John Grant has just written a couple of very challenging posts on the current state of the economy.
He argues (and I would agree) that we are living in consumerist denial and way beyond our means. And that all the 'choice' and 'innovation' we enjoy is as chimeric as the 'growth' it purports to fuel.
Basically, there's a strong case for it all going horribly wrong if we don't find a different model to live by.
It's not even as if 'choice' is the panacea of happiness it's often made out to be, as this TED talk by Barry Schwartz (he of the Paradox of Choice) points out...
Or as Borat takes 4 painful minutes to demonstrate (because it's always worth watching again!)...
Clearly, this economic crisis of over consumption is inextricably linked to the equally significant crisis faced by the environment (maybe that's an eco-mental crisis then?).
But because it's impact will be felt more immediately and closer to home by those of us in the industrialised West, maybe it will take this economic downturn/meltdown to trigger (voluntarily or otherwise) changes that have a positive impact on the environment.
Which fits with a recent New Yorker piece by James 'Wisdom of Crowds' Surowiecki.
And with some of the things I've posted recently about slowing down and living more simply.
All of which I must admit to finding a continual challenge, given what I do...and how I increasingly feel about doing it. Although what value is there in running away?
Maybe it's better to be a dissenting (if often compromised) voice speaking from within.
