The Way We Were

The fact over 70% of our economy is driven by consumption, you know, retail sales, is disturbing. Even more disturbing is that we seem to be fixated on an economic recovery that is dependent upon the same idea: people spending lots of money (or mostly debt) to buy several different colors of the same thing (I am guilty of the pleasure myself).

While this ramping up of consumption may have been sustainable for several decades, it clearly is not economically, environmentally, or socially sustainable for the future. We must figure out ways to enjoy our free time that don't require spending lots of money on jeans that will be thrown out in less than a month or a new Coach purse that looks just like the last one but is in a new color. As the divide between the haves and the have-nots deepens, it seems that unless we begin to save money, there will be more and more have-nots and fewer haves.

A vibrant middle class is the hallmark of a healthy democracy. People vested in their country's future. If the divide between rich and becoming poorer continues to swell, our own democratic fabric may begin to tear.

So while it is fun to speculate what swanky store will lease expensive space at the mall, it seems to me we need to have a national dialogue about the foundation of our economy. Is it Costco or Ford? Manufacturing or buying stuff? Going further into debt or having countries and people owe us money? Is this really a choice?