Confused? That’s understandable — at one point, when I ordered five corduroy shirts in order to feel a bit more Authentic, so was I. The axiom goes that material goods lead to fulfillment — spending will help you establish a ‘brand’ and affirm your own identity. 

But what if there were an alternate solution — one that doesn’t involve emptying your pocketbook? What if that solution entailed shrinking the global economy as a whole? Enter: Degrowth. 

Okay But… What is ‘Degrowth’?

The term ‘degrowth’ originated in France as an activist slogan in the early 2000s: decroissance, or reduction. It refers to a set of values that challenge capitalist norms regarding wealth and materialism, instead encouraging the celebration of social sustainability. The yearly Degrowth Conference, most recently held in 2021 in The Hague, centers around environmental equity in the context of lessening economic expansion. Infinite growth simply isn’t possible, as it wreaks havoc on an environment composed of finite resources.

That’s a lot to conceptualize. Let’s envision what a decreased emphasis on materiality might look like.

Degrowth doesn’t result in fewer employment opportunities, but rather a reassessment of the environmental implications of present-day careers. This is not green growth, which (falsely) purports that capitalism and impactful sustainability can coexist. Running in a similar vein to the concept of circular economies, degrowth refers to a maximization of efficiency paired with a shift in consumption. Not full scale ‘reduction,’ then, but rather a revision that culminates in decreased consumption — a heightened emphasis on living within one’s means.

Degrowther Georgios Kallis, an environmental ecologist and research professor at Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, points out in his book The Case For Degrowth that technology won’t Save Our Souls. Relying on engineers to find new and creative ways to siphon resources from the surrounding environment won’t prevent climate catastrophe: instead, it will only delay It. ‘It’ being the inevitable time that excessive consumption culminates in a dystopian downfall, as the top 1% — ensconced in safe havens of material items — watch society overtaken by rising oceans, poor air quality, and a scramble for clean water.

Envision more tax dollars allocated for community housing, renewable sources of energy replacing coal-fired power-fired plants, and shared gardens dotting sustainable architecture.

Wealth won’t save us, but moderation could.

How Could Less be More?

You don’t need to throw away all your things to be a degrowther. Degrowth isn’t a fad.  It is an opportunity to regrow — to rethink the way a lifestyle centered around name brands and materiality has (unbeknownst to you!) impacted your psyche.

You’ve heard about Marie Kondo. Maybe you’ve scrolled through innumerable tiny house videos on instagram while contemplating your move to a remote farm in rural Vermont. Degrowth doesn’t refer to an escape from broader society to an idyllic nectarine orchard where you can take artistic selfies on a lazy July vacation, nor does it denote a version of minimalism centered around aesthetics. Instead, degrowthers embrace a willful turning away from buying/buying/buying in order to focus on separating one’s sense of self from materiality.

Am I Being Fooled?

Yes. You are.

Do you need the next iPhone 47se+12xx™? No, probably not. But the immersive nature of commodification has led you to believe that you’re constantly falling behind. Gaudy advertisements flash on tvs, store windows, and in the middle of your facebook feed, leading you to think you’ll feel more fulfilled if you buy Uniqlo’s newest maroon-tinged sweater vest. If you curate your own aesthetic, you’ll be more Real. Living in a constant barrage of social media has led consumers to mold themselves into a cyborg-like following of the latest trends and the fastest fashion.

Next time you spy an advertisement for a quirky little accessory that will definitely improve your life, remember to consider its hold on your mind and pocketbook. As consumers, we choose when to open our wallets and when to turn our backs on ever-alluring advertisements. We can choose to center community in lieu of competition, sharing in lieu of the insular pursuit of success.

Nice! Awesome! Fun! As an Average Non-bureaucratic Entity, What Can I Do?

Great question! No, we’re not in charge of the market, but we’re also not helpless. Greater movements — as with the rise of decroissance activism in France — begin with grassroots organizing. More on-the-ground work from average non-bureaucratic entities could result in a more widespread appreciation of voluntary simplicity, alias a willful turn from excessive consumerism. I’m not saying the fate of the environment lies in the hands of us ‘little people,’ but that is not to say we don’t hold some sway in terms of influencing the decisions made by corporate entities.

You don’t need to sacrifice your quality of life in the name of degrowth, but you may need to pass on those flashy new sandals lurking on the bottom left corner of your computer screen. Degrowth ultimately leads to a heightened quality of life for society at large, a way of living that centers interpersonal connection rather than arbitrary markers of ‘success:’ income, household square footage, number of teslas.

You needn’t be an academic nor a researcher to begin ascribing to the degrowth movement. Simply ruminate over how and where you’re spending your money, gradually embracing a more simplified lifestyle in lieu of bowing to the Powers of commodification. A $40,000 vehicle won’t make you happy. In fact, your once-coveted technology might soon fade into obsolescence. But you know what won’t fade? August evenings on the porch with people you love, a June walk through now-blooming asters just after it starts to rain.

photo of an alternative cookstove (cob oven) I constructed in my yard