Why is 2012 not likely to be an easy year?
Why is 2012 not likely to be an easy year?
I wish I could say that 2012 will be a kinder, gentler
year. However, our outdated economic systems are in
need of transformations, investments need to be found
for industries, but the resulting difficulties are likely to
be around for some time. There are hopeful signs. We
are in a period of radical redesign across all sectors –
from finding alternative energy sources, to the financial
sector tentatively exploring impact investing, to
multinational food companies promising 100%
sustainable production. Experimenting with different
models of doing business is occurring in all corners of
the globe.
Why is 2012 not likely to be an easy year?
I wish I could say that 2012 will be a kinder, gentler
year. However, our outdated economic systems are
in need of transformations, investments need to be
found for industries, but the resulting difficulties
are likely to be around for some time.
Why is 2012 not likely to be an easy year?
I wish I could say that 2012 will be a kinder, gentler
year. However, our outdated economic systems are
in need of transformations, investments need to be
found for industries, but the resulting difficulties
are likely to be around for some time.
2012 will probably not be an easy year because the
economic systems are old and need to be changed,
moreover industries need bigger investments.
What positive changes are happening?
What positive changes are happening?
I wish I could say that 2012 will be a kinder, gentler
year. However, our outdated economic systems are in
need of transformations, investments need to be found
for industries, but the resulting difficulties are likely to
be around for some time. There are hopeful signs. We
are in a period of radical redesign across all sectors –
from finding alternative energy sources, to the financial
sector tentatively exploring impact investing, to
multinational food companies promising 100%
sustainable production. Experimenting with different
models of doing business is occurring in all corners of
the globe.
What positive changes are happening?
There are hopeful signs. We are in a period of radical
redesign across all sectors – from finding alternative
energy sources, to the financial sector tentatively
exploring impact investing, to multinational food
companies promising 100% sustainable production.
Experimenting with different models of doing business
is occurring in all corners of the globe.
Some of the positive changes are the search for
alternative energy sources as well as socially and
environmentally responsible investment.
How did the consumer behave in the post-war period?
The consumer, too, is reacting. In the West, our focus
as consumers has been about having more – having
more in a way that would require the consumption of
several Earths. The focus on cheapness over everything
else is a condition that emerged after the Second World
War. Before then, value reigned – value meant a higher
price, but it also meant quality workmanship and
durability.
How did the consumer behave in the post-war period?
The consumer, too, is reacting. In the West, our focus
as consumers has been about having more – having
more in a way that would require the consumption of
several Earths. The focus on cheapness over everything
else is a condition that emerged after the Second World
War. Before then, value reigned – value meant a higher
price, but it also meant quality workmanship and
durability.
The post war consumer was primarily interested in
consuming more and more and spending less and less.
In what way have consumer attitudes changed recently?
In what way have consumer attitudes changed recently?
A recent study by Young and Rubicam, which tracks
750,000 consumers in 50 countries every year for
17 years, identified the biggest development in
consumer attitudes that they have ever seen – one
they believe is here to stay. In the US, they see
Americans "returning to original American virtues –
faith, creativity, hard work, saving, community and
more – in order to build new lives of purpose and
connection". Consumers are beginning to reject
"cheap and more" as they search for a better
balance in their lives.
In what way have consumer attitudes changed recently?
In the US, they see Americans "returning to original
American virtues – faith, creativity, hard work,
saving, community and more – in order to build
new lives of purpose and connection". Consumers
are beginning to reject "cheap and more" as they
search for a better balance in their lives.
Americans are less interested in consuming more
for less and are returning to traditional values of
hard work, saving and community.
What are young people particularly interested in?
What are young people particularly interested in?
This development applies to all demographics,
but I see it most clearly expressed by young
people in their twenties, who are looking for
what they call "authenticity", opportunities to
get away from hyper-consumerism and make
jam in their kitchens, find cool clothes in
second-hand shops, understand the origin of the
stuff they buy and spend their nights out
listening to live music.
What are young people particularly interested in?
This development applies to all demographics, but I see it most
clearly expressed by young people in their twenties, who are
looking for what they call "authenticity", opportunities to get
away from hyper-consumerism and make jam in their kitchens,
find cool clothes in second-hand shops, understand the origin of
the stuff they buy and spend their nights out listening to live
music.
Young people are looking for ways to move away
from hyper-consumerism such as buying things
second-hand or making things themselves.
Why do we feel the need to consume?
Why do we feel the need to consume?
In 2012 we need to fight the instincts that make us want to
consume more. We will always have the urge to consume
more than we need, but recognising this as a problem is the
first step on the way to recovery. Our desire to consume
stems from our stone age instincts. There are four main
reasons why we consume: to meet basic needs (fuel, food,
transport), to hoard (shoes, books, games), to stimulate
ourselves (cheesecake, gorgeous clothes, pornography), and
to display status (fashion, big car, big house). These motives
made our ancestors want the things that were good for them
in a world of scarcity, giving them more offspring, on average,
than those who didn't have the desire to consume more than
they needed. However, in the modern world these ancient
motives have got us into trouble.
