How to live a less capitalist life

Capitalism: it’s the economic structure that governs our society. When we think of it, vague words like “credit” and “free market” probably come to mind, as well as a few more sinister ones like “greed” and “exploitation”.

It’s not all bad; after all, credit is what allows us to invest in new medicine and technology. But at its core, capitalism is a system that puts the economic growth above everything else, including – as we’ve seen all too vividly in recent years – the future of our planet. It’s for that reason that many young people are becoming increasingly wary of capitalism. In fact, a 2016 Harvard study found that 52 per cent of American adults aged 18-29 do not support capitalism.

And yet, it isn’t exactly something we can opt out of, while also being functioning members of society. So what can we do? Well, there are small steps we can take to liberate ourselves from some of the more everyday trappings of capitalism.

Ditch the gym

It’s a vicious cycle. Advertisers encourage us to indulge over Christmas, then promise to get us back in shape in the new year. No wonder gyms see a spike in memberships on January 1, only for many newcomers to give up around March. Sound like a scam? It is. Going to the gym is like buying bottled water: you take something that should be free, repackage it in a chilled, artificial environment, and charge obscene amounts of money for people to access it.