Happy sobriety

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Christophe
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Happy sobriety




by Christophe » 22/07/21, 01:55



Climate change, rapid and massive decline of species, continuous decline of the day of overshoot, increase in inequalities ... As social and environmental warning signals multiply, our development methods appear more and more incompatible with a positive future and sustainable.

In this context, the universally shared “volume” economic model is no longer tenable. It induces a creation of value via the increase in turnover - and profits - which necessarily involves an increase in flows (sale of goods and services) and consequently by consumption of resources.

It is therefore a matter of thinking about new production and consumption models that meet these challenges. By the vision of society that it carries, sobriety can constitute an interesting response to explore. It is still necessary to know what is behind this sometimes vague notion.

Assimilated to moderation or frugality, the notion of sobriety finds its roots in ancient philosophical and religious traditions. The subject aroused renewed interest in the twentieth century, in connection with questions on modern lifestyles, current productive and consumerist systems and their consequences on the environment, social ties and well-being.
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Less but better

Sobriety, in our daily life, generally refers to “less but better”, by linking consumption, well-being, health, environment and quality of life (and not standard of living).

The “minus” can be linked to the notion of planetary limit; it can be illustrated, for example, by the reduction in the number of products or equipment with which we surround ourselves (textiles, electronics, etc.) or the limitation of distances or kilometers traveled (tourism), etc.

The “better”, which aims to develop more “responsible” consumption of goods and services (production and acquisition of products with less impact on the environment) also raises questions with regard to its accessibility for the most disadvantaged groups.

Furthermore, the definition of “less” and “better” is made difficult by the complex distinctions between “needs” and “wants”, “essential” and “non-essential”.

(...)

An approach that challenges our lifestyles

Three difficulties can be noted here.

Our so-called developed societies are structured around access to mass consumption, a powerful vector of social inclusion, and many of our fellow citizens legitimately aspire to an increase in their standard of living.

It is difficult for an individual to adopt a sober lifestyle applied to all of our essential needs (food, equipment, travel, etc.): certain room for maneuver is directly linked to the offers as well as to the existing infrastructures, which refers to the role of companies (marketers of goods and services), local authorities and the State.

Climate change, rapid and massive decline of species, continuous decline of the day of overshoot, increase in inequalities ... As social and environmental warning signals multiply, our development methods appear more and more incompatible with a positive future and sustainable.

In this context, the universally shared “volume” economic model is no longer tenable. It induces a creation of value via the increase in turnover - and profits - which necessarily involves an increase in flows (sale of goods and services) and consequently by consumption of resources.

It is therefore a matter of thinking about new production and consumption models that meet these challenges. By the vision of society that it carries, sobriety can constitute an interesting response to explore. It is still necessary to know what is behind this sometimes vague notion.

Assimilated to moderation or frugality, the notion of sobriety finds its roots in ancient philosophical and religious traditions. The subject aroused renewed interest in the twentieth century, in connection with questions on modern lifestyles, current productive and consumerist systems and their consequences on the environment, social ties and well-being.

Less but better

Sobriety, in our daily life, generally refers to “less but better”, by linking consumption, well-being, health, environment and quality of life (and not standard of living).

The “minus” can be linked to the notion of planetary limit; it can be illustrated, for example, by the reduction in the number of products or equipment with which we surround ourselves (textiles, electronics, etc.) or the limitation of distances or kilometers traveled (tourism), etc.

The “better”, which aims to develop more “responsible” consumption of goods and services (production and acquisition of products with less impact on the environment) also raises questions with regard to its accessibility for the most disadvantaged groups.

Furthermore, the definition of “less” and “better” is made difficult by the complex distinctions between “needs” and “wants”, “essential” and “non-essential”.
The French against the myth of infinite growth

Apart from the pioneering sobriety approaches emerging at the individual and small collective levels, surveys carried out by Ademe and its partners in recent years reveal a growing desire for more responsible consumption and an aspiration to rethink our economic models.

The French consistently express a strong sensitivity to environmental issues and they are now 58% to think that we will have to modify our lifestyles to face climate change. Moreover, 88% of French people consider that we live in a society that pushes us to buy constantly and 83% of French people would like consumption to take up less space.

According to them, it would be a question of reducing it, more generally, and eliminating the superfluous in order to consume in a responsible manner. More than half of them (52%) also think that we must get out of the myth of infinite growth and completely review our economic model.

However, despite an increasingly significant sensitivity to sobriety, a majority of French people remain very attached to consumption and even want it to increase: 60% of French people wish "to be able to afford more often things that make them want" And 35% say they give in to temptation when shopping.

There is thus a strong paradox between growing aspirations for another model of society calling into question the current economic system and practices which remain largely anchored in a consumerist model.
An approach that challenges our lifestyles

Three difficulties can be noted here.

Our so-called developed societies are structured around access to mass consumption, a powerful vector of social inclusion, and many of our fellow citizens legitimately aspire to an increase in their standard of living.

It is difficult for an individual to adopt a sober lifestyle applied to all of our essential needs (food, equipment, travel, etc.): certain room for maneuver is directly linked to the offers as well as to the existing infrastructures, which refers to the role of companies (marketers of goods and services), local authorities and the State.

Moreover, the omnipresence of advertising messages in our daily environment complicates any approach aimed at detaching oneself from frenzied consumption.

There is also the risk that divisions appear within our society between several populations: the most disadvantaged who cannot access consumption as they would like versus the richest who often have an ostentatious lifestyle. The most eager to change who can afford it versus those who aspire to consume more, regardless of their income level.

The link between sobriety and quality of life, health, conviviality and personal development therefore remains to be highlighted for a part of the population, as do the issues of inequality which cannot be ruled out.

(...)


Full article: https://theconversation.com/quelle-plac ... vie-150814
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Janic
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Re: Happy sobriety




by Janic » 22/07/21, 08:27

the first of the sobrieties is interior and not only focused on consumer goods mainly considered in this article. Indeed the race for these external goods is only the reflection of this internal lack which is artificially compensated by material goods and its always more ...! caused, in large part, by the breakdown of the family structure
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izentrop
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Re: Happy sobriety




by izentrop » 22/07/21, 09:08

83% of French people would like consumption to take up less space.
However, despite an increasingly significant sensitivity to sobriety, a majority of French people remain very attached to consumption and even want it to increase: 60% of French people want "to be able to afford more often things that make them want" "
As long as we have not solved this paradox and we are not at all on the way, "happy sobriety" will only remain a utopia. :frown:

We believe we are slowing the advance towards the resource wall and climate change, but consumerism is pushing us ever faster towards a dead end ... for the Zumans ... Life will resume its course in another way .. .
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Ahmed
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Re: Happy sobriety




by Ahmed » 22/07/21, 11:11

This paradox is only apparent, because sobriety has no meaning within a social configuration based on its opposite ...
Wanting to modify behavior in this direction is doomed to failure, since it is like trying to get a "steamer" used to gradually going without fuel ... A constrained and socially oriented sobriety seems, on the other hand, much more in line with the present reality: the increase in inequalities explains it.
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