Fluent Essays

On Thu, Sep 13, 2018 at 4:39 AM Alice Walker <[email protected]> wrote: The treadmill of consumption, Globalization, and Global Warming To give you background on this chapter, here is a brief synopsis of Bell’s ideas: Bell uses a metaphor of treadmills to explain why we in the modern world produce so much and consume so much, and yet end up less happy and more polluted than people who lived before industrialization. The Treadmill of Production is caused by the nature of capitalism. A firm must produce something to sell in order to make profit. That firm competes against other firms who are also trying to make profit. The easiest way to make profit is to cut costs, so both firms begin to pay workers less money, and at the same time produce more goods to sell, in order to compete successfully to make profit. Thus workers are losing out on pay, while at the same time the firms are making more and more stuff, which causes pollution (factories emit carbon into the air, chemicals into the land and water, etc) and uses massive amounts of energy in the form of fossil fuels to make the stuff. But neither firm can jump off the treadmill, because capitalism is based on profit – if you don’t make profit you fail. So both firms run faster and faster on the treadmill, producing more and more to make profit, and polluting more and more in the process. But those firms cant keep running on their treadmills unless people buy their products. And that is where the treadmill of consumption comes in. The chapter that is available is all about that. So read the whole chapter first, then come back and think about these questions. What does Bell mean when he talks about the treadmill consumption? How do the social desires for goods translate into consumption? Think about the ways social status influences this treadmill, and use Veblen’s insights to illustrate. How do these two treadmills (which operate together to keep each other going) create environmental problems? Now put it all together in terms of a global economic system. Think about the interconnection of our global economy, and discuss how these treadmills are running at the global level. How is global warming an outcome of this system (or, another way to ask it is, how does this system cause global warming?) Application/Research: given the way these treadmills operate, how do we change this? How do we jump off them, or get on new ones? Think of two possible ways we could change the way we live that would give us more happiness while at the same time reducing the social and environmental damage caused by global capitalism. Make sure you explain how your suggestions meet the problems you detailed in your answers above.  This could be specific to the country you are researching, or more general ideas for everyone. Running head: TREADMILL OF CUNSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION 1 TREADMILL OF CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION 2 The Treadmill of Consumption, Globalization, and Global Warming Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation The Treadmill of Consumption, Globalization, and Global Warming What does Bell mean when he talks about the treadmill consumption? How do the social desires for goods translate into consumption? When Bell explores the concept of treadmill consumption he is postulating that individuals tend to envy and strive to consume more goods and wants to realize their acceptance of happiness. Yet this in most cases is not always the case. In his argument, he indicates that money can never be the route to saintliness or happiness. Consumption in the case of treadmill consumption can, therefore, be associated with individuals that try to emulate highly paid people in the world such as Steve Jobs, Lebron James or Bill gates to impress others and make them happy. In other words, he employs this metaphor to give reasons why individuals in the modern era tend to a year for more production and in the process, consume so much yet by the end of the day, people will remain less happy and more polluted when compared to the individuals who lived before industrialization. How do these two treadmills (which operate together to keep each other going) create environmental problems? Both treadmill production and treadmill consumption work side by side to maintain the economic balance since the consumers are required to ensure that the rates of production are kept at bay. For instance, just like in any other economic situation, there can be no supply if there is no demand. Nevertheless, it is also important to note that there is no one who tends to check on the implications of this production and consumption on the environment. Apparently, the easiest way that this firm tends to increase their net revenues is to check on their costs and in the process, they commence paying their workers less money. As the workers are posing good salaries whereas the firms are continuing to increase their production lines which in the process causes pollution. The pollution is caused by the increased emission of carbon into the environment and chemicals into water and on land. Besides, they also employ massive levels of fossil fuel and energy. Despite all these, no company is willing to move away from the treadmill since they focus on the capitalism where if they do not increase their net revenues, they fail which makes them increase their production lines to realize more profit hence causing more pollution. How does this system cause global warming? It is accepted that as long as consumers tend to indicate their social power through the application of conspicuous consumption. It is believed that the levels individuals need to make visible statements of authority and control will tend to continue. Individual are never satisfied with whatever they possess and everyone in the modern era tends to correlate the amount of what they own with their social statistics in the global world that never seems to comprehend the value and importance of morals and norms. As such, as the need for constitution increases so is the treadmill production. There cannot be any demand without supply which makes most firms to also engage in treadmill production. Increase in production results in an increase in consumption of energy which in the process results in the emission of harmful gases and carbon into the air. It is this gases that result in global warming hence causing climate change around the globe. Application The modern-day economic levels are extremely dysfunctional from an environmental perspective. As such, there is proof that indicates that greater efficiency in consumption and production can help reconcile the unending environmental and economic sustainability revolves around a wish as opposed to analysis and evaluation of the implication. As such, there need to be fundamental configurations on the treadmill production aiming at configuring production in basic ways. The focus on political, collective and dialectical change and the orientation of the dysfunctional role of modern inequalities may play an instrumental role in intersecting challenges of treadmill production and consumption. As such, individuals need to analyze the theory of demand and supply and comprehend when enough production and consumption means enough. Encouraging environmental sustainable practices in production and supply channels may also help curb the problem of global warming and climate change.