Moving Beyond Blind Consumerism- As our society has become more and more dependent on mass-produced goods and cheap products, we have lost the ability to see how our purchases effect the lives of others. It’s time to change.
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I am really excited about this new division of Invisible Children, an advocacy group based out of California. Mend is a project that connects consumers to the people who are making the products that they purchase. By using technology and a bit of creativity, Mend allows you to ‘meet’ the woman who put her skills to use to make you something beautiful.
The video clearly explains how we as consumers have been increasingly removed from the process of production. Not very long ago, we used to grow our own food, trade with our neighbor for basic commodities and know the tailor who sewed our suit. Our grandparents and even our parents, just one generation removed, can tell stories of making their own clothes and knowing the proprietor of the corner market so well that they would get treated to a free Coke on hot days.
Advances in technology and the boom of mass production, however, have created processes that cut many of the links that tied producers and consumers together. The assembly line, advanced machinery, sprawling factories, flashy advertising, and the recent phenomenon of globalization have created a less costly, more convenient market for the exchange of commodities.
The human connection that we once had in our consumption of goods and services gave us a reason care about these things. Today, without a face-to-face exchange, it is easy to forget about the people who make our food, clothes and other products. In blind consumerism like this, our ignorance is bliss.
Distorted Costs:
No one I know would ever intentionally harm another human being to get a pair of jeans or a good cup of coffee; however in today’s economy we seldom know the real cost of what we buy.
Human capital, especially labor, is one of the most costly commodities in a production cycle. The cheapest labor, of course, is free labor. In the worst-case scenarios this means the use of slave labor. Slavery has a long history, from the pyramids of Egypt to the cotton fields of the old south. Today, most slavery is underground, but the use human life for profit remains prevalent around the world.
In many cases, it’s not the use of free labor that keep costs down, but rather it is the common practice of exploitation through inequitable pay, unsafe working conditions and cutting corners. It’s not about simply paying factory workers a lower wage than they would make in the US. It’s about people being chained to machinery and refused bathroom breaks, the use of child labor in the rug industry and conflicts funded by profits made from the mining industry.
Conscientious Consumer:
It isn’t always easy to identify where things come from, or who is affected by our purchases. We may be far removed from the other end of the assembly line, but we can still take steps to be more conscientious consumers. As we increase our awareness about the products we buy, it becomes easier to make informed, principled choices regarding how we spend money. The more we seek to know about the persons at the other end of the production chain, the better equipped we will be ensure that the human cost doesn’t outweigh the sticker price.
What are some ways you can build a human connection back into your consumption habits? Intentional, informed and creative choices abound. Think about buying a bag from MEND. Find out if there is a local farmers market where you can meet the people who grow the foods they sell. Ask about clothes designed and made by people within your community. Maybe you will make a friend or two! You may even find a new trade or skill that interests you and change more than your purchasing habits.