Consumers – They Will Always Consume
It was another one of those great weekends that I have been having a lot of lately. Shane and Julie had a great house-warming party, and the whole crew was there. It was a lot of fun, but you know me; If I can find something to blog about, I will blog about it – and it just so happens that I found something to blog about..
I know that I hang out with a well-rounded group of people. We all compliment each other well, but when discussing certain topics, we disagree. Usually, we can help each other look at both sides of an argument, but some arguments don’t seem to have 2 sides. Actually, all arguments have 2 sides, but if you try to bring up the flip-side, it falls on deaf ears.
This is how the discussion began:
Well, I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t in the conversation for the beginning of it, I kinda walked into it, and once I was in it, I had to give my 2 cents.
Little Joe and my brother (Ben) were talking about human consumption. As someone who loves to consume things, I was in! Joe was saying that human consume more than the Earth can produce, and if we don’t stop consuming, we are going to KILL the Earth. He had some statistics that seemed erroneous, and possibly false, but I’ll share them for the sake of sharing (later in this blog, not now).
Joe said that if everyone on Earth took a bike to their destination for 1 day, that the climate would dramatically change and it would start to get colder outside. I call BS on this. I mean, YES, emissions would go down, but to say that this would happen is too hard to predict. He’s not a scientist, and neither am I, so I will base my assumption on everything I know… Nothing. Therefore, nothing will happen.
I explained that humans consume everything possible. It is in our nature to consume. We consume everything; food, water, information, resources, energy, air, etc… However, once we consume everything, we naturally recycle it back into the Earth; poop, farts, pee, breathing, etc… We will never stop consuming. The only reason why we “over-consume” is because we over-produce, and we over-produce because we over-consume. It’s how we live. It’s a full circle. However, to say that people are evil because of this is just crazy. It’s like saying caterpillars are crazy for consuming trees, you have to look at the big picture. You can’t criminalize people for doing what we are intended to do.
After I said my piece, and everyone knew that my mind would not change, the topic shifted. Oh geeze, a topic shift. What’s next, a continental shift? You better believe it!
As we transitioned from climate change to global apocolypse, the convo just got better. Rynn said that there was some guy who predicted the planets alignment in 2012 would cause worldwide destruction. I’m all for it. We discussed the Mayan calendar ending in 2012, and several other things that point to 2012 for our dawn of distruction. It was an eerie conversation, but I had to call BS on this as well.
Maybe I’m just really ignorant, or maybe I am thinking too positively. This cannot be the first time the planets have ever aligned. Plus, I don’t understand how the gravitational pull from planets that are millions of miles apart would impact one-another. Joe said it was possible, and Rynn said that it doesn’t matter either way, because if it doesn’t happen, we’ll still be chillin in 2013, and I like the sound of that! But this caused a whole new discussion, and this discussion was about intelligence.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, trying to argue intellect is like trying to argue how something makes you feel. It’s all relative to many factors. Apparently, I’m missing the truth on this. I heard this quote 3 times, “True intellegence is admittance that you are not intelligent at all…” I do not agree. But just to make my point, I’m going to Webster’s Dictionary:
INTELLIGENCE:
(n) intelligence (the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience)
Now, I could be wrong, but doesn’t everyone have some level of intelligence? I mean, even at their most primitive nature, people will do what needs to be done to survive. When did the word “intelligent” get redefined by hipsters? The way I look at it is, we are all intelligent creatures. We do what we need to do to thrive and survive. This can all tie-back to the consumption conversation, and we consume because we can. We know things because we benefit from them.
My main point about intelligence is this: When did it become “unintelligent” to accept status quo, and embrace the things you cannot change? Wouldn’t THAT be the intelligent way to do things? Why do the intellectual types always make the word “intelligent” out to be something that common people don’t understand? I’ve blogged about it before, and I’ll do it again I’m sure, but still, I have never gotten an answer to my question. To say that something is nothing based on intellectual premace and philosophy is stupid. We are here, in the now, theory is theory, and reality is reality. Don’t dumb stuff down to make yourself seem more important.
Ok, the rant is over, time for highlights!
Shane is still the reigning champion of “getting low” while Ben is the 2nd place contender. I chickened out of the twinwheel at risk of crushing my brother. Rynn is an expert pool fixer, not to mention amazing ping pong player. Mike makes an excellent chollo. Shane lives really close to Savers, which made it easy to pick up a crapload of bandanas for the chollo west side party. We probably scared the Cunningham’s neighbors.
