People use various nihilistic excuses to not stay active in the culture. For example, “there is no ethical consumption under capitalism” has been a big one recently. People often use this as an excuse to buy from known child labour using brands because “nothing matters anyway”, when in fact that is not what that phrase is supposed to evoke. When we say that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism we mean it, but we do not use it as an excuse to do so anyway. You should still do your very best to use your belongings to their fullest, and give them a new life when they are broken beyond repair for their intended purpose. Still, do not stop there. Educate those around you and in your community to stay active! Do not let the conversations surrounding climate change, overconsumption and war die out. Keep talking about them and making them relevant in the cultural zeitgeist.
We can avoid fast fashion as we can and only buy second hand so companies don’t get our money for new products. I totally agree with this statement. To an extend. Unfortunately, we are only human and we too need new products at times and cannot fully rely on second hand. For example, once shoes have been broken in to, they cannot be broken into a second time, which is why it is not a great idea to buy secondhand shoes because they have already been sculpted to someone else’s feet and they may cause you medical problems. Instead, we should buy shoes that will last us. Personally I walk a lot, so it is not a good idea for me to pick a shoe based on its looks. I buy workers boots which were made to last and withstand hard environments, which is the best considering working class citizens can’t afford to buy a new pair of shoes every time the last one goes out of style. My advice overall? Look into goods marketed towards working class people because they were made with the consideration to last because when you are a working class citizen you do not know when you can afford a new item to replace your old one.
You may only buy used items but your food may be produced and transported unethically. Your phone may be using a lithium battery that was created using child labour mines in the global south. For now, there may be no real way to buy ethical products when it comes to things like silverware or plastic cooking utensils.