It is tough to survive an economic downturn. In particular, it is difficult in a consumer society where so much daily pressure to spend comes at us from every direction. In recent years, the high wage industrial jobs and even the knowledge worker jobs have been disappearing. More and more people are turning to low cost stores to try to lower their cost structure. In a previous article, I talked about reducing the consumerist pseudo-desires. The human race has always had to deal with desire but the pseudo-desire of consumer society has gotten out of control.
Another effect of consumer society is that the actual objects of our pseudo-desire have become pseudo-objects-of-desire. In days gone by, people worked at crafts, they had pride in the work they did, and customers retained these well made objects for generations. The workers put themselves into the very work that they did and the result was an object that really had a soulful aspect. Now, when we go into a store and find low priced mass produced goods, these products have little if any character. In many cases, the workers that make the goods overseas are treated horribly and may even be imprisoned workers churning out products at slave wages.
As we look to cut back on our expenses we must support those who still put their heart into their craft. One way that I do this is by supporting a local farm by subscribing to deliveries of produce. This provides a dependable income for the farm and provides a reliable source of local, organic, vegetables for my family. These types of farms exist all across the world and are one good way for you to support a person or a family in doing good honest work.
It seems we must live in a consumer society, but we don’t have to act like mass herds of consuming grazers. We can look at the world with eyes that understand soul, and support individuals with small businesses rather than massive corporations that treat us not as valued customers but consumers that can be advertised into believing that we want cheap vats of low priced pseudo-objects. Save your money, and wait for that one product or service that is produced or provided with soul.
