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[–] LordoftheBeetus ago  (edited ago)

But also accurate. Capitalism needs constant consumerism to stay viable. If we all had cars that lasted 30 years and appliances that last a lifetime, there would have to be a new economic system.

You can like America and not agree with everything about it. If you're not a mental fat that is.

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[–] matthew-- ago  (edited ago)

>Capitalism needs constant consumerism to stay viable

I don't know what you think capitalism is, but that is not true at all. Consumerism is - put simply - buying more stuff. Capitalism is letting people do their own thing, and leaving the free market to sort everything out. Capitalism isn't going to collapse or implode on itself because people are buying less.

Edit, unfinished comment:

>. If we all had cars that lasted 30 years and appliances that last a lifetime, there would have to be a new economic system.

Again, this is bullshit. If we had appliances that lasted forever (and we do), people would still buy shit because of things like fashion, status, increased effectiveness and efficiency (it does its job better). How long does a stainless steel spoon last? How long have they been actively manufactured for? Surely we've produced enough spoons by now, so why are companies that make spoons still around? Hmmmmm.

The human need for things is infinite. As things get cheaper, we can afford to spend more money on other things, and this continues ad infinitum. Things like phones, computers, cars, medicine: it just keeps going. Now, you can argue that "consumerism" is bad, and in aspects you may have a point. But human nature is to do things the quickest way with as little energy expenditure as possible. Men that were able to farm and use machines were able to thrive, and those that didn't died out because women need a man with stuff that he can use to provide for his children. It's basic biology.