The Importance of Consumerism

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Consumption is inherently like an individualistic system. It asks you to interact with your problems on a sort of like individual case by case basis. And it encourages you to think about this all sort of like a zero sum game. If someone else is solving their problems, there are fewer resources available for you to solve yours. That is just inherent in the entire system. There are non-consumorous ways that we can create abundance for everyone. But like the system that we have right now, the abundance is something that people must compete for.

Paris Marx is joined by Amanda Mull to discuss the history of consumerism and where ecommerce goes in the next few years as interest rates rise and its market share stalls.

Amanda Mull is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she writes the Material World column. She’s also a shop steward at The Atlantic Union. Follow Amanda on Twitter at @amandamull.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

The podcast is produced by Eric Wickham and part of the Harbinger Media Network.

Also mentioned in this episode: