Why Ethical Consumerism Is a Trap
Heyyyo!!
As the holidays draw near I thought it was high time to tackle the notion of ethical consumerism. Many of my past videos have addressed the idea of ethical consumerism, but it’s always been as an aside, so this move I dove headfirst into the idea that buying the right stuff can change the world. What I discovered was no surprise. If you’re interested in learning more about why there can’t be ethical consumption under capitalism, check out the video below and/or the three quotes and links I found illuminating during my research process.
Three Quotes:
“Ethical consumption promises a solution to a systemic contradiction without challenging the system itself. Thus, ethical consumption not only saves capitalism from itself but also brings about a different kind of capitalism: more just, more sustainable, kinder, and so on. In this fantasy, consumers’ everyday ethical consumption practices ensure capitalism’s survival rather than digging its grave”
— Michal Jemma Carrington et al.
“Capitalist production relies on the exploitation of workers by capital owners, meaning that no level of consciousness or self-awareness on the part of traditional companies can shed their fundamentally unethical character. Even in instances where a worker’s experience with their employer is satisfactory — as can happen when receiving a high salary or wage, robust benefits, or other perks — the company’s simultaneous profiteering is more than just a harmless manifestation of mutual benefit.”
— Hampton Institute
“It suggests that all we have to do is pull ourselves together over the next 30 years and save energy, walk, skip holidays abroad, and simply “do without”. But these demands for individual action paralyse people, thereby preventing the large-scale change we so urgently need.”
— The Guardian
Three Links:
The ideology of the ethical consumption gap (Michal Jemma Carrington et al.)
The myth of the ethical consumer (The Conversation)
As greenwashing soars, some people are questioning B Corp certification (BBC)
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Hope you have a great day,
In solidarity,
Charlie