3 ms·

Sure, but as OP said, consumers are short sighted. Communal issues will always be secondary to immediate personal issues.

• PaulDavisThe1st 2y ago
  Consumers are short sighted. On this we can agree. But are they short sighted because they are taught to be short sighted, or is this some irrevocable aspect of the human condition? If you grow up in a society that emphases the virtues of individuality and deemphasises the impact of the social/group condition upon your own lived experience, it's not really surprising that you'd rate "immediate personal issues" above "communal" ones.
  • hooverd 2y ago
    Consumers want to eat cake and lose weight. I think "the tragedy of the commons" isn't universal. It's an argument for enclosure. But the commons can be run over by people who don't believe in communal good and instead want to be doing the enclosure.
  • campbel 2y ago
    Good points. Social reinforcement could play a role as well, e.g. is it frowned upon to engage in certain consumer behaviors.
    • PaulDavisThe1st 2y ago
      Not just frowned upon. Think about the difference it would make if everyone was more aware of the personal cost to them of poverty, homelessness and so forth? In the current world, living in a place that doesn't do things the way the US does can accomplish this (at least temporarily).