What's it gonna take (another Great Depression) before your average consumer recognizes the inherent value in buying locally, resoleing a shoe instead of throwing it out or bartering for goods and services?

carl 13 Feb 2006

Do you think it would make a difference?

Yeah, the only people to make any money will be food suppliers, drug companies and underwear makers. That wouldn't last long because there would be no incentive for those poeple to make money anyway... with nothing to do with the money except buy more food, drugs and underwear. Everyone from assembly-line workers to Web designers and artists would eventually slip to poverty levels. The economy would be destroyed. Science and technology innovation would cease. People would turn to mysticism and barbarism and we would return to the dark ages. Thanks to a couple of hippies in San Francisco who never bothered to crack open a remedial econ textbook.

Gomez 14 Feb 2006

Mysticism and barbarism continue to dominate the planet and science and technology are just the newest clubs being used to beat you into submission.

"What is best in life? To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."

- Conan the Barbarian

carl 14 Feb 2006

at least the quail are safe.

jpeg 15 Feb 2006

I don't really see it as an attempt to upset the economic world order. I think it's more an exercise in self-restraint and thinking first about whether you really need to buy all the shit you buy on a daily / weekly / monthly basis. I know I don't. Hell, I'm over here sellin' snarky t-shirts NO ONE needs.

(I'll bet buying patchouli is allowed by The Compact, btw.)

andrew 15 Feb 2006

Im like so glad Im not dating a 'compacter'.

Winster 15 Feb 2006

I get the idea. It's just a dumb idea. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to buy lots of stuff that is beyond basic human needs. They fact that I can go online and order a bar of soap beats the hell out of having to render animal fat, extract fragrances and make a bar of soap all by myself. The convenience of modern consumerism allows me the time and monetary resources to pursue intrests outside of hunting and gathering, be it reading blogs, making art or music, philosophizing, watching a movie, getting drunk, taking my wife out for an evening ride in my $200,000 Ferrarigihni-Hummer-Segway...

Wanna make a point about buying on borrowed money, or spending beyond one's means... basic econ knowledge that most average joes are lacking... going on a consumerism "hunger-strike" ain't gonna teach, prove, or do anything for/to anyone. I guess running a banking seminar isn't going to make the S.F. Examiner though.

Gomez 15 Feb 2006

Well, actually it's just not going to teach YOU anything.

jpeg 17 Feb 2006