Cognitive conditioning is a troubling factor of overconsumption. Particularly in the wealthiest and most developed parts of the world, we are acclimatized to guiltless comfort in overconsumption. It becomes difficult to challenge this accepted marker of a good life, or to promote mindful, ethical, and minimal consumption.
The recognition of our efforts are proven through excessive showing and living. Player appreciation in a team sport is a good example of our ranking culture. We rank a forward by the number of goals scored or the chances of goals created. We rank a goalkeeper by a different measure: the number of saves made. The goalkeeper’s mentality is not one nurtured to scoring. In the same capacity, we are taught to appreciate the consequences of profit as the symbolic and tangible value of a good life. Perhaps through marketing, education, security, social culture, and endorsed psychological and behavioral impacts, we have become accustomed to overconsumption being a part of self-evaluation. This extends to a public evaluation which places us in a desired tier of hierarchical societies. We are excited to eat at a fancy restaurant. We feel valued when we wear designer clothing. We feel successful riding in an expensive vehicle. We love a big home so we can safely raise our families in ample space. But such measures are not natural universal truths.
From a strictly economic perspective, overproduction is necessary for overconsumption and vice versa. This fuels the need for capitalist economic growth. If we are not growing in the sense that we are not profiting more, it only can mean that the consumer is not contributing to the desired overconsumption necessary for continuous growth. We know it is absolutely unsustainable and this cycle will eventually self-destruct. We know the endpoint of capitalism is an apocalyptic reality because a capitalist market must grow, burning through every resource until there is absolutely nothing left to supply. At this point we reach a climax which happens to be eerily similar to a massive volcanic eruption on a tiny island, whereby the end of the island’s life is almost simultaneous with its volcanic eruption. It is then too late.
The question really becomes a philosophical one: Why do we systemically make unhealthy choices while we hold so much wisdom and have access to a plethora of information to counter programmed capitalism?
Delusion is imposed on us by near-perfect manipulation and misinformation techniques. Capitalist lords have carefully studied the chapter of public control, oppression, and subservience from the ancient guidebooks of organized religion to influence all decision-making that impacts profit. To change this we must raise awareness to misguidance, publicly challenge capitalist tactics, and unite to disrupt capitalism.
Our unwavering adherence to capitalist principles is a train-wreck in the foreseeable future with a calculable distance to impact. Collectively, we can increase friction to the capitalism train, slowing it down as much as possible and hopefully avoiding impact. This requires a collective that can, at least, counter the train’s force on its capitalist path.
As many point out rightfully, if only very few people band together to loop a rope around a speeding train, they will only rip their arms out. This is important to note as the capitalist regime will want to highlight horrifying examples of any force hindering profit maximization. The result is a theatrical spectacle of torture and suffering to suppress opposition. But with enough opposition, the result becomes the victorious revolution over capitalism.
