I, Consumer?

Where have all the people gone? Not to mention the citizenry, human beings, neighbors, inhabitants, individuals, men, women, adults, children, workers, employees, employers? Suddenly, everywhere, gone, all of them. Their places taken by consumers.

It was not a matter of right or left. National Public Radio (NPR), the staunchest of middle-of-the-roaders, used the term. In testimony before Congress, the liberal Economic Policy Institute (EPI) reported that consumer incomes were down. And Fox News reported that not "people" or "humanitarians," but rather, consumers - had been deceived by criminals in the act of giving charity to those suffering from natural disasters.

One might have thought that the reporters of these events would have noticed that their subjects were not engaged in acts of consuming, devouring or eating. Rather, in each of these situations, the so-called consumers were "toast," were the ones that were "what's for dinner," were the "specials of the day." Were, if anything, victims. Were being swallowed whole.

It will take expert sleuthing to unearth the mystery of when exactly people were no more, when their wholeness and complexity were discarded to be replaced by mere consumption.

Read more at truthout