I’ll get some photos up as soon as I can get my hands on some. The party was amazing, and again a good time. It seems like every time we hang out, it’s a blast.
I hope I didn’t throw anyone under the bus too bad with this blog entry. Everyone who I mentioned are really good friends of mine, so take it with a grain of salt. I appreciate hanging out with people who have no problem expressing what they think, all I ask is that I get the same in return, and I do, so I’m ok. Plus, I love hanging out with people who give me something great to blog about!
Thanks for reading this blog!
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Tagged with: chollo • intelligence • shulie
Filed under: The Adventures of Nick Norris
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Is it monday all ready….I should just start writing my blogs in your comment section, or we can co write blogs, like finish each others sentences style, one word up top one down here, it would be like a riddle.
But I like my first idea. I am starting a blog on Nicks website called
“Down Here”
and you can find it int he comment section of Nicks newest blog, sometimes twice a week.
In todays “Down Here” I will discuss cause and effect.
Arguing intellect and anything that is above our heads, which other then drinking and jerking off, is everything, is a futile attempt in social word play (do I not sound like a totally ass hole with that sentence?)
We all know the Mayans were talking about a Sarah Palin election in 2012 being the end of the world right? Ok anyway, crazy shit may or may not have happened millennial ago, like what the fuck happened to the Dinosaurs? Huge meteor that sent dirt up to the moon? Every forest in the world simultaneously going up in flames? Jesus going Dinosaur hunter and killing them off one by one? Fuck if I know, but it was some serious shit non the less. Serious shit most likely can happen on earth, I am not counting that out. I mean if gray bearded dudes can live in the sky and shoot lighting and speak thru burning bushes, then fuck what can’t happen.
My point is, for what ever random reason 2012 was picked by some primates–errr—ancient Mexicans and some other whack jobs, some shit may go down, I don’t think it will, but hey it could. Planets all aligned and gravity and tides and pulls, it could be bad, or it could just be cool to look at in a time life magazine.
The cause and effect of humans on earth is a little different. Yes the circle of life is what keeps us all here, use, reuses, reduce, recycle or whatever that saying is, but as we advance, we are making some shit that takes longer to reuse. Naturally a forest burns down, the ash and soot are used as fertilizer for a new forest, overtime the new forest grows, provides plants and wildlife for the inhabitants, then we learned to chop these things down, well that makes the cycle a little longer because we skipped a step, then we make houses and paper with the wood, ok a new fork, but still totally life cycle, then we speed this shit up 1000 years and now we are making crazy plastics, chemicals, rubbers, silicon, uses all the forests, putting the animals in manufacturing plants, burning too much wood/coal/herb, we are stripping land of trees to make more farms, we are destroying mountains to mine more precious materials and the earth can not catch up, we are at a waaaay excellerated pace, that as designed, the earth is lagging behind. Add on top of that too many people because we figured out how to live beyond our means, but that is only temporary. We aren’t suppose to outgrow the forest by 1000x, we need to have a harmonious balance.
I don’t know, I am not a scientist.
But, intelligence, we can all learn from cause and effect, we all process information? Then why is Bashas filing for bankruptcy when walmart and costco are expanding. If people are smart they would see the upside of putting your money into a company that puts its money back into your local economy, that hires and helps non profits in your local economy, that uses local produce and eggs and milk, again helping out the local economy. walmart and Costco only benefit Arkansas and China, yeah its cheaper, but so is blow jobs from crack whores…and we all know the high price hookers don’t use teeth.
I had fun at the party. Viva La Raza!
Oh and I don’t harp on Walmart because I hate capitalism and stuff, include Frys and Safeway also, its just Walmart and Costco are king shit right now.
The point of the preo Bashas is they are local. They sell Hickmans Eggs, which are from glendale, if we are smart we would buy these eggs for 2 reasons.
A) they employee our neighbors or even you if you work at Hickmans.
B) the eggs aren’t carried 100000 miles to be cracked on your skillet, they are carried 30 miles or so, so they are fresher, less chance for weird disease and better tasting.
But we don’t, we buy based on “falling prices” and put nasty old ass eggs in our food, we feed our kids nasty old ass milk and veggies. Not smart thing to do.
Oh and I don’t harp on Walmart because I hate capitalism and stuff, include Frys and Safeway also, its just Walmart and Costco are king shit right now.
The point of the preo Bashas is they are local. They sell Hickmans Eggs, which are from glendale, if we are smart we would buy these eggs for 2 reasons.
A) they employee our neighbors or even you if you work at Hickmans.
