Consumerism and Christmas
7 hours ago:
Consumerism goes against information and poisons the Web, ruins the streets we walk in, even causes people to have feuds. When we went to London several times this year we saw a common denominator in most places: Consumerism! The National Gallery is so overcrowded. It feels like walking into a football stadium on matchday. On the way in and out you need to walk through a store (some airports became like this too, the path towards gates goes through - yes, inside - actual stores).
Well, it's not like it's so much better up here in Manchester, including Manchester Airport. Consumerism exist here too, but we're not flooded by tourists (overtourism in London became big enough an issue to warrant travellers tax and that does not stop in London [1, 2]).
Consider making this December about sharing, family and Christmas (if you celebrate it), not consumerism.
When industry reigns over society and profitability becomes paramount culture is at risk. Solidarity obstructs spendings (it transcends such superficialities) and overworked people start to find "work-life" balance. If they become healthier and live longer it means to industry that there are more "unproductive" pensions to look after.
Many of us yearn for prior decades when December was about family, not shopping. █