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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Not a consumer

We are referred to as consumers. Maybe the upside of a failing economy will be the death of that term.

I’d like to be thought of as a citizen again.

Even better, how about calling me a human being?

Consumer is a terrible term -one who uses up goods and services. I don’t know about you, but that’s not the first thing I’d like people to think of me -a user, destroyer, and waster. The implications are harsh.

Citizen is better. A citizen belongs in a country. Certain rights and responsibilities apply. What sounds better, consumer or citizen? In my book citizen is the clear winner.

For me, it’s best to be known as a human being. Humans have natural rights, just for being human. Some countries may codify some of those rights into laws, but they don’t grant them. Those rights are the birthright of all humans.

Since I think of myself as a human being first, those natural rights are a major part of my identity. It beats the heck out of thinking of myself as a buyer and user of stuff.

-Sixbears

6 comments:

  1. I AM NOT A NUMBER!

    Consumer is still better than being called a fucking traitor, which is exactly what happened to anyone who disagreed with Shrub's policies.

    A huge example of projection by those folks in my opinion.

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  2. Sixbears, I'm with you on this, as "consumer" tends to have connotations of "parasite"

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  3. There is definitely a confusion purveyed into the minds of American citizens by the corporate media. A right can't be granted or denied. The right to travel by the day's modern conveyance, the right to eat, the right to co-habitat with another person and have children, share food - these are all rights. Your right(s) can be denied, however. And that is what we progressively see in a fascist society, increasing denial of rights.

    Will

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  4. I couldn't agree with you more about this "label!"

    Human being sounds a lot better!

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  5. Human being. "Citizen" implies consent to control by a governmental body. Semantics, I know... But to me it's an important distinction. I am a "free range" human being : )
    I wish more CONNEDsumers would realize what's actually happening to them.

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  6. I have a related peeve on this topic. When I AM a consumer? I'd like to be treated like one, thank you. A fabric store I frequent as seldom as possible has had the noxious habit of referring to customer/consumers as "Guests". I am not a guest. Guests do not PAY for whatever privilege they are getting.

    All this euphemistic bullshit makes me want to bite someone. Or have I been living with my pet weasels too long?

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