The Freedom To Buy
Is that real freedom?
Although we can’t cite the lawyer’s name who mentioned the ‘freedom to buy’ on a TV program, her insight remains with us. In fact, she touched on a point that influences every layer of our lives.
“If we don’t become active thinkers, the only freedom left to us is the freedom to buy — the freedom to consume.”
Take time to reflect
For our society, we hold value as consumers. That is the logic behind her statement: we are consumers, and we believe consuming is a freedom we’ve gained. As consumers, we are targeted by credit card companies, hospitals, hotels, retailers, and beyond—plus, web companies and social media.
This mechanism has been highlighted by the pandemic too. ‘Please, get well and go back to consuming.’ Otherwise, the world stops, because modern life revolves 90% around consumption.
Consumption, per se, is not wrong. What is wrong is the blind direction it has taken, the voracious appetite for devouring everything. That ignorant way consume each product or service without any evaluation. Just because it’s advertised, because the brand is popular. Because it’s new—out with the old and in with the next. We hastily discard what we have to chase after the latest novelty, whatever it may be.
Overconsumption and the freedom to buy
We overconsume blindly, to the point of harming our planet. Which means that we, humans, aren’t really smart.
Brands, we believe we use them, but the opposite is true. They use us. Our freedom is limited to our consumption–the freedom to buy.
Active thinkers and thoughtful consumption
Active thinkers consider the long haul, so they consider their actions within a long-term vision. It’s fundamental to become conscious about what we consume and how. Unless we want to discover the consequences of our actions once the damage is a reality.
Now, more than ever, we need active thinkers—people who pause and think before consuming. Yes, think. That’s the greatest freedom we have.
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