Alternative hedonisms and earth practices: Design and degrowth in the capitalocene

This design anthropology piece contributes to thinking on how decouple practices from neoliberal globalised capitalism, economic growth and consumerism. Drawing the Marxist philosopher Kate Soper’s theorising around patterns of work consumption in affluent countries (such as UK) her post-growth theory alternative hedonisms or pleasures a less harried acquisitive living, paper argues that one way achieve this decoupling could be consider more pleasure greater well-being ‘opportunities through reduction’, if you will. Illustration is provided by ethnography with natural builders working earth their main material. The proposes earth-builders’ alternatively hedonistic ecological experiences might give design, widely, ideas for truly acknowledge our practice’s problematic continued hitching extractive exploitative systems capitalism and, ultimately, degrow.