Consumerism is a major curse of our time: many people say they are against it, very few manage to do things differently and truly live an environmental friendly lifestyle. While it is not the aim of our community to save the environment, we do facilitate a lifestyle that is much more environmentally friendly than mainstream society.
Consumerism or throwaway culture isn’t just single use plastic: it includes home electronic products that cannot be repaired, chipboard furniture that won’t survive disassembly when moved, housing always being temporary since most people do not fully own a home, it is owned by a landlord or by a bank, consequently buildings are only built to last less than one lifetime, and lastly cars that are prohibitively expensive to repair and therefore scraped well before they truly expire. Consumerism can best be summarized in one sentence: “Just get a new one!”
The idea of just getting something new when faced with a problem does not only apply to products, but also to people. For years we have heard pop songs about how the old boyfriend/girlfriend was no good and that the protagonist of the song should just get a better one.
This trend has gotten so pervasive that the number one solution to relationship trouble for many people is breaking up. This is now extending beyond love relationships: ‘divorce your family’ is a solution that is proposed not only by Reddit and TikTok users but also by supposedly trained therapists. The difficulties of interpersonal relationships are simply labeled ‘toxic’ in order to justify such a move, regardless of whether this is true or not.
And so we have reached the state of consumerism where even people have become throwaway objects to be discarded for trivial reasons. People getting punished for a wrong remark, voting the ‘wrong’ way, silly inheritance feuds, a failed attempt at flirting, a ‘mean’ tweet: we have all seen it happen. Everyone is just a ‘human resource’ now.
The internet has labeled this ‘main character syndrome‘, but it is more commonly known as simply narcissism. This is the believe that we are not just the main character in our own live, but also in other people’s lives. When someone does not act in accordance to our desires, that person becomes a toxic time waster. “I don’t need that in my life!” and “Right now I need time for myself”
The result is an overall lack of empathy. In a society where you can discard people the moment things get a little difficult, you don’t have to concern yourself with their point of view and the reasons behind it. Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations are canceled because some family members cannot withhold grudges for the one day of the year you are supposed to be forgiving and in good spirits.
It’s easy to see where this came from: we live in times of abundance and grow up in smaller families or even single child, single parent homes. We don’t need other people and if we ever really do, there is social security to pay the bills.
However, it is only in a material sense that we don’t need other people. We still need to feel we belong, that we are loved and cared for. When we cut family and friends out of our lives for silly reasons, is it any surprise that mental illness is on the rise? If you have no people to talk to, cut out all the people that love and care about you, your only confidant will be your psychiatrist and the only support will be the pills you get prescribed.
We are recreating the Soviet Union; basic material needs are met, but immaterial human needs are ignored. Plenty is written about the increase in mental disorders. But rather than addressing fundamental causes, we try to medicate it. And therefore only look at it from a materialistic point of view. “This human resource passport number 4322264 does not function and we need to fix it.”
While it is most often criticized by the environmental left, consumerism is in itself an expression of the Marxist mindset: a worldview that is exclusively materialistic, and therefore all that people need is products. Other forms of spiritual fulfillment through family, friends, religion, hobbies, are not relevant.
The pointless existence and drudgery under socialism is best conveyed by the songs of Viktor Tsoi
Perhaps we should have seen this coming, since we have long started with disposing ourselves of inconvenient babies. We clearly attach very little value to human life. In contrast to the Soviet model with its notorious waiting lines for many a household necessity, our modern, Chinese version of communism creates plenty of cheap consumer goods and offers every vapid pleasure money can buy. But what it cannot substitute is having a loving family, a sense of (tribal) belonging and having a purpose in life.
The Soviet Union became, and communist China is becoming a world devoid of empathy and artistic/scientific/entrepreneurial spirit. Nothing has any purpose anymore. People stop helping each other when in need, and families and friends betray one another to advance their careers or avoid trouble. Getting money to buy stuff is all that matters.
This video is shadowbanned by the Chinese Communist Party. There is nothing in it that justifies age-restriction and you can click the link to watch it
Fortunately there are plenty of people who oppose consumerism, but not exactly where you expect them. Urban youth might be very vocal about saving the environment, they themselves use all the modern conveniences that they are supposedly fighting. The same goes for multinational companies preaching one thing on their social media channels, while doing another thing with their factories and subcontractors in Chaina.
The only people who can rightfully claim to belong to a counter-culture are those who practice what they preach. They live frugally, only buy quality products when they truly need them, prefer buying second hand if possible, fix their appliances when they break down, don’t travel far when they don’t have to.
On a personal level they cherish the relationships they have. They are aware that no one gets to choose the family they are born into, that no one is perfect including they themselves and grow a thick skin to deal with differences of opinion. They hone their communication skills to resolve arguments before they happen.
Those are the people we are looking for!
Our community in Penadexo aims to restore not just freedom, but the responsibility that comes with it. Our members experience a sense of belonging and solidarity that is not imposed by a ruler, but grows organically through the bonds we voluntarily create.
How do we manage to do this?
First of all, new members self-select. Our members completely own their own homes, but these historic buildings were built close to each other. If they feel they are incapable of living in close proximity to other people, there are plenty of alternatives. Naturally we only attract people who align with out philosophy of live and let live under the non-aggression principle.
Secondly, the level of commitment is high. While ruins we sell are super cheap, restoring them requires a lot of hard work and/or investment. You’d have to locate to a new country, perhaps learn a new language and figure out a source of income at a somewhat remote location.
Thirdly, we like to have fun. What would you do when you are king of your own castle? Penadexo is not a sleepy retirement village. It’s no Ibiza either, but we hold regular event, celebrate holidays in style, receive visitors and throw impromptu parties when the weather is good.
Fourthly: we often work together. Whether this is road maintenance, improving our water system or fixing up a house, any job is done much quicker and easier with the help of a friend and a six-pack of beer.
We don’t need to enforce any policy. We simply make sure that there is no conflict between what is best for individual members and what is best for the community. It is surprisingly easy to do so at a small scale. But for many people it is a lost form of art. Conflicts are easily avoided when you have a good understanding of another person by spending a lot of time together and seeing that person as a net benefit to your life, as family. Should a serious issue arise, there are plenty of capable arbiters and mediators in our midst to smooth things over. In the rare occasion that we do have to make a collective decision, we follow a 100% consensus model. Under the NAP, every member has veto power, so any proposed solution needs to address the concerns of every member.
Governments fail at every task it is supposed to do. Democracy violates minority rights by design. Corruption is inevitable when countries get too big, and people get power over resources they did not earn themselves. The judicial system is just as flawed as cars made in communist countries. We should restore the social fabric of society on an individual level, through the bonds with family and neighbours. Our community in Spain is a model that can be copied endlessly. Entire cities can be divided into small units that respect the human scale of decision making. We can fix 90% of humanity’s problems. But it starts out here, in Penadexo.
Penadexo winter 2025
Holy moly, thanks. Feeds me, these words. Tempted. Considering.
Ed(win)