Tuesday 9 November 2010

Globalisation

While there are some parts of globalisation that I love such as the web and the access to blogs from round the world there are other parts that worry me.

Today in the UK there is an unrealistic expectation that cheap clothing will be relatively available and accessible to all.  What happens if we actually start paying living wages to the workers who produce these clothes?  Hello could we afford to buy the clothes we buy today and would we be looking down on those men and women who have the traditional skills of sewing, knitting and general crafting.  Could we afford to buy the status goods like the ipod and ipad?

Would the knitted garment or object made with someone's love and effort be more respected?  Would my daughter actually stop using the floor as her storage locker - Nope she is a teenager and what would be surprising is if she actually picked up her clothes. 

Why do we today not value handmade and homemade unless it is from elitist fashion brands?  What about the ethics of Fashion Brands?  Do we really need to be global consumerists?  Do we really value the labour of those who make the clothes and objects in our homes to pay them the value for their labour?

Ebay mentions that there is some 50 something shopping days left to Christmas.  Is it really necessary to have all those new gadgets and items?  Think about your Christmas expenditure and the true meaning of the season.

2 comments:

  1. There is pressure to consume, isn't there? That's why I'm not a fan of 'mother's day' or 'father's day' ... it's just an excuse for us to spend money. Though I'm guilty of spending a fortune on clothes etc ... but that has changed since children ... I must say, I much prefer something handmade, because it's often much more original!

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  2. I love home made and the kids are more appreciative of the cost of items. They also want to make sure they are buying items which are fair to the producers and environment.

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