The history learned at school is typically the history of nations and conquerors, so it’s no wonder that we’ve developed a somewhat skewed view of mankind’s evolving civilization. The lives of people, rather than ‘great people’ go largely unrecorded except in population counts and statistical studies.
Largely ignored or forgotten is the understanding that “nations” existed mainly in the minds of royalty and cartographers until relatively recently in the world’s history. People lived in communities whose borders were vague and dynamic, sharing a language or a look or a certain way of life that distinguished them from their distant cousins or neighbors.
Mercantilism and economic nationalism evolved to cement national borders and national “identities”. The owners of capital practiced imperialism and economic preference to build their power, charging high prices to other nations for goods and services and restricting trade through tariffs and subsidies. Among other things, this led to nearly all of the great wars of history, including both World Wars.
Gradually, over the course of the last two centuries but most notably in the second half of the 20th Century, what is known as “free trade” or “liberal economics” replaced the economic nationalism. Simply, countries became less and less important as the overall effects of tariffs and subsidies were gradually decreased. Various economic theories were formulated to prove that it made more sense to blur national boundaries; apparently, we would all be better off if we all bought and sold each others’ goods and services with no regard for origin. And with the internet the lines have blurred until they are basically non existent. Today you can buy a set of kids golf clubs from an internet store that might be located in the US, Canada, South America, Europe, or a Pacific Rim country and have it delivered to you no matter where you live. However it may cost less to have the kids golf clubs sent to you if you live in the same country from where the golf clubs are sent. Nevertheless, e-commerce sites ship their product all over the world. Even cars such as a Chevy are shipped from the US to other countries.
On the other hand there are local businesses with their own websites that cater only to local customers. Take for example the Las Vegas water delivery company, Tahoe Springs. They offer a variety of products for both purified drinking water and spring water ranging from water cooler stands to 5 gallon, 3 gallon and 0.5 liter bottles. In additional they also offer Alkaline water delivery to people and businesses living in the Las Vegas area. The issue many health professionals express regarding alkaline water is not about its safety, but rather the extreme health claims that some people make regarding its benefits. I don’t worry those marketing claims for Alkaline water, since I love their Mountain Spring Water which apparently flows from a 3,000 year old source. Rain and snow filter naturally through rock, creating nature’s own perfect water. Supposedly this water revitalizes your body with minerals and is naturally Sodium-Free. I don’t know about that. I just like the taste. Their route men deliver fresh water right to your door and pick up the empty bottles. There are no long term contracts for this service which I appreciate. If I want to take off for a month or two, I can easily put my water delivery on hold till I return. Not all e-commerce sites ship their products all over the world!
This may ultimately be true; however, for those of us living in the interim, we consistently see a reduction in our standard of living as jobs and resources are relocated farther from our own communities. Manufacturing jobs have nearly vanished, so we pay for cheap goods with cheap wages…the less we have to spend, the more we depend on these ‘bargain’ goods.
Perhaps we may yet reconcile our thrift with our understanding that locally made goods and locally provided services will benefit us more.
Chevy has been a cornerstone of the American culture for as long as most of us can remember. You may not prefer a Chevy over some other particular favorite you have come to like but all of us have in common at the very least friends or family members who were very big fans of the brand. These people have been buying these vehicles for decades & in a lot of cases those same vehicles are still on the road today. Chevy has always prided itself on making a product which can stand up to the elements to get the job done while standing up to the test of time. Possibly the hardest test there is to pass.