[lbo-talk] green consumers: thieving pricks

James Heartfield Heartfield at blueyonder.co.uk
Wed Mar 17 12:00:39 PDT 2010


In my book Green Capitalism, I wrote that

'green purchasing is status affirmation. Buying green marks out consumers not just as ethically minded, but more ethically minded than others. Even more than most consumer trends, green consumer power is about social demarcation. Green goods are directly contrasted to mass consumer goods. Their identity is asserted against less ethical, mass produced goods.' ...

'greens protest against a certain kind of consumption - mass consumption. By their green consumer choices, environmentalists are demonstrating that they are better than the herd. What we have instead is green consumerism. Green consumerism does not mean consuming less than the rest. In fact it ends up meaning that you consume more. Your consumer choices are more finicky, less easily satisfied. They say something about you. They say that you are 'concerned about the planet'. The say you are more discerning. But most of all they say that you are wealthier than the people down the street.'

pp 50-51



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