#341 / Curated Consumption

I guess that Loot Crate is still in business. At least, it seems to be. Click this link to see what Loot Crate is all about. The concept appears to have changed from when I first wrote about it. Instead of general goodies, the Loot Crate experience is now specially designed for those who hanker after "Geek & Gaming Gear." 

The Loot Crate idea, which I disparaged in a blog posting in December of last year, is that people will subscribe to receive a monthly box of "goodies," none of these goodies being items for which the person subscribing has any specific need or demonstrated desire. The need or desire is much more general: I just want to consume!!

Last year, I prescribed the "Story of Stuff" video as an antidote to anyone who felt that she or he might be afflicted with, or might be susceptible to, this kind of galloping consumptionism. That "Story of Stuff" video should still work. 

I must say, however, that the infection does seem to be spreading. In the November 15, 2015, "Style" section of the San Francisco Chronicle, Tony Bravo authored an article titled, "Life Upon Delivery." Online, the title is, "Can man live by box alone?" As it turns out, Loot Crate is just the tip of the iceberg. Bravo lists at least thirteen different "box services" that provide subscribers with what amounts to a life guided into "curated consumption."

There are subscription boxes for food. There are subscription boxes for fashion and lifestyle items. There are subscription boxes for fragrances. There are subscription boxes for entertaining, and then what might be called the subscription boxes to meet spiritual needs: the "Box of Dread;" The "Blurt Buddy Box" to combat depression; the "Hero" Box, and the "Style Your Life Sprinkles Box."

I continue to disparage and deplore the curated consumption movement, with the exception of those subscription boxes you can arrange to receive from various farms participating in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement. Check out the following link for a "Biodynamic Farming Guide For Beginners." Farms employing these techniques, and then getting the food right to you, deserve our patronage.

Signing up with a farm, to receive regular boxed deliveries of healthy food, makes sense to me. We all have to eat. In other words, the item subscribed for is an actual necessity of life.

By definition, the box services listed by Tony Bravo provide a monthly subscription for deliveries of things you don't specifically need, since you don't even know what you'll get in the box.

Consuming less (of almost everything) remains very good advice!

And if afflicted by consumptionism, watch that video!

Image Credit:

http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Can-man-live-by-box-alone-6628012.php