Earlier this week on American Public Media’s Marketplace, I heard an excellent interview with James Gustave Speth, Dean of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. The ideas presented in the interview, Taking Stock: Rethinking Consumerism, support many of the concepts I have been writing about in Empowered by Play. Speth talks about over-consumption and how it doesn’t lead to happiness. He is hoping the recession gives us a chance to reinvent ourselves in a happier, more family-friendly, sustainable way of life. He reminds us that people find pleasure in giving, not in receiving. Hmmm…a simple, yet vital message in these consumer-driven times! Here is a quote from the interview (emphasis added):
SPETH: The great hope I have is that we won’t just recover. That we will reinvent. That we will change the nature, to a large degree, of what our economy is all about. What I would like to see, personally, is some set of policies put in place which would have the effect of both curtailing our consumption, and at the same time improving Welfare. So what things would do that? Certainly, taking more time in leisure, having a shorter work week, longer vacations. Greater labor protection, greater job security. Some restrictions on advertising. The Swedish ban on advertising directed at children is something we should consider seriously. You can click here to read or listen to the entire interview.
I’ve been thinking that the current recession offers a unique opportunity to help restore imaginative play…in that simple toys and recreation are often more affordable and sustainable than the flashy, electronic and battery operated entertainment that is so pervasive today. It is terrific to hear that message in mainstream media!
For more thoughts, here are some of my related posts:
Gender-neutral toys: Good for your wallet good for your kids
Two Good Reasons to Cut the Cable and Family Game Night…unplugged .
Interesting. Do kids who grow up always needing the shiny new toy advertised on TV grow up to be people who drive huge/fast/fancy cars? Perhaps learning how to make smart consumer choices should happen at a young age.