The PoMa paradox

While outer-suburban families are happy to shop at supermarkets and buy whatever’s on special, the contents of their shopping trolleys would provoke an anxiety attack in the typical PoMa household. White sliced bread, cordial laced with artificial colours and diabetes inducing sugar, and hamburger mince made from burping, farting climate destroying cattle.

Being a post materialist consumer means managing anxiety. Anxiety about caring for children, anxiety about health, anxiety about the state of the planet and your contribution to its demise (note: must remember to buy carbon offsets for that hiking trip in the Andes) and anxiety about whether it’s right to be taking Zoloft instead of persisting with Yoga and St John’s Wort.

Rather than pursuing social status, the PoMa consumer is building a life around relationships and experiences. And spending on goods is often focused on “moral necessities” - goods which are essential for family safety, environmental responsibility or good world citizenship.

The PoMa lifestyle isn’t materialistic but it is expensive. Too expensive to allow anyone to quit their job, grow vegetables, write a novel and take care of the kids full-time … although that often seems like an attractive idea.

Note: This all began as a response to a post by Andrew Norton - Do people mistakenly prioritise money-making in their lives? Like Andrew I’m sceptical about the idea that many people overwork because they mistakenly think more money will make them happier.