On Sunday 4th of July Chris Laidlaw interviewed Juliette Shaw, a sociologist from Boston College. Juliette had a refreshingly optimistic view about the way America is re-shaping its economic future. She claimed that after the credit crunch it was “not business as usual” for the big corporations because people have recognized that this  model has undue political power and benefits only those within the hierarchy and as a monoculture is not nimble in its response to change.

Shaw suggests that with this understanding in mind, Amercians are increasingly adopting a different model. They have seen the virtue of small and local. In principle, a locally owned and operated business serving a particular community is necessarily going to have to be more accountable to the people they employ and the community they serve. Also local business dealing with an immediate community is going to positively affect that local economy. It’s a green idea too because goods don’t have to travel vast distances but will circulate locally and in effect cut the cost to the locals as well as minimizing the ecological cost.

However this movement towards local is not about returning to medievalism or turning local economies into green dollar communities but about reaping the benefits of trading ethically and smartly so those participating have responsibility for outcomes that effect their families and the families of their neighbours.  Self regulation, responsibility and self esteem become valued attributes and are the drivers behind an economy that is driven by “the greatest good for the greatest number.”

Utopian?  Bentham’s idea of the greatest good for the greatest number was sourced not only from altruism but from a rationalistic perspective as well. This is because anyone whose opinions are listened to and at least considered is much more likely to buy into a project that requires action and personal initiative.

Currently it’s no surprise to see people sharing their news, their enthusiasms and recommendations through the social mediums of Facebook and Twitter. The response to having an opinion based platform through which to speak to others means that statistics now show that one in four New Zealanders have posted Facebook pages

Interestingly, this democratization of personal opinion is now posing a real threat to the hold commercially funded opinion shapers have over the minds and purses of those in the market place.
 
Some people might argue that Facebook voices shouldn’t have the authority to shape community beliefs as opinionated individuals are often ill informed or biased and this is undoubtedly true. However from a consumer’s point of view, vox pop experiences might be the best sort of consumer regulation available and a way of keeping the market place relevant and accountable.

Contributor: Linda Hart