-------- Forwarded message -------- Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 17:55:34 -0400 From: Island Press <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: ECO-COMPASS, 6/10/99--Redefining the American Dream REDEFINING THE AMERICAN DREAM: Our Consuming Desires and the Quest for a More Sustainable Society http://www.islandpress.org/ecocompass/dream.html To have and have not: that is the essence of consumerism in America and the engine of Western capitalism�to experience a moment when the acquisition of what George Carlin calls "stuff" brings you to an epiphany of sobbing because its very being, and the act of acquiring itself, reminds you off the stuff you do not have, or do not have yet. The thrill of the present drags you into the want of the past and then propels you into prayers for the future. The stuff is there and not there. Consider the following: 1. In a recent survey, 15% of American consumers surveyed responded that they would be happy "living a comfortable life," while 35% sought to reach the top 6% of the income distribution, and another 49% aspired to the next 12%. 2. The level of income needed to "fulfill one's dreams" doubled between 1986 and 1994 and now totals over twice the U.S. median income. 3. Since 1980, American household savings has declined, and there has been an increase in credit card debt, shoplifting, and violent crime carried out to obtain status goods such as athletic shoes, leather jackets, and designer sunglasses. 4.Working hours in the U.S. have increased over the past 20 years. 5.The 1997 household savings rate was the lowest in 60 years. 6.By mid-1997, the total debt of all American households had reached 89% of total household income. 7.TV viewing hours have increased 50% since the mid-60s and currently constitute up to 40% of adults' free time. 8.The average North American requires about 5 hectares of land to support food, housing, transportation, and other consumer needs. 9.China, a rapidly industrializing nation, currently has 680 people per car and 1.2 billion citizens, while the U.S. has 1.7 people per car. 10.Ecologists estimate that it would take three planets Earth to provide an American standard of living to the entire world. Yet it is that standard of living to which the whole world aspires. These statistics illustrate a striking paradox: that during this time of virtually unparalleled prosperity, American culture is slowly being consumed by its own consumptive impulses. As described in Consuming Desires http://www.islandpress.org/books/bookdata/consumdes.html, the American pursuit of happiness is defined by a seemingly insatiable desire to consume; and as in the Greek myth of Tantalus, the act of consuming, and of yearning for more, is destined to lead only to greater unhappiness. Further, our patterns of consumption, and the justifiable emulation of these patterns by citizens around the world, pose a host of global environmental threats that raise daunting issues of equity, economics, and international security, among others. Consuming Desires, edited by Roger Rosenblatt, offers a rich and varied dialogue on the underlying roots of consumer culture and its pervasive impact on the world around us; essays by Jane Smiley, William Greider, Alex Kotlowitz, Bill McKibben, David Orr, and others provide a cohesive range of thoughtful perspectives. In addition to these essays, Eco-Compass has uncovered a thought-provoking cornucopia of columns, articles, papers, and online resources that examine western consumption habits in the context of demographic and economic trends, global population, and the pursuit of happiness. Please visit http://www.islandpress.org/ecocompass/dream.html for on-line access to these resources as well as a fully hyperlinked version of this feature and the archive of all our Eco-Compass features. _____________________________________________________________ To subscribe to Eco-Compass send an e-mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message, type: subscribe islandpress-l To unsubscribe to Eco-Compass send an e-mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message, type: unsubscribe islandpress-l ________________________ Eco-Compass by Island Press The Environmental Publisher 1 800 828 1302 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.islandpress.org
