I am a proud member of Generation X. You know, that generation smooshed between Boomers and Millennials, known for slacking off, cynicism, and being ignored by our parents? Because of that, I am surprised to find myself passionate about mindful consumption, a topic wrought with idealism and hope. But here we are… and as time goes on, I find myself becoming more and more fascinated by it.
I’ll admit I had to get over several misconceptions about mindful consumption to truly get on board. The cynic in me thought I was too old, too experienced with life, and too realistic to believe that this was a cause worth getting behind. Seriously… get those 20-somethings to deal with these problems! I am way too old for this! But as I dug deeper, I found myself more and more aligned with the beliefs around being a mindful consumer. And what I found was, it wasn’t generational; it was based on a belief system that values humanity, responsibility, and action.
Here are 3 myths about mindful consumerism I had to debunk and reframe:
Myth: It’s All or Nothing
Perhaps a more idealistic person would believe you must be ALL IN. You are on a mission to save the world, so do ALL THE THINGS. Reduce your plastic consumption to zero. Only buy sustainable products. Stop food waste. Never buy anything made with less than ideal labor practices. The list goes on and on and on. Is it actually reasonable to live like that?
I am very realistic and practical. I also have very real responsibilities for people other than myself. Given what is available today, I pretty much find it impossible to go ALL IN, as much as I would like to. The voice of reason (in this case, Nelson Mandela) reminds me it’s OK to start small. Some days, all I can deal with is simply not buying something I don’t really need. Other times, it’s proactively trying to reduce my plastic consumption. And other times, it could be supporting brands that are helping survivors of human trafficking.
What do all of those things have in common? They are small steps and choices. Will things change overnight? Nope. Will they change in a year? Very unlikely. But they are choices to live life in a more meaningful way that values our planet and helps those living on it.
It’s OK to not do ALL THE THINGS because it’s simply too much. Instead, pick one or two areas that resonate with you and challenge yourself to make changes in your own life in those areas.
Myth: There’s No Point in Changing the Way I Shop
At a macro level, unless the majority of those living on the planet choose to… let’s say, only purchase from brands that don’t use child or slave labor… the problem remains. Supply chains are not usually transparent. We don’t know who makes much of the goods we buy. And we like buying stuff, so nothing changes.
The global economy is complex (that is quite an understatement!). It would be difficult, if not impossible, to stop purchasing goods made by child and slave labor. Anyone who says they don’t buy anything made by slave labor is either lying, ignorant, or lives completely off the grid. Case in point: your cell phone likely uses cobalt mined from the DRC. 40,000 children in the DRC are forced to work in the mines. So, chances are… your phone contains materials mined by children. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Are you going to give up your phone? Yeah, me neither.
So does that mean there’s no point in changing the way we shop? I would argue there IS a point. And the point is this: we have to start somewhere.
I am a big believer in small changes making a big impact… eventually. Emphasis on the word “eventually”. We like instantaneous results from the changes we make. Unfortunately, with cause-driven consumption, it’s not likely you’ll see changes immediately and perhaps not even in our lifetimes. But just as we’ve seen the negative impacts of our consumption over the last several decades, I operate under the belief that changes we make now will result in positive impacts in the future.
Myth: Consumerism is Evil
What is consumerism? Let’s use the Wikipedia definition: the social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. In simple terms: buy more stuff.
Consumerism actually has some very positive effects. Consumerism drives economic growth, which in turn, means more employment. More employment means people are able to have better livelihoods and can afford things they need and want. And when people can buy the things they need and want, it drives more consumerism.
Things start going off the rails when we mindlessly consume without regard for who makes this stuff and what happens to this stuff once it’s no longer useful to us. Consumerism is not evil, but it has the potential to go terribly wrong when we value the quantity of our stuff more than the quality of our stuff. Quality does not only apply to the goods and services that we purchase, but also the lives of those making those goods and services.
For many, shopping brings joy. Me included. And don’t we all need a little more joy in our lives? I would be hard-pressed to say shopping is evil because I have purchased or been gifted many things that have given me immense happiness. The most important thing to remember is that there’s a lifecycle to every product we buy. There’s a person who made it before we bought it. There’s usually an environmental cost to be paid after we get rid of it.
Consumerism is not evil. Buying stuff is not evil. Buying stuff without acknowledging its end-to-end lifecycle makes us blind to the full impact of our consumption.
Awareness is Key
The underlying theme in this is AWARENESS. When we are aware of what changes we can make to better the condition of the planet, it becomes easier to make those changes, whether big or small. When we recognize the impact of our purchases, we can think more critically about whether it’s worth it or not. This awareness is grounded in the idea that we wield a lot of power and influence simply by how we choose to spend our money.
I personally had to get over my own misconceptions about the political leanings, age, and idealism associated with mindful consumption. In the end, it affirmed my belief in humanity and knowing we are responsible for being the change we want to see. My cynicism tells me it’s a long shot I will ever witness the impact of those changes on a large scale. My soul, however, tells me that my daughter and perhaps her children will reap the rewards.
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