Hastening a global reboot

CAVEAT: below is muddled thoughts as I think them, will edit as I go over time.

The tweets over the weekend by Umair Haque (@umairh ) seemed designed to create panic.  Today Umair lays the foundation for what appears to be a series of simple explanations behind his panic. His first post has made me think and I will definitely be reading this series: http://umairhaque.blogspot.com/2011/05/opulence-bubble-simplicity-mix.html  .

My thoughts over the weekend re his posts were couched in readings on the effect of mass panic on stock markets that knock on to economies.  To assuage fear and panic, I hope Haque later suggests positively what consumers can do. Yes consumer debt is way too high and needs to be reduced aka no more buying $3000 handbags during lavish global holiday extravaganzas on credit and such foolish silliness.  Secondly consumers need a greater motivation to be debt free (although fear and panic works).  But the answer cannot be 'stop buying' but perhaps buy better.  A sudden global reboot (as suggested by any message to 'stop buying') would be more painful than it need be.

Creative destruction takes time, and Haque's actions appear to be designed to hasten change rapidly (or promote a new book?).  It's risky. Alternately, one could ponder that the shift has already started and is a lot further developed than can be estimated because it isn't measurable or it falls outside of traditional measurement, it subverts the dominant paradigm.  For example, is anyone recording the $/volume of sales of 2nd hand goods?

Rather than panic and fear, is there an easy to follow, explicit guide/list of intelligent, sustainable, reuse, humane businesses/practices consumers should use to hasten the "titanic global reconfiguration" adjustment?  Has the global parallel economy been identified and described explicitly in a way consumers can grasp? (aka not in HBR talk).

Can influencers promote a list of businesses/practices? or is that already happening but the message isn't getting through to consumers because dominant incumbents are protecting their power base?  The underground/parallel economy needs to be made explicit?  How will individual governments react - with incumbents or change agents?  History isn't kind to that, but recent history is definitely kinder.

It will be good to read responses from economists and people I respect to Haque's manifesto.