Consumers of Anti-Consumerism: Anti-Capitalists in a New Age

In the new millennia where there is nothing left to explore, no need to hunt or gather, and with no other means to differentiate people without being called racist, there is but no choice to formulate an identity with what you do, how you dress, what you drive, and how well you interact among social groups. This is the definition of consumerism and it's takeover of North American markets for the past century and a half; but in the wake of the 21st century, the view of this kind of lifestyle was taken into the bigger picture and analyzed by consumers who then decided that they would protest the way of life for the middle class. In Andrew Heath and Joseph Potter's article "The Rebels Sell," Heath and Potter scrutinize the hypocrisy of the anti-consumerist in the capitalist market, poking fun at the idea that they claim to be anti-consumerist but do not understand the nature of consumerism at all.

By way of example, Heath and Potter's use of Fight Club as a model for anti-consumerist popular culture of the time had "critiqued consumer society" or simply put "noticed that everyone aimlessly follows capitalist values and buys the things they want instead of what they need." Well isn't it human nature to only desire the things that we don't already have? This sub-culture of following (or not following) the protesting of consumer society stands alone in the balance and creates a brand image of itself by essentially targeting large corporations that run the markets and the governments because of how badly money corrupts. It’s stupid to say that one is a bad person for buying the want they want to make them happy. We try to talk about this like it's a social issue when it isn't but is rather the progress of society that drives and motivates people to work, to produce, and create new and innovative things every single day. When one person buys something big and expensive for any reason even if it's "just because they can," that item which they've longed for is now theirs even if they've worked the worst job to get it. In turn, they having done so will have little to no effect on your life so why bother? Why should this be frowned upon? Someone's got to get the job done. Without capitalist consumerism, there's no way modern society would be as creative, widespread, ravished with luxury products available on demand. Surely there's a way to keep everything we buy new and edgy with class and style to continually urging us to burn our hard-earned cash while keeping the profiting governments and corporations in check. Unfortunately the world doesn't work that way.

As for protesting capitalism, let’s not leave it in the hands of the Anarchists responsible for the damage we see at events such as the G20 summit in Toronto or the playoffs in Vancouver. Breaking windows is not in the spirit of anti-consumerism but is rather just costing everyone more tax dollars to fix. How exactly is a protest like this organized? Through consumer products like iPhones, smart phones, laptops, and social media outlets; the most glorified and media exploited products to date. Why are people angry? Because everyone likes to by these consumer products that make people rich? At this point I cannot help but shrug at the paradox that I am faced with.

People always aim to make a profit, no matter how little or large. In the wake of the consumer society that everyone finds themselves trapped in, there is no escaping the media consumption that defines what is special and what isn't, what's what, and who is who. It is simply something that we all have to go along with. If one dares to challenge the cruel perspective cycle of capitalism, their own will become idolized and in turn very popular. What does very popular mean? It means very easy to make money from. We sell the image ourselves whether intended or not.

The anti-consumerist culture may some contradictory to its motives and even somewhat silly, yet at the same time, this sub-culture within society is comprised of individuals who seek more than just material satisfaction. They demand more out of their lives, their jobs, and those around them. What they're looking for to make them happy may never come, probably because they don't carry it on the shelves at Wal-Mart or because it's difficult to find a good Fight Club. Even in the shadows of the corporate-run society we maintain our separate identities hanging by the threads of our made-in-china $100 jeans because we cannot seem to find any other way due to mainstream media irrelevancy. 

Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground Sex Trade

After reading Julian Sher's article "Sex Trafficking: A National Disgrace" which pointed out the ignorance of Canadians to this on-going problem that occurs in their own backyards, it was clear to me that, this, like any other national issue that constitutes a "social problem" has the federal government looking the other way. Julian had raised the points that a crime such as this is handled too leniently compared to the United States which has task forces specially trained to handle crimes involving the prostitution of immigrants, children, and women but why doesn't Canada? Does living here somehow mean that just because we free and live in a well developed society that these sort of things don't happen here?

Obviously, we'd be pretty naive and stupid to think that if it were the case. It would be like assuming something doesn't happen behind a closed door. But why doesn't anyone do anything about it? Because, we're a society built on the idea that we're safe, living in a country where things like the sex trade isn't portrayed on the news every night, we're not haggled in the streets being asked if we want erotic massages or to "be loved long time." Instead, we believe awful crimes such as these go on in far away countries and only hear stories. There was even one Canadian named Benjamin Perrin, a faculty of law at the University of British Columbia and a notable hero acting towards helping sex trade victims and putting an end to the sex trade itself in Columbia was unaware of the crime back home until he recently heard of the sex trade in his Calgary hometown. His book, "Invisible Chains" from which Sher bases his facts and article from, aims at awareness for this ongoing issue that is being ignored.

The fact is, these people come to Canada or move to another city in Canada looking for a new life but are swindled and manipulated by the people who claimed to have helped them achieve that goal. These, like the youth of the skinhead culture, are misguided and unwanted. With little self-esteem and an authority/parent figure, these youth eventually feel like they belong within a sub-culture such as the sex trade where they rely on their pimps to take care of them. It is because of this that these youth and immigrants feel they have no choice because they have been coerced and threatened into staying in business.

I think that as Canadians living with the issue for such an extended period has only added to the ignorance that plays a major role in the sex traffic culture. The fact that this sort of thing goes unnoticed everyday in the city streets is saying something about Canadian culture itself. I don't believe that people are accepting of atrocities such as this but rather accept the idea that it simply cannot happen here. Well, it simply does, and there's very little that's being done about it. Like any sub-culture within a society, there are numerous factors and similarities that bring groups of people together for a reason whether or not they do it willingly. At the same time, the sub-culture of sex trafficking has very different motives than any other sub-culture that we have looked at. It is cruel, immoral, and extremely unfortunate that this sort of crime is not well-aware. The sex trafficking sub-culture of Canada is massive and country-wide. Canadians are sold for money online and in-person and yet, the one's who are victimized are subjecting themselves to this continually because of a sought after solution as to who's going to look after them. After years of ongoing sex trading on Canadian soil, it is time that people not only stop at awareness, but take action against the underground sex trade in Canada. We can thank authors and activists like Benjamin Perrin for helping us do that.