JUNE 4, TUESDAY

THINGS

Hunter gatherers moved from place to place and had only the possessions that they could carry, things that were basic to staying alive. But with the agricultural revolution the surplus of food allowed all kinds of artisans to be supported and for the rich the opportunity to aquire all kinds of things. But it was only with the Industrial Revolution that combined with the raw materials brought in by colonialism and empire building and the age of consumerism arrived. This, according to Harari, was accompanied by shift from thinking that all significant knowledge was already known, and incorporated in holy books such as the Bible, to an age of discovery of every kind. Humans began the process of discovery of other lands, other cultures and the realization that they knew almost nothing about how the physical world functioned. Scientific discoveries led to new technologies and new forms of control over other people. This came together in the Industrial Revolution which both greatly increased the standard of living, the number of things people had, while at the same time leading to terrible inequality and exploitation of humans, animals and the environment.

The Capitalist system depends on credit, a belief that investment will lead to ever greater production and that the economic pie will get larger and larger and everyone will benefit. Central to this ever expanding pie with everyone getting a share is consumerism. We have to keep buying, in fact through advertising we have to be persuaded to keep buying and piling up stuff.

I experienced this in my own life when I discovered the Dreamland Drive In flea market in the center of Asheville. The flea market and yard sales are where this piling up of consumer goods which finally fill houses to bursting, end up, often at very good prices and in good condition.

A new toaster in its box under the shiny lights of the Mall cost $20. The same toaster without the packaging and the bright lights of the Mall was sold for $5 at the flea market. The bright lights and packaging and advertising were worth $15, the toaster $5.

My addiction led to closing in our carport to hide my growing piles of stuff. And now in my old age I have to figure out how to dispose of a houseful of stuff, some of it very beautiful and useful, which no one wants. Some of it can go either to a yard sale or a thrift store and some of it will end up in the ever expanding dump.