Consumer disobedience
In the midst of the soaring inflation we are all suffering in Argentina, a writing by Henry Thoreau from my college years comes to mind: “On civil disobedience” (1849). Its premise was “people shouldn’t allow the government to overrule their consciences.” I wonder, wouldn’t it be a good idea to launch something like “consumer disobedience”? In other words, let’s only buy what we truly need. Let’s narrow our shopping list down to basic necessities. And that includes Christmas gifts. Wouldn’t it be fun to grow our own vegetables and bake our own bread? The market will regulate itself according to demand and supply. We can’t afford to spend money left and right, lavishly, as if we were rich. There’s no choice: we’ve got to tighten our belts and go minimalist, for a change. “This too shall pass”. Moreover, “It’s always darkest before the dawn” (Thomas Fuller, 1650).
Buenos Aires Times, December 23, 2023