SPQR,

Contrary to popular notions around here, I'm not against civilisation. Nor am I against commerce or per se - its just the sheer abandoned scale of it. I won't deny that the things on offer yesterday made me want to buy them, but as a spectacle it was more of an eye-opener than anything. The whole edifice came across to me as some gigantic machine that processes consumers and the crowning glory was a sort of conveyor belt type escalator that glided you out of the building and dumped you back in the manic car park. People stuffing their cars full of purchases and then continuing on out to the equally manic highways.....I found the whole thing both fascinating and stressful - but it's no wonder some of us choose not to live in the capital cities.

Poirot,

Just a thought (and I don't pretend know the answer): Could we have had the technological advances we have today if we had NOT had a
<<gigantic machine that processes consumers>> driving it?

See here:
<<Nothing dates the 1987 movie Wall Street like the $4000 cellphone clutched by financier Gordon Gekko. It was the size of a brick and he could only talk for 30 minutes before having to recharge it.

In the 1980s, it was difficult to imagine the capabilities of today's smartphones...>>

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228341.600-they-said-it-couldnt-be-done-7-impossible-inventions.html

If we are able to plug-in recycling, and renewable energy, will consumerism remain such a blight?

Great point SPQR, I think that Squeers would fit in wonderfully with
the Amish, although I don't know if they bother to feed philosophers :)
He'd have to do real work there, I suspect.

Squeers, sorry, but if people pop out 6-10 kids, some saying that they
are gifts from god, well don't expect me to help them. They would
only have even more. Its not me going into Africa's rainforests, shooting
anything that moves for meat, as its easier then farming.
So I'm not about to get on your guilt trip. If you don't realise how Africa's
growing hordes are sending species extinct, well so be it.

Poirot, in terms of IT, I am talking about where we are heading, no we
are not there yet. Globally Ikea prints something like 190 million
catalogues. But their websites also have 470 million visitors, so
as people become internet savvy, they won't need to print all those
catalogues anymore. Bookshops and CD shops still exist, but less and
less.

If Ikea's 12000 products were divided amongst a number of quaint
little shops in Freo, would that make you feel better about buying
them?

You could always have ordered online and saved all that fuel and
hassle driving there and putting up with city madness. But people
need to buy furniture somewhere, after all. Trading goods and
services with each other, is what city people do. Otherwise living
in the human zoo would be pretty boring. So I don't think that is
going to change.

SPQR and Yabby,
when you've got nothing you resort to ridicule, I can understand that.
But I'm not an ascetic or on a guilt trip, and my footprint's as considerable as anyone's (literally; I'm size 13-14). I enjoy my creature comforts and my idea of roughing it is a 3 star motel. But that doesn't stop me from seeing things how they are, or from different perspectives. All our problems will be resolved one way or another.

...Now can Australia beat Sri Lanka this arvo. That's the pressing question of the moment!

*I enjoy my creature comforts and my idea of roughing it is a 3 star motel.*

Well yes Squeers, its do as I say, not do as I do. Its a common
human foible, so you are not alone there.