Consumerism, The story of stuff

[Avid]

Very entertaining video to me. Starts off a bit slow.

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[lisakki]

I just watched the whole thing. That video was definitely a piece of art, and definitely made me curious about a lot of stuff (is my pillow really toxic?).

While I agree with her that the old system has to change, I think a global sustainable society is virtually impossible. I think that even if the world was going to end tomorrow because of our environmental problems, we STILL wouldn't be able to unite as a people and try to avert it. If humans all had such incredible foresight, the Cold War never would have happened in the first place.

I think instead, the solution should be technological innovation. We need technology to let us stop relying so much on the Earth and it's resources.

[blueback]

I think instead, the solution should be technological innovation. We need technology to let us stop relying so much on the Earth and it's resources.
Yeah, that's what we should do. We should invent something that allows us to be just as irrational, but with fewer consequences.

I think we should overhaul our education system. People who are taught to think through situations based on rational self-preservation will make the best decision.

[Krazy P]

Most humans in the western world experience reality through artifacts - man-made objects.

What you touch, smell, eat, etc. is man-made.

"Stuff" is important. And a separate subject from what I think you want to discuss.

Sustainability is a pile of hooey.

Tell you what, read a copy of "Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith and then we can talk.

[Avid]

The video has me analyzing my spending habits and how much I waste. It has also led me to researching toxins that might be lurking in my home (interesting what I've found). Yeah, her views seem a bit idealistic but it doesn't detract from the entertainment for me at least.

[Neuro]

Most humans in the western world experience reality through artifacts - man-made objects.

What you touch, smell, eat, etc. is man-made.

"Stuff" is important. And a separate subject from what I think you want to discuss.

Sustainability is a pile of hooey.

Tell you what, read a copy of "Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith and then we can talk.

Spoken like a true CEO. No offense. I wouldn't trust you if you had different opinions.

[Krazy P]

Spoken like a true CEO. No offense. I wouldn't trust you if you had different opinions.

Wealth of Nations should be standard reading for high school.

That aside, the more interesting subject - about stuff - can be found at the website for the Sante Fe Institute (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) and is related to the physics of complex systems:

Premise: a theory of artifact (stuff) innovation

" * All artifacts have a history -- as do the modes of interaction among people in which artifacts figure
* This proposes to develop a theory about the processes through which artifact histories are realized
o How new artifacts come into being
o How their tokens proliferate and become incorporated into patterns of human interaction
o How new patterns of interaction among human beings and the artifacts they create are generated"

Besides being a CEO, I study and incorporate a lot of different ideas into my work.

I use my understanding of artifacts and archetypes for branding, my understanding of complex systems and social networks for developing partnerships and using technology - the list goes on and on.

A songwriter my daughter likes said this:

"Never judge a man by his clothes
You got to look through the dirt
Lord judge him by his work
So don't you never judge a man by his clothes"

My "clothes" are the fact that I am a CEO. I have been that for over half my life. If you judge me by my clothes - and not my work - you may be missing quite a bit.

My customers rate my work as better than 99.5% of all companies in North America. My employees judge my work as better than all 500 or so companies that are in my industry. Thus, I am extremely popular to the folks who buy my product and even more popular with my co-workers who produce it.

[dragonsscout]

I just watched the whole thing. That video was definitely a piece of art, and definitely made me curious about a lot of stuff (is my pillow really toxic?).

While I agree with her that the old system has to change, I think a global sustainable society is virtually impossible. I think that even if the world was going to end tomorrow because of our environmental problems, we STILL wouldn't be able to unite as a people and try to avert it. If humans all had such incredible foresight, the Cold War never would have happened in the first place.

I think instead, the solution should be technological innovation. We need technology to let us stop relying so much on the Earth and it's resources.

I completely agree. The video made me curious about my pillow, but I felt that it lacked any alternatives to the current system. Technology drastically increases the efficiency of people. Allowing them to create more 'stuff' using less resources.

Most humans in the western world experience reality through artifacts - man-made objects.

What you touch, smell, eat, etc. is man-made.

"Stuff" is important. And a separate subject from what I think you want to discuss.

Sustainability is a pile of hooey.

Tell you what, read a copy of "Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith and then we can talk.

I also have to agree with you, Krazy P. 'Stuff' is important to many people. Maybe it's overstated how important it is though. The part about the happiness is true, I believe, but it's not a trap of consumption.

I've never read "Wealth of Nations." I've only read a few economics books. Even those will tell you though that trade is good and those poor, exploited workers are choosing those jobs because they're better than the alternatives. The problem arises when government uses a perverted version of eminent domain (or an effective equivalent) to force people to part with a previous job, such as farming, to make way for a private enterprise.

Sustainability isn't a pile of hooey. It may be that when she presents it, but stuff like driving less is legitimate. People are often too short-sighted to realize that one raindrop raises the ocean, and many raindrops over a long period of time can cause eventual flooding.

[moon]

This is very alerting. We become the envy part of the chain of that machinery and can't step away or change things easily. It's not only a pillow, yet everything around us is factory made and potentially toxic. 50 or 100 years ago people weren't depended of factories and lived much happier and healthy. They bred domestic animals and had agricultural skills. They could make pillow of goose's feathers. From wool they could make socks and sweaters. Also they had a quality meat, milk and eggs. In my country still exist that kind of living, but this syndrome begins to affect them too. Mostly of us, as a modern citizens, don't have mellow coherency with life. I recognized myself in some part of the video, like shopping and working. "Luckily", i am poorly paid so don't have opportunities for impulse buying, yet living decent with my CRT-washing machine monitor :). Anyway, this woman deserving credits for her work and effort. This video should everyone look to become aware of causes and consequences which affects our world, emanated with your actions.