Est. 1984
Thinking
The future of consumerism: order now, supplies are limited!
Feb 13th
I read an interesting article today about the future of consumer culture, and it taught me a few interesting things, and revealed (to my shame) that I’m as bad as the next consumer.
The premise presented in the article is this: everyone needs food, shelter, medicine, and other essentials. These expenses are intrinsic to a healthy, modern life, and don’t count against your spending habits. So, those are the essentials that you buy to survive, and beyond that, all of your purchases are optional. This is where all that disposable income goes- to guitars, jetskis, and Cadillacs. In my case, it goes to:
a. A motorcycle
b. Electronics
c. A new car
This is an essential part of American capitalism- if you work hard, you get to reward yourself. What’s strange about American capitalism, in comparison to other empires, is the circumstances under which it developed. In days of former empires, there was an absolute maximum that a skilled labourer could produce, and that made his or her products valuable. Since shopping as we know it couldn’t take place, other institutions drove society- like war, religion, philosophy, literature, theatre, etc. Starting in the 20th century, for the first time in human history, mass-produced products are plentiful and cheap enough that there’s no limit to how much one can acquire, which reduces the value (both cost and emotional value) of those products greatly. This has made consumerism the driver of our society, and a national past-time that almost everyone indulges in.
So, we now find ourselves in the situation of having an unlimited number of cheap products to buy (made in Asian sweatshops for a nickel per hour), but at the cost of a decimated middle class, who were formerly skilled labourers and now face unemployment.
I’m not ready to tackle the 800 lb gorilla that characterizes the decline of the middle class; I simply want to point out that the society we live in is unique on account of our unparalleled potential to manufacture a glut of products without the need for skilled human labor.
As a small aside, I can also conclude that marketing as we know it is wholly the result of this flood of products- in a society that produces more than it needs, the need to advertise a certain brand or special product arose to convince us it is something we must have (Marketing all those products is a good job for the dwindling middle class that used to make them!).
So, all that background leads up to now, when the whole world has taken a break from rampant consumerism- not because we’re tired of it, but because savings, retirements, and even fortunes have been lost all across this country in the last 18 months. The question the article I mentioned earlier poses is whether or not this respite from runaway consumerism will make us wonder why we need it at all.
Now, the $64,000 question- how hard are you willing to work to have disposable income? I certainly don’t need a new car, and despite my craving for a new netbook, it wouldn’t really change my life at all. When I stop and tconsider the value of the products that I work all week to buy, it makes the 50 hour workweek seem grotesque.
After some thought and multiplication, I’ve concluded that I would willingly take a 20% cut in my salary to reclaim one day of my week. That is to say, I can easily meet my basic needs at 80% of my salary, and the extra 20% that I’m accustomed to is devoted entirely to my consumerist urges.
That might work for me, but would other people make a similar deal?
The end of the article supposed that a new societal driver would need to take consumerism’s place in order for it to be permanently reined in. My suggestion? Three words: 2011 Cat Olympics.
Related items
Alone in the Dark
Jan 25th
There is no comparing the satisfaction of munching Lifesavers Wintogreen mints, and watching the little green sparks jump in your friends mouth. Doing it in a cave brings the experience to a new level, since the green flints are the brightest (and only) thing in sight.
But then, being in a cave, swallowed by the complete absence of light, alters most any experience. Four of us took a trip to the unincorporated village of Burksville this weekend, out somewhere in God’s country (south of Waterloo) to Illinois Caverns.
To get started, we carefully descended the steep slippery stairs, heading towards the warm, dark air. In less than a minute, you’re in a cave – a veritable cave, not some tourist trap with lights, concrete and a gift shop. The air is so heavy with moisture that you can see it floating in the air, like a fine mist.
Most of the going is fairly easy; alot of walking and treading on slick stones, some wading, and the occasional climb. The hardest part is resisting the temptation to reach out and grab a bat- the little critters are adorable, like a pet mouse with wings and a snout. I managed not to grab one, but I could easily observe it from about half a foot away. We also saw a few tiny crustaceans squirming around on a rock- they may have been an endangered species that inhabits only the caves around southern Illinois (according to Wikipedia), or they might have been totally unremarkable- I prefer to think the former is true.
