My examination of consumer culture in my post “Consumerism is a [modern] Humanism” produced a dilemma. I don’t like the fact that I am a consumer. I don’t like the personal, social, and ecological repercussions of my consumption habits, but yet I don’t know the alternative. I am a child of this system. I don’t know how to avoid being a consumer while I am living in this culture. As a sole individual, I can not overturn the very system that produced me. I don’t have the power to beat Goliath, and if I am unable to disassociate from David, my attempts will be in vain and will only yield personal resentment. I need a new plan of action.
Rather than playing the victim role, it would be far more productive to work within the system to minimize the micro and macro effects of consumption. And, ironically enough, the most effective way to do this would be through responsible consumerism. Money itself is a form of communication. Every dollar spent works to strengthen the industry receiving it. In a culture such as our own, money speaks way louder than words. It is through the practice of consumption that we can stimulate change, as least on a physical level.
Walmart, the godfather of modern consumerism, recently began carrying organic dairy products from cows not treated with bovine growth hormones (rBGH). The products are from Stonyfield Farms, who gets their milk from Organic Valley. Organic Valley is a co-op of small family farms that sell their dairy to be processed, packaged, and distributed as yogurt. As discussed in the documentary Food Inc., Walmart’s inclusion of organic dairy was a direct response to consumer demand. Because Walmart’s customers began to demand organic dairy, Walmart began carrying it. This in turn supported the practices of organic diary farmers, whose environmental and social impact is far less than that of conventional farmers. Of course, this is still Walmart, and it should not be glamorized. This decision has hurt the business of many smaller organic diary famers who are unable to compete with the empire’s everyday low prices. It would be far more ethical to purchase dairy from family owned stores or directly from farmer’s markets. But regardless, the fact that a corporation like Walmart began to support organic farming as a response to consumer demand illustrates the power of the consumer to amend the system.
Money speaks. Corporations listen. Corporate America cannot survive in the absence of its customers. It is not necessary (nor is it practical) to boycott the entire system; rather, it is important, and far more constructive, to become a conscious consumer. Before you buy that BigMac, think of the hundreds of feedlot cows being treated as meat machines instead of animals. Think of your water supply, which is becoming increasingly tainted with factory farm runoff. Think of the local farmers who are being put out of business by this mega-corporation. Think of the thousands of immigrants working long hours in dangerous conditions to provide you with that 99 cent patty. And if nothing else, think of your body. Think of this magnificent vessel with all of its intricate parts working so harmoniously to provide a house for your being. Do you really want to pollute it with antibiotics, hormones, and flavor enhancers?
Despite my person objections, consumer culture is our reality and the most mature response is one of personal responsibility. Many of the negative byproducts of consumerism, such as economic inequality and ecological distress, can be mitigated through responsible consumption. Even the more individual effects of consumerism, mainly personal dissatisfaction, can be circumvented with conscious consumption. The first step is to really think about what you are buying. Think about how it was produced and the value it will bring to your life. In doing so, I suspect your purchases will provide you with a far greater level of satisfaction.
I think the benefits of organic food outweigh the negatives of the “walmart” issues…but I wonder if the quality of the organic food at a place like walmart is actually comparable to smaller grocers. Of course the argument in response to the McDonalds point is that if you don’t eat it, someone else will. So what’s the point of avoiding it if that is what you want? I think the health benefits are important to consider, but if fast food tickles your fancy, I don’t think the organic foods will ever conquer all. Fast food is too much of an enterprise.