The rise of "consumer" as the default word to describe humans in our society is the loudest indicator of everything that's wrong with it. It perfectly denotes the role that the masses are supposed to (and largely do) play: cattle.
A citizen is an actively engaged individual among equals; that's why we don't refer to "citizens" any more. The very term sounds quaint. A consumer, by contrast, pigs out on entertainment, industrial food product, and drugs (not those bad drugs, mind you - the good drugs, the ones we tell you to take).
That this is our concept of what a human being is called to do in this world is depraved. Future generations will look back on us as insane. (I say this as an optimist.)
I definitely agree that the word "citizen" is preferable when a general term for people is required. "Citizen" makes people sound like equals; consumer makes it sound like a few of us make something, and the rest just take it.
A citizen is an actively engaged individual among equals; that's why we don't refer to "citizens" any more. The very term sounds quaint. A consumer, by contrast, pigs out on entertainment, industrial food product, and drugs (not those bad drugs, mind you - the good drugs, the ones we tell you to take).
That this is our concept of what a human being is called to do in this world is depraved. Future generations will look back on us as insane. (I say this as an optimist.)