What was most enjoyable for me was the moment when the four of us turned off our flashlights, and listened to the sound of another world. The darkness is tangible- when you can’t see anything at all, and there’s no wind or perceivable temperature, darkness becomes the way to define your surroundings. Even though I knew there were four of us, I felt totally alone. What’s more, not being able to see anything immediately heightens your awareness of the noises of the cave- running water. It’s as if you turn instantly into a bat- unable to see, but with sharp ears and a sense of peacefulness within the cave.
Some people are afraid of this sensation- the absence of human life, the crushing environment of being underground in an alien world. All I can say is that I found it very tranquil- the thought occurred to me that my distant ancestors, and my future progeny would see nearly the same cave as I have, even thousands of years into the future. Even the tiniest passages that dotted the walkable parts of the cavern took millennia to open up, and the walkable portions themselves were far older than those little passages.
Being in the cave also gives you a taste of the inexorable force behind its creation- water. Though the rocks might not know it, that water was effin’ cold, and during the last part of our trek, I was in up to my waist (which meant that April was in above her belly button).
It’s a lesson in humility, one that I think might never get old.
Related items
Das Auto
Dec 29th
It’s been almost 4 months since April and I sold both of our cars and bought one car. When I reveal that we have one car in conversation, most people ask how we do it. It’s not a mystery, but when I explain how we do it, the explanation is dismissed as impractical. I’ll present it here- try not to label it impractical without reading the whole thing.
It wasn’t so long ago that 1 car per family was sufficient, well within memory of most folks over 60. How did people survive such a barbaric arrangement?
The explanation remains the same for those people as it does for me; it’s the structure of communities that has changed, as well as people who compose a community. Why can’t a typical family get by on one car? The answer is stretched out all around us- everything is too far away.
Urban sprawl is the name given to the concept of everything being too far away. By too far away, I mean not being able to easily walk,bicycle, or ride mass transit to your destination. All of these modes of transportation are community-centric. If you can’t fulfill your basic needs (like groceries, getting to work, buying beer) through one of the above methods of transportation, you’re a victim of urban sprawl.
At this point in my explanation, people are bursting at the seams to tell me that they can’t get a job in their own community, so they have to make a 45 minute commute (alone of course- carpooling is too much work!). This argument is bullshit for two reasons:
1. There are probably jobs available in your community; if not, start your own business.
2. If the first answer doesn’t satisfy you, move to the community where the job you want is.
Of course, there are a million reasons why they shouldn’t move to another community:
I just have to live in (place) because of its good (noun)!
And that, my friends, is why one car per family doesn’t work for a typical family. Not because it can’t be done (it most certainly can!), but because people don’t want to do it. This is the case for almost every problem in human history 
Now that you’ve heard the whole spiel, I’ll take a moment to say that having two cars isn’t a crime. All I’m saying is that the expectations that necessitate one car per person are flimsy, and if people thought about it, they may just decide that one car per family could work for them.
As for Ape and I, owning one car really only balances out our retired neighbours, who own 3 cars (for 2 retired people). Ugh…
Related items
Walkin
Dec 7th
I’ve been walkin to work alot lately, which, it turns out, is a fantastic way to get to work. You get exercise, spend $0 on your commute, and get to smirk at people stuck in traffic along the way.
The concept of walking as a mode of transportation seems to have gone the way of the dodo in my town. When I tell people I walk to to work, they assume it’s because I can’t afford a car, or I have a DUI. I get perplexed looks when I tell people I walked *gasp* a whole mile to get a sandwich for lunch, or that I walked to the grocery store last night and saw six feral cats and a lot of litter on the way (litter as in garbage).
At what point did people stop thinking of their legs as a real mode of transportation, instead of just a way to get in and out of buildings? Recreational walking is probably more popular than ever- Ape and I take walks at night to get out of the house, seniors will drive 20 miles to walk around a shopping mall, and then there’s the go-nowhere treadmill.
I don’t see very many other walkers, and those that I do see have the look of determination that only comes with walking for exercise. It seems strange to me, living in the middle of a very safe town as I do, that so few people walk. I’d expect as much from the suburbanites, who frankly have nowhere to walk to, but urban dwellers should seize their opportunity.