B) the eggs aren’t carried 100000 miles to be cracked on your skillet, they are carried 30 miles or so, so they are fresher, less chance for weird disease and better tasting.
But we don’t, we buy based on “falling prices” and put nasty old ass eggs in our food, we feed our kids nasty old ass milk and veggies. Not smart thing to do.
Not a double post!!!! damn you website!!!!!!!!!!
True dat! From the top! Duo blog dudes in full effect!
I completely agree in the harmonious balance and what not, and it’s actually a dream of mine to bear witness to mass cataclysm, so I am down fo whateva. I don’t want to watch people suffer, but I sure as hell would like to watch all expectations and social norms get thrown out like a vhs tape. As far as consuming, I guess I didn’t really make my point all that clear. After readin it back, I guess I could have had more conviction.
Consumption: Regardless of what someone believes in (god, carbon waste, leprichans, Ben’s weenis), there is one true fact in life. We will consume anything that we are big enough, and bad enough, to consume. As population grows, it’s just power in numbers. Regardless of how you slice it, China will always have a population of billions, and the USA will always make them build stuff for us to play with. If China doesn’t single-handedly destroy the planet, then their hungry cousin America will. It’s inevitable, and we’re the ones who are witnessing it.
I am not hating on Walmart or Costco, its that they are top shit, throw in Frys and Safeway as well.
Buying local shit from Bashas keeps the money in Arizona, and if you buy Hickmans eggs from Bashas, you are
A Double helping AZ economy (hickmans and Bashas, B Eating fresher, newer, not fromm 10000 miles away food like Walmarts and Costcos. Think about the kids. Just not the chicken kids.
Walmart is a hungry beast, and Costco is a beast that feeds the hungrier beasts. Costco actually opitomizes the consumption point I brought up earlier. More and more people are doing ALL of their grocery shopping at places like Costco, which is crazy. Plus, it just keeps that obesity rate growing strong (pun intended). Low prices for a buttload of food makes for very satisfied customers.
Let me put it another way…
Fatter people, more consumption, bigger supermarkets, more funk to chew on, etc.. And we still wonder why Bashas, ABCO, Smitty’s, Smiths, and all of these classic grocery stores can’t survive. It’s because they can’t grow, or they are not willing to adopt the same principle changes as the BIG BOYS. I think it’s sad, but it is the way things work out. Money is another form of consumption that I didn’t want to touch in this blog post, but I should, so here’s a little ditty:
Today’s business model is all about cost cutting, without regard to quality. Companies that provide quality products/services only lose because of fickle fairweather customers. It’s not one company destroying another; it’s one company that cannot stay competative. The secret to staying in business is loyalty. The reason Bashas is going down (as unfortunate as it may be), is because they do not have that many die-hard customers, and it is not one of those chains that can base their success on location.
Location, location, location…
I bet you haven’t heard that in a while… That’s because it’s no longer relevant. Especially in a huge city like Phoenix. Every corner you can imagine has at least one or two grocery stores to choose from. Phoenix is no longer a spread with only limited grocery stores. Wal Mart “kills” the competition by being able to move wherever they want, but it’s up to the competitors to find modern ways to retain and acquire new customers, and that’s where they fall short. It’s all business.. And large corporations understand this more than “mom-and-pop” family owned companies. It’s really friggin sad. It may be sad, but you cannot hate on large corporations for being successful and smart; you hate on them for treating their employees like crap.
BTW: I buy all local produce/veggies (what I can get)/dairy/etc.. That is something that Jenni and I have always supported. Not because we are loyal supporters of local business, but it just tastes better, and that’s all I really care about (as a typical consumer). I do however support local business, it’s my milk and honey. They allow me to work. I think saving money is a pretty big deal, but I am all about quality. That’s why I drive a Toyota.
WOW, I went off on a tangent, sorry.
for every $1 spent big chains put 13 cebts back into the community locals put 45 cents, or at least that is what TV told me, but yeah, spending money on fresh/quality/impactfull purchases = way to go.
what I ment to add was also, it is more important to me as a consumer, and I feel that this is a “smart” model to follow:
Does the product have a negative impact on the environment ie: are the ingredients closest to the natural form and not unnecessarily processed, is it local or from a close distance, does the company out source or use local labor, does the company use sweat shopss.
All these things in the end do more good than me saving $75 on bananas or a damn t-shirt. Plus variety is the spice of life and with out that and competition, we are stuck with coke or pepsi, which is whack. That is way people need to start and think out side the box, as token as that is, or we are all stuck with what the BIG box has to offer, which usual negates all my consumer concerns mentioned above.