cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/24043909
Under this methodology of all 193 UN Member States – an expansive model of 17 categories, or “goals,” many of them focused on the environment and equity – the U.S. ranks below Thailand, Cuba, Romania and more that are widely regarded as developing countries.
In 2022, America was 41st. Interesting to see where it will be after this term of office, which looks set to be working against many of these aims.
So much of what we produce is pure garbage from conception. Junk mail, disposables nobody asked for, excess packaging, physical advertisements, planned obsolescent hardware, military industry waste…
What people want in a consumer economy is a readily available supply of surplus goods/accessible services that can be obtained/delivered as people realize they need it. What people get in a consumer economy is a manufacturing machine constantly trying to force-feed us shit we never asked for. Consumer items that are highly sought after become rare and expensive (housing, transport, education, healthy food). Consumer items that nobody wants get shoveled on us over our protest. We are not an economy of excess supply but of induced demand.