Showing posts with label Consumerism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consumerism. Show all posts

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Is Capitalism the answer?

To get to a place where we have sustainability in macro and micro economics, I believe that we have two choices.

1. Global State control over everything, a total Communal State, otherwise known as communism.
or
2. Global free markets, free from government control but also free from monopolisation.

The problem with this thinking is that we would never submit to Communism, we live in a world consumed by materialism over quality of life. Therefore you can assume we must now rely on market forces. On capitalist economics to rescue us and create a sustainable global economy.

The problem with this, however, is that we already know that capitalism doesn't create equality. or does it?

Could it be possible that the tools we class as our steps of fairness actually crowd out equality. Could it be that free health care for all halts aspirational development. That the welfare state has now served its time and we need to look to fair open market privatisation.

We can clearly see that it isn't working perfectly in areas such as Energy and Media, but we overlook one thing. We are now in possession of more power than ever before. Through the internet we can communicate across the globe, do business across the globe, but we are also reengaging with our communities. We can produce our own market forces, create our own competition.

Imagine a world where micro and small businesses deliver growth. That is where we need to be heading and to get there we need to innovate.

Monday, 3 October 2011

Is the Green Revolution just Pea Soup

I have been happily talking about the need for a radical shift towards a low carbon society. A greener and fairer society.

This is something I have believed in for as long as I can remember? A world that lives within it's own means and provides for all, regardless of race, creed, colour or status.

Recently the more I read the more I see the immoral taking control of this Green Revolution. Investors and cowboys making quick bucks from an emerging market.

We need to be sure what we want? If we want long term change for all, we need to step back and look at how we go about it. If each community starts to embrace this idea we can protect against the corrupt world we have now. Failing to do so will see the power held by fewer and fewer people for the detriment of more and more.

Let's get fairer and not let the cash cow cloud the reality.

Thursday, 18 August 2011

When the dust has settled...

Last week saw backlash and anger and now the courts have done their processing we may start to move forward.

For all the conversations around punishment and causes and a break down in Society there seems to me to be an elephant in the room. That elephant is the whole of society. Not just a hand full of poor neighbourhoods in a hand full of cities, but the wealthy and privileged are just as much to blame as those committing the violence. Me included and I would never class my self as privileged.

We live in a society driven by consumerism. Our economic growth over the last 20 years has been driven by the expanding middle class spending. Borrowing rose to improve ones possession list. The latest phone, a newer car, the latest fashion, all things we aspire to. Even the most liberal will recognise the growth in local food shops and organic food. This may have an ethical angle but how much of the behaviour is driven by trend and fashion.

So there is a bit of the looter in all of us because we all want better. We all want to improve. Whilst for some of us we are supported and encouraged and shown the right way, some people are forgotten about and it is down to the strength of those individuals to bring themselves out of their predicament. Blame the moral compass but we need to look at where this is pointing. When all we hold dear is ithis and 3D that, there is an underlying problem.

If we want a sustainable society, we cannot all be equals and we need people to have aspirations. However these must be accessible for all. How many "self made millionaires" went to Oxbridge or Eton? How many went to University full stop? Then you look at both front benches in the house of commons. Does that seem a sensible balance?

We are not all the same and therefore what is right for me is not right for my neighbour. Before we decide how to make these communities safer, can we please sit down and listen to these communities instead of telling them what to do. Surely it is that attitude that started the problems.