Monday, February 09, 2004
consume the body
jez commented “the biggest pity is that Borders is such a bad model if you’re concerned about justice, muliplicity and diversity or the local and the specific. I won’t bleat on about Borders’ purchasing policies nor about the impact of Borders on small business and local community but whatever Borders might be it is hardly the kind of organic, local, just community i’m looking for to nourish my spirit”
We all consume. We can’t live without consumption. Some then become aware of the impact of their consuming on the third world, on the local, on the diverse. But we are all still enmeshed in a web of consumption. We need a third way, a theology of consumer resistance.
We need the 10 commandments of a healthy consumption
consume no logo
consume fair trade
consume adbusters
consume organic
consume no meat
consume shade coffee
consume 5 loaves, 2 fish and have 12 bags of waste
consume the body of Christ …
)
David Lyon makes a similar comment about consumerism in his helpful book on postmodernity. He notes that not only do our bodies consume things but that our bodies are also consumed in contemporary society. I was struck by this when I watched an episode of “Extreme Makeover” – people watching other people consume themselves.
How can the body of Christ “eat” in our world?
Comment by Stephen — February 9, 2004 @ 9:40 am
noticed that Stephen Said uses ‘consumption’ in the same way you do – to do with consumerism. Is this a down-under language thing? (in the UK consumption is an old-fashioned word for TB.)
Comment by maggi — February 10, 2004 @ 11:33 am