BORED? THEN BUY THE NEXT BIG THING!

Now here’s an interesting article:

"It's time for 'the next big thing'" [Aardvark, 15 January 2013]

This is another article from my favourite blogger. And the reason he’s my favourite blogger, is that he makes me think.

To summarise, Aardvark says there is a decline in Facebook and Twitter numbers, and sales of iPhones are falling – “so what’s the next big thing?”

What is interesting for me is, not “what’s the next best thing?” but “why have people become bored with the last big thing?” I think that says volumes about our consumerist, disposable society. In order for capitalism to survive, it must grow. In order for capitalism to grow, it must produce more to sell. In order for capitalism to sell, it must take market share away from the competition, or convince consumers to buy more. If capitalism can’t do that, it must convince consumers to throw out what they used to have, for the new product – the “next big thing.” And that, my friends, is the root of the problem with our throw-away society.

As I write, I’m listening to my children bickering over whose-is-whose Lego. I am badgered by whines of how it’s THEIR Lego, and how their siblings can’t play with it: “I don’t have much Lego!” “It’s MY Lego,” and “I need MORE Lego!” Bikes, board games and rugby balls are all forgotten, because the “next big thing” is The Hobbit Lego - or something else. The result of all that high-powered marketing, product saturation and brand power, is that my children grow bored with what they have. Or they can never have enough. And us "adults" are little better.

However, the whining over the Lego makes me realise that our children are the most vulnerable to capitalism’s incessant pushing. Children are continually bombarded by messages to “buy, buy, BUY!” Owning becomes more important that playing. Even if “responsible” parents shield them from some of the obvious marketing, capitalism finds insidious ways to constantly shove their wares down our children’s throats; product placement, multiple billboards, sponsorship and peer pressure. Remember, we parents are trying to educate our children to resist these messages of “Buy now!” at the same time as trying to resist these messages, ourselves!

Even if the marketers aren’t saying directly, “Throw out your old product,” they are most certainly persuading us we should be bored with it. You see, we need to buy “The Next Big Thing” in the name of corporate growth.

My wife’s uncle has a great phrase; “Capitalism loves consumers.” No it doesn’t. Capitalism doesn’t even respect consumers. Capitalism sees consumers as a body to pillage and exploit with intelligence-insulting advertising and brand saturation. Call me old fashioned, but that’s not what you do to people you love or respect.

So what’s the “next big thing?” Who cares? If we’re bored, maybe it’s time to enjoy what we already have. And perhaps that means our children - without their new Lego. So now I’m off to enjoy a good old-fashioned board game with my kids.