The idea that we are worse off because we can, in theory, go too far is total nonsense. Consumption is not modern slavery, it is the result of free choice.
This is an opinion submission from a reader like you. We consider all submissions.
I think the best way to open this article is with a little conversation I saw on Twitter awhile ago. It started on 1/18/2020 when CNN reported the following:
“Millennials are on track to be the first generation not to exceed their parents in terms of job status or income, studies show.”
Of course, the idea that this generation has it worse off than ever is nonsense. People live longer, happier, and healthier lives than there parents. The only thing they’re behind on is raw dollars adjusted for inflation, which has nothing to do with purchasing power.
Senator Bernie Sanders saw this and tweeted the following:
“I refuse to accept an economy where our younger generations have a lower standard of living than their parents.
“That’s not what America is about.
“That is why we’re going to build an economy that works for all, not just the wealthy and massive corporations.”
Even if this is true, I should note, that still means this generation has better living standards than all but one generation throughout history. 2nd place really isn’t all that bad if this is the result.
David Berstein saw this and responded with the following:
“When I was a kid there was no internet. No Amazon, no Instagram, no streaming. For that matter, most people didn’t have VHS ($1,000 for a player), and there were no DVDs or CDs. No cell phones. 50 cents/min to call grandma. The idea that kids live worse today is ludicrous.”
A fellow named Michael Shindler then chose to put David in his place with this quip:
“‘When I was a kid I could barely CONSOOOOOOOOM’ [sic]”
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m addicted to calling my grandmother. Seriously, I think I need serious mental help.
This brings me to what I call the anti-consumption cult, the group of people who believe you should do as little consuming as possible to remain alive and no more. These people believe we consume too much as it is, which is true depending on the situation. However, the examples these people point to are often nonsense.
For instance, these guys love showing the videos of thousands of people lined up to buy an IPhone. Yet, these videos always take place in big cities. Sure, in a place like New York City, thousands will line up for the next IPhone. However, that city has a population of over 8 million. Where are the lines around the block in Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, or Rhode Island? In fact, in many of those places Apple ends up sending too many IPhones and the first shipment stays in the store for weeks.
You see these same people post images that just say “consume product and get excited for next product,” but what product are they getting excited for? A new season of a good TV Show? A great sequel to a favorite film or book? Something that could enrich their lives in a way they never saw before? These people mock IPhones, yet, I promise you almost all of them use a mobile phone of some kind.
Where this especially becomes worrisome is in regards to food. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Carnivore Aureius, also known as The Meat Philosopher. His main belief that humans should only eat meat and never eat fruits, vegetables, and sugar. Of course, I could go into how John Yudkin was laughed out of the room for similar beliefs, but you know.
Here’s a Tweet from him on the subject of fasting:
“Fasting is the ultimate f*** you to society.
“Everything around you preaches mindless consumption.
“6 meals a day. Bread before the main course. Snacks on the airplane.
“Junk food. Junk news. Junk relationships.
“Fasting is the antidote to this madness.”
For the record, the only people who are told to eat six meals a day are people with type-two diabetes, and even then those meals are suppose to be smaller than average.
Appetizers started as a way to make sure the meals in question were also balanced. It does no good to eat only one kind of protein because you’ll end up deficient in the long run of every other form. This is one thing meat based diets do actually do quite well, so I’d assume The Meat Philosopher would know this.
For those who do not know what fasting is, it’s when you ignore your body telling you it’s hungry for a certain period of time and refuse to eat. I know what you’re thinking, isn’t that anorexia? To which the answer is, only if you do it for long enough.
I’m not a proponent of fasting for a couple of reasons, the biggest one being it goes against what your body is telling you. In truth, your body knows what’s good for it better than a guy on Twitter, a book, or even a guy in a white coat with a PhD.
Some may point to heroine addicts as an example of people who have bodies that do not know what is best for them, but this example is misleading. The body of a heroine addict isn’t telling them to do heroince, but telling them to deal with the symptoms of withdrawal. Withdrawal is actually very dangerous, and could lead to the death of a junky if they are not careful. Luckily, we live in a time and a place where medication can counter the symptoms of withdrawal and cause a junky to not need heroine to function. Again, dealing with an issue is not always as simple as “do one of the things that makes it stop.”
Some may say this proves the point of the fasters. However, they miss the point. I ask, what medication can you take that removes, not just your feelings of hunger, but your need to eat altogether?
One of the main causes of obesity is greedy fat cells. Basically, you getting less energy from food than most of the population. As such, you are fat because you’re eating more, but you’re eating more because you’re hungry more because you need to eat more.
Do you want the secret to getting into an ideal weight group? Eat when you’re hungry and drink when you’re thirsty, no more and no less.
For more information on this topic specifically, I’d recommend watching Tom Naughton’s film Fat Head.
In truth, the method of the philosopher to assume all consumption is bad is just nonsense. In truth, the idea that there would not only be obese people, but an epidemic of them, would have been evidence of a utopia just a few generations ago.
A few posts ago, I talked about “good economy problems,” issues people only seem to have when the economy is doing fine. Obesity is a prime example of that, as is over consumption. The fact is, the idea that we even have the choice to over-consume makes this the best time in human history to be alive. The idea that we are worse off because we can, in theory, go too far is total nonsense. Consumption is not modern slavery, it is the result of freedom of choice.
I dare these people to go to a place like Ethiopia and say that the US is worse because we have a nation of fat people and consumption. They would love your nation of fat people, many of them are starving to death.
Do you have a response to this article? Would you like to offer your own take on this topic? Feel free to submit your own article or offer a comment below.
Ephrom Josine is a libertarian political blogger/commentator, and a frequent contributor to The Liberty Hawk. In 2019, he published his first book Ramblings Of A Mad Man: Life As An Anarchist. You can find him on Twitter @EphromJosine1, writing near-daily on Medium @ephromjosine or weekly on Freedom First Blog.