Awakening to a new economics
When the country went into lockdown last year and the schools closed, I made a parenting decision. I overturned my previous objections and ordered the kids a trampoline. It has … Continue reading Every child on their own trampoline
In the Gospels, we find Jesus using repair as a teaching illustration. If you’re patching your clothes, he says, do you use un-shrunk cloth? Of course not, laughs his audience. … Continue reading Thankfulness and the value of things
Catherine Masterman offers a poem for Fairtrade Fortnight, broadening our horizons to consider the wider supply chain behind our purchases. As a child I thought shops made the things they … Continue reading “I saw a bargain today”
Catherine Masterman on the cost of freebies, and the illusion of getting something for nothing. The scale of our unintentional consumption is terrifying. I realised this recently when the school … Continue reading The unintended consequences of ‘free’ gifts
We’re back in home school mode in England, and this week I found myself sharpening colouring pencils. It ought to be a simple job really, but in its unexpected frustrations … Continue reading How consumerism makes suckers of us all
In an environment of consumerism and waste, how do we raise children who are content with simpler things, asks Catherine Masterman. “They can’t just eat sawdust!” wailed one family member. … Continue reading Does living simply mean simply being mean?
John D Anderson considers the meanings of exploitation. Exploitation is a word with more than one layer of meaning. “To exploit” can mean “to make good use of natural resources”, … Continue reading Exploitation and enough
John Payne reflects on a recent pilgrimage, and lessons learned about walking, history and consumerism. Four weeks ago I finished walking the so-called Pilgrims’ Way, the (alleged) route taken by pilgrims from Winchester to … Continue reading Walking the Pilgrim’s Way – not consuming pilgrimages!
Joy in Enough 