Republic 2.0 Chapter 5
Chapter 5 discusses the difference between a citizen and a consumer. Sunstein discusses that even though everyone is both a citizen and a consumer, we make different choices based on which one we are at the time. As consumers we make decisions for ourselves and for our own good. But as citizens, people have a much higher likelihood of making choices for the common or greater good.
As consumers we tend to take the most inexpensive route. For example many people have seen the movie “Super Size Me,” and watched the main character nearly eat himself to death, and yet continue to eat at McDonalds. This is because even though we know how inhumanely the animals were treated, all we consider is “Is it cheap? Is it convenient? Does it taste good?” Even many of those who did stop eating at McDonalds because of watching the movie didn’t do so because of the implications of eating McDonalds, but because the instinctive fear of contamination that all humans posses.
However as citizens are choices have completely different qualifications. For example, the many people who saw “Super Size Me” and did not stop eating McDonalds still feel strongly against McDonalds. If legislation were to be put greatly restricting or even condemning McDonalds, there is a strong chance that as citizens these people would sacrifice the convenience, and taste of McDonalds. As citizens we make idyllic choices, and we consider the good of our community state or country rather than just ourselves like we do as consumers.
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