The idea that Americans should now scramble to minimize their intrusion on the earth goes against what our society was built on: consumption. What the global warming activists are calling for is no less than a total upheaval in a capitalistic system that rewards personal consumption and waste with higher social standing essentially throwing society as we know it into self-doubt and confusion. What's an upwardly mobile American supposed to do now?
Thorstein Veblen tried to spell it all out for us back at the turn of the twentieth century when he reported:"Unproductive consumption of goods is honourable, primarily as a mark of prowess and a prerequisite of human dignity."
Not that he was pro-wastefulness, he just understood it for its function in marking distinctions among barbarians--I mean, people. The wealthier you are the more you can afford to spend and waste. It's a mark of the prowess and domination of the gentle class. No respectable gentleman would stoop to scrimp and conserve resources. No, he would consume as much as possible to demonstrate his social standing. And better yet, hire as much help as affordable to care for the stuff he owns.
So according to Veblen's claim, when you are admiring my acres of perfect green lawn you are really admiring my wealth and the fact that I can hire laborers to weed, feed, and manicure my azaleas. (Ha! Dream on! My lawn is managed by the men in this household which means it has to knock on the door to asked to be cut.)
Now the do-gooders want to mess with a tried and true system and shame the haves right out of their Hummers. If the wealthy class can't exhibit their wealth though wastefulness then how else are they gonna differentiate themselves? Leary is pissed to be so assaulted and he's gonna burn the fossil fuels to show it.
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