Environmental Problems & Solutions
Qualitative growth
Voluntary simplicity
Downshifting: simplifying one’s life; less stress.
Voluntary cuts in private consumption must be accompanied with increases in public services (e.g. mass transit, parks, libraries & museums, clean tap water).
Status-seeking
Who is given prestige (admiration or accolades)?
What is the standard of success or achievement others emulate (follow, model)?
Change who is awarded status.
Mentors with human frailties who face adversity.
What ones does, not what one owns.
“Keeping up with the Joneses”
Obsessed with appearances, jealous of others.
Neurotic behavior.
Metric of success: money.
Quote is credited to Dave Ramsey, U.S. financial writer, radio host, and television personality.
Potlatch
Gift-giving ceremony.
Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast of Canada & the U.S.
Prestige comes from how much one gives away, not accumulates.
What contributes to human well-being?
Money & consumption are only one factor.
Other life qualities:
A healthy environment.
Safe neighborhoods.
Strength of social support (family, friends, neighbors).
Temporal sovereignty: having time to oneself.
Absence of corruption.