Consumerism, Culture and The Credit Crunch

There is little doubt that Western, affluent societies had become increasingly materialistic from the 1950’s onwards.  In the United States, the pursuit of the American Dream drove people onwards and upwards, living up to and beyond income, in the belief that they could have it all – now.  Elsewhere, the ability to purchase goods on credit, paying by the week or month, put families to the brink of destitution, as debts mounted.  The old values of saving for what was needed or wanted, making do and mend, caring for possessions and getting the most out of them, were gradually eroded.  “I want it all, and I want it now” began to define societal values.  For a long time, it was possible to live the dream, as banks extended credit beyond the means for repayment, and everybody bought what they desired.  A good day out was a shopping trip to the mall, to buy for the sake of owning, and a throwaway mindset was the norm.

Along came the credit crunch, the worldwide economic crisis, and lives have been dramatically altered.  Those who have not already lost their jobs, live in fear of that loss.  Homes repossessed, health insurance gone,  no way to put food on the table, no way to maintain status and self esteem.  Or so it is for some, as the only way out available becomes the final, irrevocable act of suicide.

Yet there is a resilience in the human spirit.  There are millions of people taking stock and looking very closely at what they CAN do, rather than feeling helpless and deprived.  They are examining their values against the reality of now, as opposed to the consumerist ideal of then.  After the initial shock, anger and denial, people move towards acceptance and begin to search for ways to deal with the trauma.  Because that is exactly what this crisis represents; a trauma of huge proportions, almost life-threatening.  Or is it?  Does it threaten life, or life-style?  In fact, it means the demise of consumerism, the shift in cultural norms that, if hope and common sense prevail, will cause a return to the older, safer, saner values.

For too long, “having it all” has created a false sense of security and a spurious wealth.  Consuming for the sake of owning material things can no longer be sustained.  But this is no bad thing, if it causes society to re-evaluate its priorities.  If, from this process, the consumerist culture is recognized as destructive, then a human victory can be won.

A victory of that nature will cause a vast shift that may well extend beyond the lives of individuals.  It can allow those who have always had just what they wanted, or believed they needed, to understand how those who have so little have had to survive.  The crisis will help the once-rich to walk a mile in the mocassins of the always poor.

Finally, the credit crunch may be the great leveller that takes the planet towards a one-world concept, the true creation of a humanistic global village.  There can be little doubt that being forced to confront such fundamental changes will also lead to living life with a whole different perspective.  How these altered images become positive actions depends entirely on the individuals who make up each and every society.  Will they lie down and die, hankering after the past, or will they call upon their infinite, internal resources and create a better world?    Hope springs eternal.