The New Culture of Sustainability

There is something fundamentally wrong in a society in which happiness is measured in terms of monetary expenditure. Yet in the United States, the social pressure on success (defined in terms of salaries, prestige, and material possessions), is such that the allure of exceptional wealth appeals even to those of us who should know better. In calling for a cultural transformation, Assadourian is not only advocating a monumental shift in aspirations but also for an acceptance of a radically new, healthier lifestyle in which sustainability, not consumption, is in vogue. The United States may have evolved into a nation of consumption, but with the right impetus it can change its ways for the better. Citing business interests, media, government, and education as the most prolific factors responsible for the current mentality of consumption, Assadourian asserts that the first step in leading to a more sustainable society is transforming the paradigm of society, or the underlying assumption that shape the way individuals perceive their surrounding environment. Assadourian cautions that changes in policy and other indirect measures to encourage sustainable practices fall short of what is needed. While the implementation of regulations to encourage more environmentally beneficial practices is part of the solution, it is the intrinsic orientation of culture that must be changed. 

Discouraging the mentality of consumption will be even more difficult. Consumption is firmly rooted in culture, and reducing it will be heavily resisted by retailers and the corporate sector. Assadourian's second initiative of replacing private goods with public goods is much more viable. Given the resources to develop parks, public transportation, libraries, etc., US municipalities have the potential to lessen the amount of private vehicles and waste from discarded books. His last point, that products should be designed with longevity as a foremost consideration, is perhaps the most feasible of the three. While it is in the interest of companies such as Apple to design products to become outdated quickly, it is not outside of their ability to design products that last longer and remain fashionable. 

Assadourian also makes the point that culture is driven by institutions rather than the individual. The challenge is to link institutions with similar objectives together and to bring them into the mainstream from the periphery. This point, taken along with the steps he advocates to change the paradigm of culture, provides a convincing argument that a new, more sustainable culture can be engineered through means that are already in place. Despite the nature and pessimism of other readings for our class, Assadourian's pragmatic approach towards making fundamental change to culture is both refreshing and welcome.