by lana lynne on 5-26-09"Delusional consumerism" is a good way to describe the fruitless endeavors of the economically privileged to stay fashionable with trends that exist solely from the physically, ecologically, and mentally toxic practices of corporations.
Charty Durrant's Resurgence article, "The Tyranny of Trends," looks at the evolution of fashion through the lens of consumerism -- how the artistry of "adornment and embellishment" has devolved to a system dependent on self-obsession, worker exploitation, and ecological degradation. As people blindly consume the never-ending rotation of trends, the bigger picture becomes subsumed by the chase. Meanwhile, Durrant points out, the desire for distressed denim is leaving Tehuacán, in Mexico, with extraordinary land and water pollution. In a similar vein, China must deal with 80% of their water supply destroyed from feeding westerners' "need" for cheap clothing.
Criticism of consumerism, and fashion in particular, is nothing new. But posting this article after one about the "economics of poverty" beautifully underscores the illusory quality of modern consumerism.
Continue reading Durrant's article >>>
nice complementary posts!
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