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Weekly transmissions from Adbusters, the journal of the mental environment

Hey Jammer,

Over the last couple of generations, we in the so-called “developed” world have eased into a very cushy way of living. We love our dishwashers, spin dryers and microwave ovens. And we love cruising in our cars with our favorite music playing.

The idea of living more austere lives is anathema. We’re hooked on all of this stuff now. Whatever it takes, we gotta have our Doritos.

That’s just the way it is.

Or is it?

I basically spent my entire childhood in a bubble.

Look at it this way:

If we’re pliable enough to have allowed ourselves to be moulded into ferocious consuming machines, then we’re pliable enough to self-correct in the other direction. A lifestyle is really nothing less than a collection of habits. And habits can absolutely be overridden.

Convincing people that an experiment like this is even worth a try, that will be the biggest hurdle. “Dammit, my right to indulge myself is constitutionally protected!” Americans will say. Anything less is heresy. We can’t do this. We won’t do it. Go to hell!

Except we have done it. Recently.

We did it during Covid.

For a year and a half we were forced to social distance – something that seemed alien to our genetic makeup.

If we can learn to live like that — a hockey stick away from one another at all times — surely we can learn to curb other private pleasures for the sake of our collective survival.

And do that until it becomes a reflex.

Looking at things this way, there might not actually be the almighty pushback you’d expect to the #TrueCost shift in human consciousness that has to happen — an audacious plan that everyone has the stones to commit to and implement together.

Find out where you fit in!

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