sustainable as it is. We are a society of consumers, what has happened to us?? Are we all so weak willed that we follow the marketing masters suggestions with out a thought, without question. We must buy to feel pleasure, to feel worthy? I don't believe it. The recession (or worse) which our government is trying to buy its way out of, is our rallying call. The boom flush times we are coming out of is a completely false economy-based on credit and borrowing. I believe that the fluff has/is being stripped away and the economy we are left with will be the true state of the union. Get used to it! No more cell phone for everyone over the age of 10, no more Lincoln Navigators idling in the driveway, no more going out to eat every other night-let's get real! The 90's are gone and we have to find a new model for our culture, for our lives. We can't buy our way out of it and shouldn't try.



Reading the March 2009 National Geographic, there is an article about Alberta's oil sands. They have to move 4 tons of trees, topsoil and oil sand to extract 1 barrel of oil. I used to read these articles and think -what a shame, that's horrible, and go on to read a cute article about the sex life of whales or whatever. Yesterday the light bulb came on (CFL of course!) in my head- THEY (the big corporate bad guys) are doing this because I (jump in the car anytime I want-hardware store 2x yesterday) am paying them to do it! Everyone of who drives a car must take some responsibility for what is going on.



I'm feeling a little mad and a little feisty today and should probably be taking this out on the treadmill instead of you guys, but it also feels good for this repressed Norwegian to say what she feels! I am changing my life from consumption to creation, from dependence to sufficiency, from things to people.