Maybe I can blame this on the perception of time versus value – it’s understandable that people may not be able to fit a 20 minute walk to work on their crowded daily agenda. Why not make the 5 minute commute instead? It’s a fair question, but if folks really stopped and thought about the value of their time, the stress of driving, and the relaxation and clarity that a walk affords, there probably wouldn’t be as many cars stuck in traffic for me to smirk at.
And if those people really don’t want to walk, there’s always the bicycle.
Related items
Germania
Nov 30th
It occurs to me that I never exploited the opportunity to talk about my trip to Germany this past summer. Like Tacitus before me, Germany and its inhabitants made quite an impression on me.
To recount the trip chronologically would be to discount the really amazing experiences; as humans we have no choice but to experience life chronologically, but our minds recollect the highs and lows of an experience, and tend to cut out the tedious passage of time. In that spirit, I’ll try to cut out the tedious parts.
The lasting impression I have of that trip is the sense of belonging. Totally contrary to the fact that my family left Germany over a hundred years ago, and little mention is made of it among my family, I felt as if I had grown up there, and I was as much a part of Germany as it was of me.
Of course, there are the more ephemeral day to day experiences that I can only now recall through photos. Even if it’s only a snapshot of Charlemagne’s chapel, all of my senses remember the moment I took this picture.
The glittering mosaic inside, the musty air, my fingers tracing the 1300 year old stones, worn smooth by 13 centuries of curious visitors just like me. It’s not just the place that looms large; it’s the feeling of closeness to an ancient European monarch whose accomplishments shaped the modern world in ways I never thought possible.
Maybe that’s why I feel a closeness with Germany- 5 years of studying German language and literature grants me a more profound understanding of Germany than my own country. My studies began with Germania, a text by the Roman historian Tacitus (mentioned above). His goal was to understand the Germanic tribes, while his contemporary Romans wanted to conquer them. Both Tacitus and Roman generals found the Germans to be worthy enemies, and to this day the score still stands Germanic Tribes 1, Roman Empire 0.
Next, the Oaths of Strasbourg, a document from 842 whose historical importance can’t be overstated. The oaths taken were between the grandsons of Charlemagne, specifically two jerkwads who happened to rule what is modern day France and Germany respectively. They agreed that they should kick the crap out of Lothair, who ruled the territory between France and Germany, now called Alsace-Lorraine. Brotherly feuds aside, the Oaths are the earliest written example of three distinct European languages: Early French, Early German, and Latin. The two conspiratorial brothers vowed in each other’s language to protect one another and gang up on Lothair using exactly the same vow, which had the result of three different languages presented alongside one another for future linguists to drool over.
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, a period of great literary development, despite the undeserved moniker of the ‘Dark Ages’ (their age being no less dark than our own). German folk tales and cautionary stories are at once witty and gruesome, my favorite example being Till Eulenspiegel, noted for farting, stealing shoes, and skinning dogs alive to trade their fur to the blind owner of an inn. Of course, he always got his just desserts, usually in the form of some public humiliation.
A couple hundred years later, the Reformation happened. Reformationist literature is extremely interesting, not only for its strong arguments against the Catholic church, but particularly for being wildly anti-semitic (looking at you, Martin Luther).
Then, the nationalist period began to pervade the literature of the 18th and 19th centuries. A little known fact about Germany is that it didn’t officially become a country until 1871, almost 100 years after the American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. Up until that time, it was a loose coalition of kingdoms, fiefdoms, and other sorts of doms. Thus, there was a pervasive feeling of inferiority; neighbouring lands like France, England, Spain, and even Russia had been unified for hundreds of years; Germany was a day late and a dollar short. Unfortunately, this led to a super-charged nationalism that would start two World Wars and drastically alter the course of human civilisation.
The literature of 20th century Germany is immensely depressing. It reanimates the suffering and grief of those who lived and died during both World Wars, and the uncertainty between them, with chilling clarity. I think anyone who reads and comprehends the stories of this time would be a lifelong pacifist. In many ways, reading from this time period is like a hallucinogenic drug- a little is safe, and can conjure up thoughts and emotions beyond your own experience. Too much, however, can be poison and alter your reality permanently. A favorite of mine is Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan, by Bertolt Brecht.
Covering 13 centuries of German literature is only a beginning to understanding Germany- it took me five years, and I’ve only dipped my toe in. If you’d like to learn more about German Lit, consult your local librarian!
