How to Be a Conscious Consumer Is Not the Same as Being a Citizen

The stories we’re told & tell about ourselves shape the ways we act and how we citizen. And the story we’ve been living in for decades now is one of consumerism and self-interest. Baratunde talks with reformed ad-man and author of CITIZENS: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us Jon Alexander about how we can tell a new story rooted in community and interdependence. 

SHOW ACTIONS 

Internally Reflect - Tell a new story 

Think about the three stories – Subject, Consumer, and Citizen. Where do they show up in your life? Maybe you’re a subject with your parents or a consumer in your neighborhood. In what spaces, communities or realms are you already living the Citizen Story? Where else could you show up that way?  

Become Informed - Learn about the Citizen Story

Check out Jon’s book CITIZENS: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us and this BBC article. Also, check out The New Citizenship Project to find out how you or your organization can learn to tell a different story. 

Publicly Participate - Practice asking for help
Think about Jon’s question: What are you trying to do in the world that’s so big, you actually need other people to do it with you? It can actually be small, but just too big for you alone. It could be fixing the fence around your yard, organizing a fundraiser at your school, or envisioning a future for your company. Ask someone to help you do it! We know asking for help can be hard, so start by asking those in your sphere, “is there something you’re trying to do that I can help you with?”

SHOW NOTES 

Check out our episode with Audrey Tang to hear more about how we can leverage tech & digital tools to strengthen democracy. 

Listen to the podcast episode where Baratunde and Jon first connected: From What If To What Next hosted by Rob Hopkins.

Read this New York Times article to learn more about the America In One Room experiment.

Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! 

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How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at Puck. You can find him all over the internet. 

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Rowhome Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston and Elizabeth Stewart. Allie Graham is our Lead Producer and Danya AbdelHameid is our Associate Producer. Alex Lewis is our Managing Producer. John Myers is our Executive Editor. Original Music by Andrew Eapen and Blue Dot Sessions. Our Audience Engagement Fellows are Jasmine Lewis and Gabby Rodriguez. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio and Layla Bina.

Additional thanks to our live audience voices Janine D., Martha T., Ray K., and Jonathan F. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.