After World War II, the public was persuaded to pull the global economy forward by becoming consumers. After 9/11, the US president, Bush, compelled the US to get out and shop, as a way to get back to normal quickly. The populous learned well. We have become expert consumers and built a world based on more and more growth. Unfortunately, we are running out of Earth and the space to put stuff.
There are several movements afoot that are challenging the consumer identity: F.I.R.E. (Financially Independent Retire Early), zero waste living, and Kondo cleaning, to name a few. Frugality is at the heart of these.
Frugality, as a virtue, is not to be prescribed to the poor and destitute, but to the rich and affluent. Our world is interconnected and has limited resources. We are becoming aware that the “orgy of consumption is obscene and immoral.” (pg 36)
“What you have and don’t need is stolen from those who need it and don’t have it.” (pg 35)
We are at a point where we can adopt frugality as a desirable virtue. We can see it as:
“…grace without waste
…a precondition of inner beauty
…a majesty of simple means
…a joy of living simply
…a judicious and discriminate use of resources.” (pg 36)
With frugality as a virtue, we can move to make the world a better place for all of us.