"America is a place where the luxuries are cheap and the necessities are expensive.” — Joseph Cohen, Sociologist

Welcome back to The Community Curiosity Collective! For decades, our culture has equated success with "more": more money, more stuff, and more growth. But what happens when that relentless pursuit of economic expansion makes our most basic needs, like healthcare, housing, and childcare, impossibly expensive?

This week, we explore the radical idea known as the De-Growth Movement: the push to abolish endless economic growth as a primary social objective.

We reframe this concept not as a path to scarcity, but as a pathway to a different kind of richness: intentional consumption, less stress, and the reclamation of time.

In this episode, we tackle the paradox of modern American life. The costs of necessities like housing and education have doubled or tripled since 1996, far outpacing inflation. We ask:

• How does the affordability of cheap luxuries distract us from the crisis of expensive necessities?
• Can technology and "decoupling" truly solve environmental challenges, or is a fundamental shift in consumption necessary?
• What non-material gains—like community, time, and greater fulfillment—do we rediscover when we embrace the philosophy of "Buy Less, Choose Well?"

Join us as we explore the power of minimalism and conscious consumption, and find out why this movement isn't about working less, but about living more.

Show Notes

Degrowth

Can we save the planet by shrinking the economy? | Vox

How Companies Can Embrace Conscious Consumption | Forbes

How to Be a More Conscious Consumer, Even If You’re on a Budget | NYTimes

The power of consumer choice | ETech

Forget retail therapy - this is the age of the conscious consumer | World Economic Forum

Purpose over profit: are B-Corps the future of sustainable business? | Reuters

Find a B Corp

What Is Conscious Consumption, And Why Is It Important? | The Momentum