Christopher Lucero | An Acid Test for Consumerism

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor
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Mike Judge, the creator of the “Beavis and Butthead” animated series, had some critical perspective about America. Since he was an observer of Everyman in America, it is worth it for us to examine his observations.

In the 2006 “sci-fi” film, “Idiocracy,” Costco of the future has grown into a megalopolis. It is portrayed as the center of a vast cosm that appears as an enduring attribute of American consumerism. The images and impact within the film are unforgettable. In 2016 the film was 10 years old, and many film observers took the opportunity to examine progress over those 10 years. Some were noted to say that the film was turning out to be a documentary, rather than satiric humor.

All those Big Boxes we are paying to acquire are packed with foreign manufactured goods in them; they represent dollars being exported to China. All those tons of chicken and English muffins represent the huge amount of food wasted — estimated at up to 60% of what we buy — while there are homeless and hungry among us. Our consumerism is harmful to our own industry. We ignore the homeless and the hungry and we waste food. We fail to support America.

In addition, there are plenty of studies that demonstrate how Big Box stores have driven out the mom and pops. For all the defense of the small businessman that has appeared in The Mighty Signal, we are apparently going to endorse and then further crush out more locals if Costco deploys. Bye bye Nothing Bundt. So long Williams-Sonoma. Big Box stores like Costco have “saved” Americans money, but that savings comes with a cost. A cost to American business. Small business. Your neighbors. Westfield food court? Nah. Costco! Why go to the mall food court when a short walk away is the Costco food court? Cheaper. Yummier. Roasted chicken. Pizza.

Isn’t it poetic that Costco plans to literally ruin the old Sears store? Sears was an icon to American business for over 100 years. They plan to demolish it, then build their version of a mecca, a shrine to consumerism and excess.

Note that particularly wealthy locales are not known to host Costco stores. In the San Gabriel Valley, a wide swath from Tujunga to Monrovia is devoid of any Costco, as well as the broad area around Beverly Hills.

For what it is worth, let us all pause to ponder if The Costco Promise is what we all truly want for Santa Clarita, and for America. To YIMBY this proposal is a full embrace of our civic identity and the future.

Christopher Lucero

Saugus

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