Why do we feel the need to consume?
In 2012 we need to fight the instincts that make us want to consume more.
We will always have the urge to consume more than we need, but recognising
this as a problem is the first step on the way to recovery. Our desire to
consume stems from our stone age instincts. There are four main reasons
why we consume: to meet basic needs (fuel, food, transport), to hoard
(shoes, books, games), to stimulate ourselves (cheesecake, gorgeous clothes,
pornography), and to display status (fashion, big car, big house).
We feel the need to consume because of our
primordial instinct to secure basic necessities, to
accumulate goods, to enjoy pleasure, and show
off what we have.
For what reason did our ancestors want to have more?
For what reason did our ancestors want to have more?
In 2012 we need to fight the instincts that make us want to
consume more. We will always have the urge to consume
more than we need, but recognising this as a problem is the
first step on the way to recovery. Our desire to consume
stems from our stone age instincts. There are four main
reasons why we consume: to meet basic needs (fuel, food,
transport), to hoard (shoes, books, games), to stimulate
ourselves (cheesecake, gorgeous clothes, pornography), and
to display status (fashion, big car, big house). These motives
made our ancestors want the things that were good for them
in a world of scarcity, giving them more offspring, on average,
than those who didn't have the desire to consume more than
they needed. However, in the modern world these ancient
motives have got us into trouble.
For what reason did our ancestors want to have more?
These motives made our ancestors want the things that were
good for them in a world of scarcity, giving them more offspring,
on average, than those who didn't have the desire to consume
more than they needed. However, in the modern world these
ancient motives have got us into trouble.
Ancestors that had a strong desire to consume
had more offspring than those that didn’t.
How do global communications affect consumption?
In the last few hundred years we've used our clever
brains to invent incredible technologies that can gratify
our every desire. We've filled the world with ever
cheaper products, bringing a high quality of life and
endless goodies within the reach of ever more people.
While vast numbers of people still have not even met
their basic needs, others, mostly living in the rich world,
consume to self-stimulate, acquire loads of stuff and gain
status by displaying their goodies. Global communications
mean that the rich get to show off to a huge audience
and, not surprisingly, many people want what they have.
The result is that we're consuming at an exponentially
increasing rate.
How do global communications affect consumption?
Global communications mean that the rich get to show off to a
huge audience and, not surprisingly, many people want what
they have. The result is that we're consuming at an exponentially
increasing rate.
Global communications give the rich an
opportunity to show what they have and the
result is common people want to possess the
same things.
In what way is hyper-consumerism not a global phenomenon?
In the last few hundred years we've used our clever
brains to invent incredible technologies that can gratify
our every desire. We've filled the world with ever
cheaper products, bringing a high quality of life and
endless goodies within the reach of ever more people.
While vast numbers of people still have not even met
their basic needs, others, mostly living in the rich world,
consume to self-stimulate, acquire loads of stuff and gain
status by displaying their goodies. Global communications
mean that the rich get to show off to a huge audience
and, not surprisingly, many people want what they have.
The result is that we're consuming at an exponentially
increasing rate.
In what way is hyper-consumerism not a global phenomenon?
While vast numbers of people still have not even met their basic
needs, others, mostly living in the rich world, consume to selfstimulate, acquire loads of stuff and gain status by displaying
their goodies.
Hyper-consumerism is mostly a privilege of the
West, while huge numbers of people are living
without basic necessities.
Give an example of how a reduction in consumption can improve
the situation?
Give an example of how a reduction in consumption
can improve the situation?
However, consuming less would also mean a loss of
employment opportunities (and basic food on the table
for many families world-wide) for millions surely? Not
necessarily. Perhaps if we consumed fewer massproduced commodities this would open up employment
opportunities for local craftspeople and artisans.
Consuming less also offers up an opportunity to try and
find employment with a net social / environmental
positive impact, or alternatively to stay in a well -paid job
and divert wages to charitable organisations. So, 2012
will continue to be a time of turmoil, and we will continue
to be depressed and angered by the rapid deterioration
of the political and economic systems around us, but we
can be hopeful.
Give an example of how a reduction in consumption
can improve the situation?
However, consuming less would also mean a loss of employment
opportunities (and basic food on the table for many families
world-wide) for millions surely? Not necessarily. Perhaps if we
consumed fewer mass-produced commodities this would open
up employment opportunities for local craftspeople and artisans.
Consuming less also offers up an opportunity to try and find
employment with a net social / environmental positive impact,
or alternatively to stay in a well -paid job and divert wages to
charitable organisations.
Reducing hyper-consumerism would reduce ass
production and result in more work
opportunities for local companies.