Consumption Quotes

• Infinite growth of material consumption in a finite world is an impossibility.

  E. F. Schumacher

  Courage, Organization, Simplicity

  E.F. Schumacher (1975). “Small is Beautiful”

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• The model of ownership, in a society organized round mass consumption, is addiction.

  Christopher Lasch

  Addiction, Ownership, Mass Consumption

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• Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production.

  Adam Smith

  Purpose, Ends, Sole

  1776 An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, bk.4, ch.8.

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• Consumption may be regarded as negative production.

  Alfred Marshall

  Negative, May, Productions

  Alfred Marshall (2010). “Principles of Economics”, p.64, Cosimo, Inc.

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• Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.

  Thorstein Veblen

  Mean, Gentleman, Leisure

  The Theory of the Leisure Class ch. 4 (1899) See Rae 1

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• A shift is necessary toward lifestyles less geared to environmental damaging consumption patterns.

  Maurice Strong

  Environmental, Patterns, Lifestyle

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• Too many of us now tend to worship self indulgence and consumption.

  Jimmy Carter

  Self, Racism, Gay Marriage

  Energy and the National Goals - A Crisis of Confidence, delivered 15 July, 1979

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• Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of exposing the next 20,000 generations to this lethal waste?

  David R. Brower

  Years, Luxury, Energy

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• There is held to be no surer test of civilization than the increase per head of the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Yet alcohol and tobacco are recognizable poisons, so that their consumption has only to be carried far enough to destroy civilization altogether.

  Havelock Ellis

  Civilization, Alcohol, Poison

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• Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog.

  Doug Larson

  Education, Dog, Home

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• I can get no remedy against this consumption of the purse: borrowing only lingers and lingers it out, but the disease is incurable.

  William Shakespeare

  Business, Debt, Disease

  'Henry IV, Part 2' (1597) act 1, sc. 2, l. [268]

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• Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyous words in the language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying.

  Elise M. Boulding

  Beautiful, Cutting, Simple

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• Production and consumption are the nipples of modern society. Thus suckled, humanity grows in strength and beauty; rising standard of living, all modern conveniences, distractions of all kinds, culture for all, the comfort of your dreams.

  Raoul Vaneigem

  Beauty, Dream, Humanity

  Raoul Vaneigem (1994). “The revolution of everyday life”, Left Bank Distribution

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• A massive campaign must be launched to restore a high-quality environment in North America and to de-develop the United States...De-development means bringing our economic system (especially patterns of consumption) into line with the realities of ecology and the global resource situation...Redistribution of wealth both within and among nations is absolutely essential, if a decent life is to be provided for every human being.

  John Holdren

  Mean, Reality, America

  "White House Science Czar Says He Would Use ‘Free Market’ to ‘De-Develop the United States’" by Nicholas Ballasy, www.cnsnews.com. September 16, 2010.

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• By the immediate preservation of eggs for home consumption through the use of water glass or lime water, larger supplies of fresh eggs may be made available for marketing later in the season, when production is less and prices higher.

  David F. Houston

  Home, Eggs, Glasses

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• Most of the movies I saw growing up were viewed as totally disposable, fine for quick consumption, but they have survived 50 years and are still growing.

  Manuel Puig

  Growing Up, Years, Saws

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• My disorder has been attended with several symptoms of a consumption; and I have been at times apprehensive that my great change was at hand: yet blessed be God, I have never been affrighted; but, on the contrary, at times much delighted with a view of its approach.

  David Brainerd

  Blessed, Hands, Views

  David Brainerd (1822). “Memoirs of the Rev. David Brainerd: Missionary to the Indians on the Borders of New-York, New-Jersey, and Pennsylvania: Chiefly Taken from His Own Diary”, p.391

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• Nor do we begin to have a clear appreciation of what the increase in consumption of alcoholic beverages in wartime means in increased risk, and in loss of efficiency to the fighting and working forces of the country.

  William Lyon Mackenzie King

  Country, Appreciation, Mean

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• Present annual world energy consumption is about equal to the annihilation energy of 4 tons of matter.

  Bernard M. Oliver

  Energy, World, Matter

  Bernard M. Oliver, Len Cutler (1997). “The Selected Papers of Bernard M. Oliver”

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• If most American cities are about the consumption of culture, Los Angeles and New York are about the production of culture - not only national culture but global culture.

  Barbara Kruger

  New York, Cities, Culture

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• Finally, we should help developing nations like China and India curb their exponentially increasing consumption of oil and natural gas, which is driving world prices higher.

  Bobby Jindal

  Oil, India, World

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• Daily life is governed by an economic system in which the production and consumption of insults tends to balance out.

  Raoul Vaneigem

  Balance, Comeback, Insult

  Raoul Vaneigem, Donald Nicholson-Smith (2012). “The Revolution of Everyday Life”, p.15, PM Press

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• Our oil problems are only going to get worse. Our trade balance is only going to get worse. So we have to slow the growth of U.S. oil consumption, particularly imported oil consumption.

  Sherwood Boehlert

  Oil, Growth, Balance

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• So we in Congress have a very clear choice. We can take largely symbolic action and sit back and fiddle while Americans burn more gasoline. Or we can pass concrete, effective legislation that will save consumers money while significantly reducing U.S. oil consumption.

  Sherwood Boehlert

  Oil, Choices, Gasoline

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• I believe that the average guy in the street will give up a great deal, if he really understands the cost of not giving it up. In fact, we may find that, while we're drastically cutting our energy consumption, we're actually raising our standard of living.

  David R. Brower

  Giving Up, Believe, Cutting

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