Related items
The Black Friday Extra
Nov 29th
Of the many fruits of capitalism, the sweetest might be Black Friday. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this year’s festivities: amidst the perfect storm of a weakened dollar, high unemployment, and most importantly, the lack of a really killer toy, I didn’t have high expectations. This fear was confirmed by seeing a single lonely shopper camped out in front of Best Buy on Thanksgiving Day. Still, April was at the door of Kohl’s at 3am among a throng of shoppers, which makes me glad that the day wasn’t a total wash.
Even I couldn’t resist the thrill of spending on Black Friday- I bought some magnets from Radio Shack, and some industrial-strength Velcro from Home Depot. With that disclosure, I’ll add that greed is not my sin.
This is merely the sale-studded beginning to the month-long orgy that climaxes in Christmas. For my own part, it marks the beginning of a month-long binge, though with different set of indulgences: sugar and booze, which would likely be considered the sin of gluttony.
It’s remarkably similar to the Saturnalia of yesteryear; a month of parties and liquor-fueled cheer, from the lowliest bourbon ball to the bottle of Absinthe waiting under the tree. It’s a much more tangible problem than the vague notion of ‘holiday stress’ which seems to mainly afflict the perpetually stressed, and I have to wonder how my liver will handle it this year.
Frankly, I think that sugar is greater enemy. My wiry physique usually keeps me from getting too drunk, simply because it only takes a few drinks to make my head feel lighter. With sugar, however, my appetite outstrips my self-control. The variety of textures and tastes on display at the dessert table usually leads me to some quick, ill-conceived rationalizations about the rarity of getting to eat some favorite treats, as well as the enticing prospect of finding new favorites.
Thus, I slowly and carefully stuff myself with sweet treats. Stomach pain usually follows pretty quickly, accompanied by self-loathing.
This perennial routine is very familiar to me, but I still haven’t devised how to circumvent it, or at least minimize the negative side-effects. Until I figure it out or get Diabetes, I’ll probably remain a glutton.
Related items
The Electric Slide
Sep 28th
I’m two weeks into my my photovoltaic design class, and while there’s alot to learn about proper placement, sizing, physics, wiring, etc., it’s becoming clear that the most important thing about using solar power is knowing your usage patterns (and then figuring out how to reduce them).
The above graph represents my energy usage over the last couple of years, in Kilowatt/hours and Gas Therms. It’s usually easy to spot the trends- higher gas use in the winter, higher electric usage in the summer- though there are some odd spikes, like in June of 2009.
My lowest electricity usage in this time range is 5.8 kilowatt/hours. That’s quite a bit in my opinion. According to some vague statistics from Ameren, my power utility, my home’s usage is about half the average home. That’s encouraging, but hardly cause for celebration. The highest monthly usage is a whopping 15.2 kilowatt/hours- God only knows what we were doing that month. If I’m gonna get serious about using photovoltaics to supplement my power usage, my habits will have to change, too.
The reason is pretty simple- solar electricity is considerably more expensive to produce than fossil fuel electricity, if you just look at dollars and cents. However, I try to be a little more circumspect and take into consideration the cost of pollution and the uncomfortable reality of being heavily dependent on foreign oil, and all the nasty side effects that dependence brings. So I embark on the solar path knowing full well that it will cost more in the short term.
The important lesson is this: it costs less to reduce your energy usage than it does to produce solar electricty. For a quick example, let’s look at the fridge. My $400 GE uses about a kilowatt of electricty per day. If I spend $1500 on a SunFrost fridge that uses half as much electricty, that’s 500 watts less electricity per day. If the cost of a 100 watt solar panel is $500, that’s $2500 off the up-front cost of a solar array, not to mention reduced complexity and installation costs.
The fridge is an easy target for being an electricity hog, and rightfully so- it chills the beer that helps me make it through the week. However, the real shock is how much small electronic devices use. My DSL modem, for example, uses 10 watts/hour. Not much by most standards, but it runs 24 hours per day, so 240 watts daily. Then there’s my router, another 10 watts, and we’re up to 480 watts per day. My portable phone system is a cool 8 watts, 192 watts per day, up to 672. Toss in the TV, microwave, stove, at 5 watts/hour each, and I find that I’m using 1072 watthours per day before I flip a single light switch. Ouch!
