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Dr Alf Andrews 
Fitzroy Victoria Bowling Club
Joined: 20 Oct 2001
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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| Post subject: Consuming the future |  |
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Here. Read this. You might learn something.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/consuming-the-future/2006/02/05/1139074104036.html?page=1
Here's a taste:
| Quote: | | Capitalism is not sustainable by its very nature. It is predicated on infinitely expanding markets, faster consumption and bigger production in a finite planet. And yet this ideological model remains the central organising principle of our lives, and as long as it continues to be so it will automatically undo (with its invisible hand) every single green initiative anybody cares to come up with. |
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David 
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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and as we all know communism is such a viable alternative 
yes, capitalism isn't perfect, but it's the best of a bad lot
_________________
All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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Joel 
Joined: 23 Mar 1999
Location: Mornington Peninsula
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| ...and the alternatives are? |
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Dr Alf Andrews
Fitzroy Victoria Bowling Club
Joined: 20 Oct 2001
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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| David from Canberra wrote: | and as we all know communism is such a viable alternative
yes, capitalism isn't perfect, but it's the best of a bad lot |
Try reading the whole article.
This isn't capitalism versus communism.
It's consumerism versus survival.
Last edited by Dr Alf Andrews on Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:03 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Dr Alf Andrews
Fitzroy Victoria Bowling Club
Joined: 20 Oct 2001
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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| Joel wrote: | | ...and the alternatives are? |
The alternative to consumerism is being satisfied with what you've got. |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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| Dr Alf Andrews wrote: | | David from Canberra wrote: | and as we all know communism is such a viable alternative
yes, capitalism isn't perfect, but it's the best of a bad lot |
Try reading the whole article.
This isn't capitalism versus communism.
It's consumerism versus survival. |
I did...
oh there's two pages oops
hehe
_________________
All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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Joel
Joined: 23 Mar 1999
Location: Mornington Peninsula
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| So, would that be the same thing as not striving for more? Not attacking you, just asking a question. |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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| Yes. |
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Northern Pie
We are watching!
Joined: 27 May 2001
Location: Queensland
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Nice post Dr. Alf. I agree it is the unhappiness derived from the things we are told our lives would not be complete without having is the cause of the degredation, poverty and pride that is destroying not only the society in which we live but also those who crave it!
Cheers
_________________
“NEVER LEAVE, NEVER GIVE UP ON THEM AND ALWAYS BE THERE AT THE END TO CLAP THEM OFF THE GROUND. WE ARE COLLINGWOOD SUPPORTERS SON, EVEN IF THEY BEAT US, WE ARE STILL BETTER THAN THEM”!(my mum) |
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London Dave 
Ješte jedna pivo prosím
Joined: 16 Dec 1998
Location: Iceland on Thames
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Gittins wrote a piece on the same lines in the SMH, and I assume the Age.
prepare for war with India and China |
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Dr Alf Andrews
Fitzroy Victoria Bowling Club
Joined: 20 Oct 2001
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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| Joel wrote: | | So, would that be the same thing as not striving for more? Not attacking you, just asking a question. |
By all means strive for more.
Strive for more happiness.
Strive for more compassion.
Strive for more social justice.
But striving for more and more material rubbish to fill the void in your life will not only fail to make you happy ... it will also destroy the planet.
It's about realising when enough is enough.
Humanity has achieved some wonderful things because of all this striving for more and more. To give you one good example ... consider email.
What an amazing invention email was.
The ability to communicate with someone on the other side of the world in a matter of seconds. Amazing. When I was a kid you wrote a letter, posted it ... and several weeks later the person got it. Then you waited several weeks for the reply.
But what has become of email?
Whenever I check my email I get hundreds ... yes, hundreds  ... of useless messages trying to sell me something I don't want.
Why?
Because the people sending these emails are trying to make a living in the global capitalist economy. To do that they have to convince you that you need a penis enlargement or something ... even if you happen to be female  (my flatmate gets them ALL the time)
As a result of all this spam, this wonderful invention of email has become virtually useless. It's been clogged up by people trying to sell you stuff you didn't ask for, don't want and don't need.
This is capitalism at its most mindless.
Another good example is Christmas shopping. What to buy all those relatives who've got everything. You rack your brains, stand in queues, spend a shitload of money, just for that one fleeting moment on Christmas morning when Uncle Joe opens that beautifully wrapped bottle of spanish horse linament and pretends to like it.
Consumerism.
Mindless bloody consumerism.
"Striving for more", you say.
There's nothing wrong with striving to make the world a better place. And some of that may involve material aspirations. But our economic system is built on a never-ending need to create bigger and bigger markets, simply for sake of perpetuating our economic system. And that's what's killing the planet.
Striving for more bullshit is killing the planet.
We should be SHRINKING the economy ... not GROWING it.
But that philosophy makes no sense to a capitalist. It didn't even make sense in the old Soviet economy either.
What's required here is not a return to cold war Russia. What's required is a realisation that a lot of our industries are not only destructive, but also a complete waste of human effort.
Collectively we need to sit back and say:
"I've got enough crap in my life. I don't need any more. My time would be better spent improving myself spiritually and mentally ... rather than materially. And the world's resources would be better used to feed, clothe and house the poor people of the world, than provide an endless supply of useless Christmas presents and penis enlargements for the affluent." |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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| But is it wanted? Oh that's a new browser, right? |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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can't say I disagree with you there Alf. While I don't think there's a problem with possessing some material goods (hell I just paid 400 for an mp3 player  ) consumerism is a problem... I didn't agree with everything in the article, and at times it was hard to understand exactly what they were suggesting as a solution, but apart from that, I agree, especially about christmas and all that.... as for my family we've never had christmas, more as a religious thing, but I don't really miss it at all.
_________________
All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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Joel
Joined: 23 Mar 1999
Location: Mornington Peninsula
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| One thing Alf, re your email comment. People will always try to make a quick buck, no matter the ideology. I don't have time to comment further atm, but capitalism isn't the cause of all evils. |
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eddies bank balance
evolving-unlimited-intellect
Joined: 27 May 2004
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There is no current alternative to capitalism, as the system has been corrupt and distorted thus cleverly designed over many years.
When your government hides 'true knowledge' and truth from those who elect them into power, what else do have you to gain? Bigger house (huge mortgage) better car, bigger TV, mp3 players, latest video games and consoles, DVD players, work 6 days a week, latest computer with technology that was invented 5-6 years ago, mobile phone and irritating ring tones.
If you like to ‘brag’ that Australia is a proud country, ruled by capitalism and democracy then you have no need to be embarrassed, it's the exact way your government likes to control you; however, many people choose to be sheep.
A world alternative to capitalism would take many, many, many years.
People need to be re-educated, re-programmed, re-informed not (mis-informed). First, a complete over-haul of the political system would need to be in place. (I can demonstrate an alternative government but, it will only apply to the future).
Most people (sheep), always feel that there is something missing from their life, and ask yourself, your friends and family if they are 'complete' with life or whether something is missing? Most of you know and feel something is missing but, you can't quite put a finger on exactly what it is.
_________________
free energy i$ coming.... |
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