I guess I’ll consume the state mandated amount of treats and feel bad about it in a manner I’m prescribed to feel guilty about. That’s makes me a morally good person. I consume the right amount which is too much but I flagellate myself which its okay.

  • AHopeOnceMore [he/him]B
    ·
    1 year ago

    A bit of asceticism is nice, imo. In the imperial core, so much socialization centers on what you buy or plan to buy, it's good to reclaim some of your time. It's easy to have much of a consumer mindset, imo, at which point it becomes corrosive.

    Another benefit is that it tends to mean you spend less money, and it's always nice to have a larger emergency fund (or less debt).

    But there's no moral prerogative that matters around a lot of consumption, or at least not one that is practical to identify. Have solidarity with boycotts, go vegan, etc, but don't beat yourself up if you buy a single treat because it truly doesn't make a noticeable impact outside of your own mental well-being. Solving the problems of capitalism requires organized action, not sporadic individual boycotts.