Love Ross Gittins, and this article...but it vexes me that we're still talking about affluenza 10, maybe 20 years after I first heard the word and there's no change. I will read that book mentioned, but I think what's key in Australia is everyone just stopping a taking a minute once in a while and thinking about what they're trying to achieve!
Maybe in another 10-20 years things will change. It took a generation from scientists first alerting us to the climate change issue to it becoming a common goal globally (ignoring the US and, er, Australia, for a minute). No country wanted to reduce their emissions if no-one else did because then their economy would be harmed. Reducing consumerism and a massive overhaul of the tax system is similar in that there would no no political will. I've been thinking a lot lately about China and how total global emissions are linked so directly to their actions (given that China is so populous - per person emissions are extremely low). China committing to renewables was a game changer. I wonder if we need a similar global switch from consumerism, led by China, in which case we have a loooong time to wait.
