A famous quote from Adam Smith’s pivotal book “Wealth of Nations” asserts, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.”
This is a core economic truth, but it also downplays the degree to which decisions to buy and sell in a market can look beyond our own interests towards those of our neighbors. It’s not uncommon for business owners to see each cup of coffee they provide or each sandwich they construct as more than just a means to a buck but also as filling a real need for their community.
And on the other side of the counter, frequently we see consumers make purchasing decisions in order to support certain people with whom they feel an affinity or sympathy. This motivates us to “buy American” or to support a friend’s new venture, even if it’s not peddling anything we really need at the moment.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, it also prompted then-President George W. Bush to encourage Americans to “go shopping.” The economy was shaky; people were gripping their savings in case of aftershocks; and businesses of all sizes were worried about their continued solvency. But for our common economy to rebound, we needed to consider the wider interests of the nation. Bush’s message was not one of mindless consumerism but of mutual support during a trying time.
[As a side note: It’s not just positive sentiment we express with our purchasing decisions, as there is a long tradition of boycotting businesses with whom we disagree too.]
But it’s the Bush-style “go shopping” message of support during a trying time that I want to focus on here. While there has been a lot of partisan back-and-forth online, it’s also been good to see plenty of bipartisan good will towards those in the mountains too, after Hurricane Helene left a path of destruction three weeks ago. The moment didn’t inspire as much unity as after Sept. 11, but that can partly be blamed on the fact that we are in the last stretch of a presidential-year election, when partisanship is at its predictable peak.
At first, the goodwill was focused on saving lives from immediate danger from the storm. After that, we’ve focused on helping those whose property has been destroyed and whose basic daily needs have to be met without the usual infrastructure and systems in place. This second phase will be ongoing for years. Donations of time, talent, and treasure will continue to be a big help.
But another way we can all help is, as Bush suggested, to “go shopping.” October is the peak tourism season for western North Carolina, where people come from near and far to watch the leaves turn and visit the many charming towns across the region. But this year, this fall tourism revenue will be a fraction of the usual $2 billion.
Some of this revenue will be lost because certain towns are inaccessible due to washed out roads and because the tourist attractions have been damaged by the storm. But other areas that did not experience extensive damage are missing out on their most important annual revenue because people assume they should keep their distance out of respect. This is the right impulse for many areas along the Tennessee border or in Buncombe and Rutherford counties, where damage was most extensive. But other counties continue to welcome visitors and are pleading with their usual visitors not to stay away.
To know which towns are which, Visit NC created a map that changes as things get back to normal, with towns reporting as green (welcoming visitors), yellow (check ahead for specific limitations), or red (closed to visitors).
The Asheville and Boone areas, which are the biggest population centers in the mountains, both happen to be in the “closed to visitors” area. But further west in counties like Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain — where Western Carolina University, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Maggie Valley, Highlands, and other major draws are —they are largely open to visitors. There could be a problem in accessing these areas though for those coming from the east, since they’d have to pass through red areas, so check on road conditions.
Even if you can’t make it out to an area that is welcoming visitors, there are other ways we can support commerce in the North Carolina mountains. The holiday season is coming soon, and our state’s fraser fir trees are among the most popular Christmas trees in the world. There are also countless gift possibilities from the area that you could buy as you’re Christmas shopping.
Here’s a list of products and brands from western North Carolina for your convenience, which includes everything from coffee, tea, and beer, to makeup, furniture, and art. As Adam Smith said in the quote at the beginning, the baker, brewer, and butcher’s interests lie in maintaining their livelihoods through their businesses. So by putting food on our table or gifts under our tree, we’re helping them do the same.