Ethical Consumerism
So far, ethical consumerism also proves to be an ethical issue that has several forms. Ananya Roy describes the charity-based type that has the harmful potential of neglecting the actual reasons behind poverty (that is, the continuous, systematic exploitation) and the ethical consumerism that is aimed at the promotion of the fair trade. She demonstrates that these modern forms of ethical consumerism are not capable of resolving the problems of neoliberal globalization.
However, they could address them, provided that they are aimed at this exact end. For instance, the Starbucks agenda of promoting fair trade appears to be aimed at a change, a shift that is similar to the one advanced by Ananya Roy. In my opinion, while its activities may not completely correspond to Ananya Roy’s ideas, they definitely demonstrate the movement in the right direction: in this case, the corporate giant does not aim to provide the poor with the food; it attempts to provide them with the means of getting food while also contributing to the process of promoting equality. I tend to think that this is a very long process.
For example, the equality in the US is still not achieved, and races, nations, sex, gender, beliefs and special needs are still a ground for inequality. Ananya Roy shows that Starbucks has a lot to work at, but compared to the egoistic kind of charity-based consumerism, this type seems to be a step forward. At the same time, such charity might also be capable of fuelling the shift if it is used properly: for example, by funding the movements for human rights in developing countries.
Developing the concept and phenomenon of ethical consumerism is also a process that is most likely to be tedious and long, but it is a necessity. Starbucks and its consumers cannot (and will not) stop at this stage, but the existence of this stage indicates that the issues, which Ananya Roy dwells on, are being noticed and even addressed. This fact proves that in the future, the means of resolving the problems of neoliberal globalization are most likely to evolve.
Ananya Roy’s video
The posting about Ananya Roy’s video illustrates an important fact about this and other videos that I have watched: they tend to demonstrate the issues that are invisible and difficult to notice. The post provides an overview of Ananya Roy’s ideas and their justification, and it is difficult to disagree with the fact that they are not only logical and truthful but also insightful and provide the direction for the actions that can deal with modern consumerism issues.
The video by Gary Younge is similarly enlightening. One of the details that were of interest personally for me is the mentioning of other “Trumps,” which proves the fact that his point(s) and way of promoting them is not unique. Just like ethical consumerism (in its current forms), Trump-like reactionary responses are focusing on a scapegoat of consequence, accusing it of any predicament a politician can imagine.
Indeed, attempts to deal with the issues of the 21st century (including globalization and neoliberalization-related ones) through fostering conflict are unlikely to succeed. The problem with such scapegoats (consumerism included) is that they distract people, and the core of the issue remains hidden for many of us. In the end, we need to be enlightened about this fact before we begin to consider a course of action for the elimination of the issue. Scapegoats result in lost time and resources, and can, therefore, be considered a problem of their own.