comics for sad rules
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_for_Sad_Children
In some ways “outdated”, too edgy, but in some details maybe even more relevant today than it originally was.
(1/3 of humanity having no electricity is a bit exaggerated, in 2000 it was 1/5.)
Here’s the thing, I don’t think the comic is Wrong. I tend to agree that consumption as an identity is fairly shallow and not particularly noble or beneficial to the enrichment of society or the individual.
However the comic falls short by only attacking one specific consumption hobby / identity. What about buying new trendy water bottles every season, or hobby dabbling, or movie buff, or social media scroller. Ultimately consumption as a whole is a pale reflection of production. Building, making, memeing, writing, exercise, photography, model building, Lego, Minecraft, Factorio. Helping others, volunteering, building relationships. These are the activities that enrich us and those around us.
This is why travel to sit in a hotel is fine and a little shallow and you’ll have forgotten all about it in ten years. Travel and stay in a hostel and meet cool weird people in the common area and you’ll remember them for the rest of your life.
Of course one can’t produce all day every day. The person that only ever produces will burn out, and lose a sense of why they produce. Consumption and production should be balanced. I’m the first one to crash on the sofa and watch some Star Trek after a long day at the digital mines.
At least this is my philosophy.
I don’t think work is production, hobby model building gives more production satisfaction.
Community labor gives satisfaction and benefits the community.
Productive labor gives satisfaction and benefits yourself.
Capitalist labor gives tokens instead of satisfaction and benefits the capitalist.
Under capitalist labor we consume using tokens to buy various forms of satisfaction, which turn hollow in our spirits leaving us hungry for more.
~Ranting MadWoman