Hailey Bieber in a lime green knit dress, clutching a vintage Chanel bag the size of a Yorkshire terrier. That's what the algorithm served me up this morning, nestled between a recipe for "detox" salad (kale, obviously) and a think piece on the metaverse. It's a familiar image, this parade of luxury, and one that usually sends me spiraling into the existential abyss of late-stage capitalism. But today, something felt different. Maybe it was the halibut.
See, last night, I actually cooked. A rarity, I admit. But the fishmonger at the market had these gorgeous halibut steaks, pearly white and firm, practically begging to be drizzled with olive oil and roasted with a sprig of rosemary. And as I savored the flaky, buttery flesh, a thought struck me: Hailey, with all her vintage Chanel and private jets, probably eats really good fish too.
We're all swimming in the same sea of global glut, aren't we? Just on different ends of the yacht.
It's easy to get caught up in the surface shimmer of it all. The endless scroll of perfectly curated lives, the dopamine rush of a new purchase. I've been there, felt the seductive tug of "more." Once, I spent a month's rent on a pair of Prada heels. They were beautiful, yes, but they also pinched like hell. A painful reminder that luxury often comes with hidden costs.
And those costs? They're becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The environmental impact of fast fashion. The ethical quandaries of a global supply chain built on the backs of underpaid laborers. The sheer volume of stuff clogging our landfills, our oceans, our collective consciousness.
It's not about shaming anyone for enjoying the finer things. Believe me, I can appreciate a well-crafted handbag as much as the next person. But there's a difference between appreciation and acquisition, between enjoying something and being consumed by it.
I think about the halibut. That simple, delicious meal. It wasn't about extravagance. It was about connection. To the fisherman who caught it, to the rhythm of the seasons, to the primal satisfaction of nourishing my body.
Maybe that's what's missing from the glossy images that bombard us. A sense of connection. To the people who make our clothes, our gadgets, our lattes. To the resources that fuel our desires. To the planet that sustains us all.
It's a conversation we need to have. And it's not just about Hailey and her halibut. It's about all of us. It's about finding a way to navigate this sea of abundance without losing sight of what truly matters.
So, what can we do? Start small. Be mindful of our purchases. Support sustainable brands. Ask questions. Educate ourselves. And maybe, just maybe, cook a really good piece of fish once in a while. You might be surprised what thoughts bubble to the surface.
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