Stop Buying Local

 

For the last several years there’s been a big push to buy local, and it’s been even stronger within the arts community. During this time of year my facebook feed is flooded with signs, photos, and notes about the importance of buying local so that the money stays within our community. This has never felt right to me.

 

After a lot of thought and conversation, I realized it didn’t sit well with me, because it felt selfish, it felt like saying that I cared that my community was thriving, but I didn’t care about yours. And the truth is, I do care about you and your community, and I hope that you care about mine. The focus needs to shift from self, to a global community, where we all support each other. ( I know I might be dreaming here, but that’s what I do. I leave the realistic approach to my husband.)

We need to put down the buy local flags and raise the fight for fair wages, safe working conditions and the support of mankind banners.  There are some talented people and businesses within my community, and do I support them, yes, but I support them because of the value that they bring to the world, not simply because they are my neighbor. And the same goes for when I purchase from a company in California, or an artist in Africa. The world is small, we’re all neighbors. Let’s get behind a campaign of supporting and purchasing from businesses and people that add value no matter where they live.

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