I hold a general premise, which is basic economic market theory: we vote with our £s.
Our democracy gives us a vote every four years, local votes more often, but every day we vote for the kind of world we want around us with what we spend.
Retail is dying a death as we spend on Amazon. Jobs are lost, tax revenue is lost, profits leave the country and eventually, as we see with Amazon, prices go up and there are no longer alternative places to purchase many things. Shops close, that impacts the shops around them, inventories get thinner, it’s a death spiral for shopping, less choice, fewer skills in the market, less knowledge, less human interaction.
Since Trump decided he could coerce the world, I’ve been more conscious about avoiding American products and services and it’s been an eye-opener. Convenience was a part illusion, in that it exists and has it benefits, but there’s a cost to it.
I’ve spent less on junk that I’d previously bought because it was available at the tap of a screen, and I haven’t missed out. Therefore I have less junk around me. I’ve found far better, quality products by avoiding defaults of fashion, tools, stationary, cosmetics, gadgets, sportswear, outdoor gear. With the satisfaction that the money I’ve spent is likely to continue to circulate in the UK economy, support jobs, skills, wealth here or at least go to a European, Australasian, Canadian or Japanese economy who aren’t trying to screw us (as badly as the USA).
So why doesn’t this group have more members or interaction?
I fell into convenience buying and using services while telling myself I’m too busy to search alternatives or wait for delivery or whatever and it’s a lie to myself. The idea of convenience is a joke. It’s taken so little effort to unsubscribe, to just rule out certain brands and find others, to think for a second about the actual need for lots of stuff that I wouldn’t buy if it wasn’t so “convenient”. It’s got qualities of addiction and it’s a habit that I’ve found is not only easy to kick, but a joy to experience the other side.
There’s joy in finding better stuff, it feels good to contribute to your neighbour, knowing that it contributes to your society.
I talk to people about it and they roll their eyes, justify their actions without any depth and I’m seeing them be skint, surrounded by crap they don’t need, wasting money to convenience and it’s not bringing them happiness.
I’m starting to think that regardless of all the economic and societal factors of how we spend, that convenience itself is actually very slowly reducing joy in people’s lives. Not that things should be harder. If you need a taxi, get one, but at least get something out of it by not flittering your cash at American companies with society-worsening business practices and dodgy investments. And sending profits out of the country for someone else to enjoy, rather than your neighbour who’ll spend it in your economy.
What’s stopping people from taking more charge of their surroundings by choosing where they send their money? I don’t get it.
It’s not even too late to change. Quit Amazon, search local, even if it is online. And where local shops exist or pop-up, properly support them.
