Retail Therapy

A friend of mine was feeling sorry for people who are now feeling the pinch and can no longer resort to their retail therapy.

My thought about R.T. is that it isn't therapy at all, because therapy is meant to get to the root of your problem and help you to deal with it.  At the very best, it's just a palliative, making you feel better for about the same amount of time as a stiff drink does.

But on top of that, buying stuff we don't need is very bad for the well-being of our planet, but no governments can afford to put environmental issues first on their list of priorities because they want to get re-elected, so they have to put the great god Growth first.  To save the planet, it is necessary for us all to change our minds about what is most valuable to us, and we are very far from putting Green issues at the top of our desires.

I once wrote to Professor Brian Cox, that extremely attractive, persuasive and enthusiastic proponent of space exploration and suggested that he, above most people, is in a position to understand what a wonderful and unique planet ours is, surrounded by lumps of rock that are either too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry, which have gravity that could not support human life.  If he could put his weight behind initiatives for preservation of Earth, instead of so energetically favouring expensive space exploration, he could persuade young scientists of the necessity of preserving the world.  He has already, it seems, encouraged more young people to consider studying science rather than the easier options, so he has power.  But he didn't even answer.  Of course no politicians would want him to say that - "we have ways to keep you quiet".