Just 75 years ago, nearly 90% of all Americans had a garden, chickens, or some form of barterable product. Today, that is less 20%. So many Americans, have become consumers instead of capitalists. I just watched a video about some protestors complaining about capitalism, and shook my head at how little they knew. These are supposedly college educated people, and it was obvious they didn't have a clue. It made think "how many other people have this lack of knowledge?" With so many definition changes, I could see how people could be confused...but I do not understand the extreme cost of secondary education NOT teaching these things. For the record:
*Consumerism is an economic theory that consumer spending is the key to individual well-being and the most important factor driving a country's economic growth.
*Capitalism is an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and development occurs through the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market.
The world today has neglected to grasp the understanding in differences between consumerism and capitalism, not to mention the differences between want and need. Too many people have been too far removed from basics to even understand the minimalist approach to both these problems. Before I get too much backlash, I get arguments about food shortages, needing to produce mass amounts of food for other countries that have destroyed their own lands, and the greedy/power grabbing corporations. I get it. There are legitimate arguments all the way around. This is mine! Our country has been steered away from capitalism for many decades, and driven into a consumerism environment. We have lived with abundance for many decades, but where has that gotten us? So many are clamoring away for the latest and greatest of everything. It became too simple to spend for everything. So many have gotten away from basics, and they are now debt slaves. People race out to finance everything from groceries, to vehicles, to real estate, or even the newest cell phone. Those choosing to live minimally are the "weirdos." What happens to those excessive spenders when there is no more loans to get? What happens when those "rich on paper," find out those loans are getting called in or revoked? What happens to everyone when all the grass is worked up, and all the trees are dozed out? Where are all the environmentalism from a few years ago, protesting about the desecration of our oxygen sources? Humans do not own the land. We are supposed to be good stewards of it, to pass on to younger generations. All the animal rights groups that like to preach, why aren't they throwing a fit about the wildlife that is destroyed by the removal of so much grass, trees, habitats and the destruction of flight paths from windmills, and those complaining about needing more crop to feed people yet they are taking thousands of acres to put up solar farms. Talk about hypocrisy!
I have had people say what our family does is not farming. We don't in the sense of working under thousands of acres of grass or trees. We don't in the sense of destroying vital nutrients from over worked, and over use of chemicals and crops. I understand the need to produce food for the masses that don't help themselves. Typically, the only chemicals used on our property come from whatever is in the water, and the run off from the field next to us. Believe me...that has been enough to kill trees, grass, and fruit/vegetables. We work hard to continually make our little farm better, as best we can. Obviously, this is a never ending battle since we are just a little fish in a mass of piranhas! We are not able to compete. We just work harder, and do our best to absorb the costs. Knowing a few others like we are, has helped to manage the disappointments and to share knowledge. We may not be big farmers(thankfully), but we are producers. We can help feed a few households from what we produce, and trade that out for other goods and services. While we bought into consumerism for a luckily short period of time, it cost us and we are still digging our way out of that mess. Fortunately, we are still better off than most, even with our current responsibilities. I honestly could not live with millions of dollars in debt, not even hundreds of thousands for that matter! That is complete insanity.
I don't feel the need to purchase anything that does not serve a purpose, or in simple terms...just because I can. I also have no desire to buy something just because someone else did. I'm content with my 20 year old clothing, my used furniture, furniture that I have built, dishes from a yard sale, and using items until there is no life left in them. I have wants, but I already have what I need - my family, a roof over our heads, food on our table, a bed to sleep in, and a means to purchase what we can't produce or otherwise have to pay for(utilities, etc.). I refuse to purchase a new vehicle, and right now...purchasing any vehicle isn't the smartest choice anyway. I happy to live simply, even though simple does not mean easy. It's been a challenge to raise children during the times of constantly, "keeping up with the Jones'." Teaching them the difference between morals, values, loyalty, wants and needs. When this is not how most of society operates anymore, it's difficult to keep the "monkey see, monkey do" shenanigans to a minimum. Teaching them to rise above, or take the higher road, has not been easy. Especially when you see them hurting. That is when this Mom bristles, when something hurts my kids. That is another subject for another time.
I don't care what the situation may be; whether you are the little fish in a family, neighborhood, or even as far as a corporate setting. Those little fish may get eaten by a bigger fish...but there is ultimately a much bigger fish, that won't hesitate to them too. That could be a bank, another corporation, or the government. So, keep in mind, you may become the little fish rather quickly. This has been an important lesson to teach my children. It's easier for me to observe being on the outside of nearly everything except my own household. Observation is a powerful tool, but it can also be very taxing.
After the past couple of years, I've had to accept many things that I have highly disagreed with. I've had to get a stronger spine to take a lot of what has been dealt. Even if it has gone completely against what I thought I knew about situations. It has all opened my eyes, but it circled me back to my own beliefs. I don't put on a show for anyone. I am who I am, and many don't like it...that's ok. I will only put up with so much before my temper management no longer holds. When I feel I'm being pushed out, taken advantage of, used, or lied to...I'm done. No hatred, just done. The past couple years has given me too much stress, and in turn caused me a lot of health issues, that I am having to work very hard to fix. I won't let that stress or anything that causes more stress to remain part of my world. I have spent too long pouring from an empty cup, trying to be a unifier, or referee. Personally, I am truly a little fish in that mass of piranhas, but I'll be damned if I don't fight with every ounce of my being. Doing my best to take care of my own family, is my priority. Beyond that, is based on where I stand in the situation.
So many thoughts, so many situations outside my control, and the lack of observers has me just shaking my head. I will continue to be informed, to share basic tips, but my focus is changing back to my family first. You see, when we take care of our own, we all win. That goes up to the grander scale of American's putting American's first. But it starts at home. It starts with family. It starts with communities. I wish you all the day you deserve!
