Towards a Curated, Two-Wheeled Consumerism
Fourth Floor Distribution is a Canadian importer of classic city bicycles. The Bicycle and the New Economy: Towards a Curated Consumerism, a recent essay from their Bespoke blog, suggests that increased bicycle usage is symbolic of and perhaps catalytic to a cultural shift necessary for economic recovery and stability.
The neat thing about increased bicycle use is that it is actually good for the economy. In fact, it may well be the bicycle that saves North America, both its carbon footprint and amok economy. As the car and housing market become questionable economic indicators, consider that most businesses in North America are still small businesses. Small businesses may be difficult to quantify compared to massive globalized business, but they do represent a consistent and large core of the economy and also a way out of this mess. As an aggregate small businesses are much more difficult to measure than the performances of Wal-Mart or Chrysler, yet they are consistently taxed higher and play a much more vital role in the neighbourhoods they are part of. And, they keep money and jobs in the country. The automobile usage of the past put money out of the country, into the cheap Chinese consumer goods sold at WalMart and into the oil imported from other countries. If this money is to be shuffled back, it will have to be towards businesses that are not so globalized and that represents new jobs and opportunities to North American citizens. The huge amount of money saved by riding a bicycle can go to Sunday brunches, art, music, home renovations and many more enjoyable artifacts. Moreover, the mentality of riding a city bicycle is a mentality that values objects that represent well crafted tools that truly enhance life – most of which cannot be found at your local WalMart. The joy is no longer found in buying or even owning, but rather using. The problem with conspicuous consumerism is that people owned more and used less. And what’s the point of that?
