Consumed

The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism

By: Aja Barber

Narrated by: Aja Barber

A call to action for consumers everywhere, Consumed asks us to look at how and why we buy what we buy, how it's created, who it benefits, and how we can solve the problems created by a wasteful system.

We live in a world of stuff. We dispose of most of it in as little as six months after we receive it. The byproducts of our quest to consume are creating an environmental crisis. Aja Barber wants to change this - and you can, too.

In Consumed, Barber calls for change within an industry that regularly overreaches with abandon, creating real imbalances in the environment and the lives of those who do the work - often in unsafe conditions for very low pay - and the billionaires who receive the most profit. A story told in two parts, Barber exposes the endemic injustices in our consumer industries and the uncomfortable history of the textile industry, one which brokered slavery, racism, and today’s wealth inequality. Once the layers are peeled back, Barber invites you to participate in unlearning, to understand the truth behind why we consume in the way that we do, to confront the uncomfortable feeling that we are never quite enough and why we fill that void with consumption rather than compassion. Barber challenges us to challenge the system and our role in it. The less you buy into the consumer culture, the more power you have. Consumed will teach you how to be a citizen and not a consumer.

©2021 Aja Barber (P)2021 Balance

Critic reviews

“A rallying cry for collective responsibility. A call-to-action to bring about systemic change to textile industries, which has reaped the benefits of unfair labor practices, consumer exploitation, and caused environmental harm for far too long.” (Christine Platt, The Afrominimalist)

"Consumed takes us through the hideously complex topic of fashion and sustainability, from its knotty colonial roots to what everyday people can do to uproot those systems, today." (Yassmin Abdel-Magied)

"SUCH integrity. Aja is no bullsh*t." (Florence Given)

Great content

Excellent content and perspectives on sustainability with regard to the garments we wear. This book and the ideas within reconnected me with some of my long held but forgotten and overlooked values. The connections Aja makes between sustainability and capitalism, colonization and colonialism were enlightening and on point. Makes me want to read more about sustainability.

It does what it says on the tin!

this book is great.

honestly, this book is really good. It's a fantastic overview that goes into a fair amount of depth of the full reach of how we as a society deal with clothes, by extension consumption, by extension colonialism.

truly it's a great book and Aja does a wonderful job narrating the book! Their voice is (in both their tone and the words they choose to write) filled with empathy.

Must read for anyone who plans to buy or donate clothing in the foreseeable future.

Fast Fashion is a problem. The history of that problem is briefly laid out. Then tangible and practical steps to stop it are offered.

excellent and enlightening

This was an extraordinary eye opener. I am so glad to have discovered this intelligent, interesting and down to earth understanding of hyper consumption.

An educational journey

A great journey through Fashion and it’s amazing exploitations, endeavors and discoveries. An eye-opening magnificent book. Well done!

Buy it now

A must read for everyone. Insightful work about fashion and our overconsumption. Aja Barber is a force in the movement to change the exploitation of people and the treatment of the planet. She outlines a compelling argument with realistic and achievable tasks.

Inspiring and Engaging

Aja’s book is eye-opening, yet accessible. She approaches the topic of our overconsumption with incisiveness, humor, and compassion. Most importantly, she effectively invites self-reflection and action. The performance is amazing: it’s like having a conversation with a (brilliant, genius) friend.

Everyone, please read this

Such a well-written book, full of information, wit and humor, and sobering truths regarding consumption.

Informative & Motivating

This easily could’ve been a very depressing book. Instead, it was informative in an inspiring way to take action. Also she’s been my favorite reader so far - she reads her “jokes” within the book with such great humor.

A surprisingly delightful book about a very distressing topic. A MUST READ.

Aja Barber somehow accomplishes the feat of writing a book that is really enjoyable and enlightening, while unpacking the dark consequences and roots of consumerism that we prefer not to think about. Narrating it herself with a great performance that’s lighthearted, serious or snarky wherever it needs to be, she’s made the audiobook even more special. I got through it in two days and wanted more. Highly recommended!

And thank you, Aja, for taking the time to write this wonderful book, and then even read it out loud to our lazy selves.