I stumbled across this video recently http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/93
and it has led me to think about the effect the global marketplace has had on our collective psyches. Consumerist culture in a global marketplace certainly affords the greatest number of product choices. Conversely, a localized economy, it's many benefits aside, would almost certainly circumscribe one's ability to "shop around." But while the prospect of losing many consumer choices as a result of localizing economies and production may sound painful, psychologist Barry Schwartz would argue that such a loss might ultimately be to our psychological benefit.
The video's run time is about 20 minutes. I hope others will take the time to view it and to begin to think about how product choice (among other choices) impacts your own life.
2 comments:
I've been thinking about the same things. Things seem to be spinning out in a rather chaotic manner, what with all the importing of goods and exporting of moneies and increasing of national debt and, well, I could go on and on. It's worrisome, very worrisome to me. I'd gladly do with a little less variety to have a little more social-economic-cultural stability.
Thanks for your comment, annie. I agree, our current trade (economic) system and the overall state of our non-renewable resources is, at least for me, of great concern. It's the primary reason I started this blog.
What I hadn't considered, until I saw that Barry Schwartz video, is that unlimited choice has the potential to take a real toll on our psychological development and well-being. It's heartening to know that there are those of us out there who would willingly do with less.
Since I believe that those individuals and organizations operating on a national and international level are unlikely to turn this tide, I'm placing my bets (and my hopes) on building community and on the development of local solutions.
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