The Artisan
To “be conscious” means: To be aware. Aware of our surroundings, ourselves and others. Buddhism teaches that to be happy, all one need is to be truly aware, in the present moment – in everything we do.
How does this apply to consumerism?
Does consuming make us happier? Our society has been so obsessed with prosperity that we actually use the term “retail therapy”; as if buying something new just because you feel bad has a curative effect.
Of course there is nothing innately wrong with having or consuming! However, it’s not what you have that matters, its why you have it that counts.
Because I have always been the woman with White Gold Jeraboam taste on a Veuve Clicquot budget – I have had ample opportunity to explore why-I-like-what-I like and ask myself, “do I really need it?” and “is it really that much better?”.
Humans and our quest for more…
I have friends who can’t pass the make-up counter without buying a new shade of lipstick, whether they need it or not. A friend of mine recently bought a Porsche. There’s nothing wrong with that, but his very recent & pre-mature mid-life crisis, made the purchase suspect.
Does consuming make us happier?
The financial crisis has had one positive impact: People have been forced to step back and take a closer look at what really matters. The overwhelming consensus isn’t surprising: Well-being, Bien-être, Wohlbefinden, Benessere, is the top priority of every human being once our basic needs have been met. Billions of people still live without things that we take for granted: no clean water, insufficient food-supplies, medical care, civil protection, education and the list goes on…
I don’t mention this to make myself or anyone else feel guilty about our love for fine things, for art, innovation and technology. Humans are not meant to suffer. Abject poverty need not exist. We are here create, to share, to innovate. But we are all interconnected and our prosperity is all too often at the expense of others.
Which leads us to the next observation, vital to understanding Conscious Consumerism; What role does our consumption play in building a prosperous world? How do we help ensure that our society does no harm to the “far off places” we only read about in the news? Can we aspire to live a life nurtures the Creative Spirit as much as the body?
My life and therefore this website has a purpose: To promote conscious consumerism. Forgoing mindless consumerism for a different approach to life and the acquisition of “things”. Bringing common sense and creative sensuality back to consumerism.
You can find your own unique way of participating. This blog addresses three ways to be a Conscious Consumer:
- Support your local artisans and small-businesses as much as you can. There is no need to be militant about it. I shop at both large department stores and at small, locally operated shops. Large doesn’t equal “evil” (like some fundamentalists would assert). It serves no one to see the world so black-and-white; but on the whole, when small businesses and artisans flourish, more jobs are created as are better working conditions.
- DIY Ethic – Learning to do things yourself is one of the most rewarding ways to express yourself while creating the things you need. Our generation sits in front of a computer, day in and day out. Many of us haven’t created anything since kindergarten. Everyone has a talent. Finding your talent and then using it to create something useful goes beyond the saying “Necessity is the mother of all invention” – it’s more that, it’s an artful experience. Sew your own shower curtain, build your own entertainment center, make your own flower arrangements, sandbox for your children, anything!
- Just keep asking yourself, “Why do I want, what I want?” Happiness isn’t knowing what you want, it’s understanding why you want it and operating from that truth. Your happiness, the things you attain, buy, create and share with the world, will ultimately reflect your soul and impact others.
Live with a Purpose, Consume with a Conscience.
– Yours Truly,
Epicure on a Budget
Some Links:
I Made it Myself - Flickr’s inspirational group of almost 20,000 members posting pictures of their creations
I love Etsy.com – where you can search for vendors who sell their made handmade goods, or sell your own creations!
Tip: Every city has a local Craftmen’s/women Guild. Contact them to find local artisans in your community that you may not know about.
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