Those 1072 watthours would cost an arm and a leg to power with solar, so the onus is on me to figure out how to reduce my usage as much as I can. Which will be fun, for someone who’s already mental about electricity usage.
Related items
The Problem with Socialism
Sep 10th
In the recent debate over healthcare in the USA, the proposed socialized healthcare program has been praised and demonized. It’s either the solution to just about every problem we face as a nation, or it’s a sinister plot to kill off the elderly and rob the rest of us of decent care. Whichever side of the debate you find yourself on is irrelevant to me. What I find intriguing is the concept of socialism, and specifically, social programs provided by the government.
The concept of socialism is easy to understand, same with capitalism. In my opinion, socialism is the idea that the government will take care of citizens, and capitalism is the idea that the citizens will take care of themselves. They’re not opposites- just different from one another.
What makes them incongruous is the the hypocrisy of using both- to say that some things should be controlled by the government, and others left to business. The walls of the capital echo with the shouts of angry protesters who feel that socialized healthcare will be the death of us all. Why aren’t they screaming about socialized education? Every child in this country is guaranteed an education, at the expense of taxpayers. Has it destroyed as many lives as socialized healthcare would? Should it be up to parents to pay for their children’s education? Or the armed forces- should we have a private militia? Given the concerns that citizens are raising over socialized healthcare, a socialist national defense program ought to be an appalling prospect. Is it right for the government to tax us in order to protect us, or should we be responsible for protecting ourselves?
These are serious questions that everyone should consider. How should healthcare fit in with our array of socialist programs? How much does it chafe against our capitalist mantra? To me, that is the real problem- we have a hybrid system that is not built logically, but is the result of the last 200 years of struggle. Struggle between state and federal government, between taxpayer and government, and struggle between citizen and business. In turn, each struggling player has gained an advantage, abused it, and ceded it. The resulting legislation has left us a legacy of doctrinal hypocrisy, and reconciling a sticky issue like healthcare with that hypocrisy is damn near impossible.
To take a step away from our current situation towards the abstract, my belief is that healthcare should be an inalienable right. No one should have to fear the cost of healthcare, as is the case now for all but the most well-heeled.
I have excellent health insurance, but if I lose my job, I won’t be able to afford it anymore. If I get sick without health insurance, an important decision will have to be made- which is worse, poverty or illness? Curse my socialist education, for giving me these troubling thoughts!
Related items
The times, they are a changin’
Aug 24th
Time constraints and gorgeous summer weather have kept me from posting much lately, but then, I’ve already established that I’m a seasonal writer. Seriously though, it’s be unbelievably good summer weather. It’s a perennially proven fact that the temperature rises above 95 whenever the State Fair starts, but ever since I’ve gotten back from Germany, the mercury hasn’t risen above 85 or so. Weird.
April and I had a great trip, and were not ready to return to cats/jobs/yardwork. We’re back to doing all those things again, but a still with a little bit of resentment and longing for the sunnier German skies. That said, it’s nice to be back in my own home, or better yet, enjoying my own garden. We planted a new tree this weekend, a Heritage River Birch. Pictures of Germany and the tree soon to come.
Related items
Triathletes, Unite!
Jul 26th
I did the Stoneman Triathlon in Springfield today, and even though my legs are gonna be recovering for a couple of days, it was nice to have a challenge met and conquered. The fastest triathlete finished in 57m47s minutes, and my time was 1h34s. Not great, but I think I could certainly improve for next year…
The most difficult part was the swimming, without doubt. Swimming 500 meters is an accomplishment for someone who has no access to a pool, but it’s your skills as a fighter that contribute to your success. Dodging the dozens of swiftly kicking legs and sweeping hands of the school of humans was what made swimming hard for me, but I feel like I evened the score with a couple of glancing blows to the people swimming near me.
Bicycling was fun. I received alot of praise, but not because I was smashing records. In my case, it was my bicycle- having a mountain bike in a race dominated by street/racing bikes is apparently considered a serious handicap. My friend Andy also used his mountain bike, and reported similar results.
The running was fine; my new shoes held up and carried me there and back again. My legs, on the contrary, were and are still on the verge of mutiny.
