Forum Post: Confession thread:
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 12, 2011, 1:04 p.m. EST by MaerF0x0
(15)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Confession: I rebel all day, but vote poorly with my dollars. I choke when I see the prices of organic goods, I am regularly lazy and drive to work even though its <3 miles away. ALL of my clothes are made in China (malaysia, etc etc) And its all because I choke when I see the prices.
What do you suggest?
Even if you start buying more expensive clothing, there's still never a guarantee that it's going to come from somewhere labor-safe. Most corporations, even the ones making promises, like to set up nice little neutral zones in different parts of the starving world and work those people to the bone and then turn around and say "Hey, don't worry, yuppies, we promise that this sweater that costs ninety dollars was handcrafted in a co-op in Italy," which (even if it was the truth) still wouldn't be worth ninety dollars.
Organic goods are extraordinarily expensive and deteriorate in days- I still buy processed foods, I just make sure not to buy OVER-processed foods- stuff that's going to hurt my body. Sure, there may be a need to reform the processed food industries, but I don't think there's any need to get rid of them entirely- processing of food is what kept our civilization alive through the 20th century, it's the crux upon which humanity has not starved.
Regarding driving to work 3 miles away, well...I have a bike, I don't know how much sympathy you're getting from me on that one. I sold my car a little while ago, and I just go around on bike now. If you don't want to sell your car and you can afford it, the bike's a real easy way to put that gas money back into your pocket and it's not that strenuous to bike 3 miles.
All that being said, all the choices you make are choices of common, rational Americans...so you're not committing any grievous sin. I wouldn't look in the mirror every day and obsess about it- you're not living excessively. The people we're protesting in this movement are revving their Benzes in gold plated driveways while laughing at the pictures of starving Sudanese. Unless that's your daily warm-up before work, I think you're good.
You are experiencing a lack of choice, which is a lack of freedom and since you weren't the one who came up with the options and the prices, you are absolved from as much guilt.
If you look at it like, I need to be sustainable and efficient and non-polluting immediately! You could have a heart attack thinking of all the things you'd have to do in the next 24 hours, but if you think, over the next few years I'm going to make major changes and take a step towards them every day, no matter how small, then I think you will be a lot healthier and a lot more likely to attain your goal.
Move further away, then you can justify driving... Kidding, I live 7 miles from work but drive everyday. I'm also a car enthusiast and own a 302 Mustang that will probably be measured in gallons per mile when it's done. But it'll be fun!
You are among most Americans including myself i must confess. It is far easier to think "im going to buy organic food" than it is to actually do so once you see the price. Its no one's fault that we do this. Its a matter of culture and cultural change, which includes policy change. Once such policy change could be a tax on Asian produced products, however there would be obvious production consequences for doing so.
Its a difficult question to answer, perhaps further discussion wil lead to a better response.
I suggest putting the guilt aside. Ultimately, very few of us (i.e. not 99%) have problems with the existence of corporations. We have problems with corporations running government. We have problems with government serving corporate interest at the expense of public interest. This isn't caused by you buying an iPad. It's caused by election law allowing corporations to buy policy.
Although, get a bike. I don't care if it's made in China. Use the bike for < 3 mile travel. That's something, independent of Occupy, that is just A Good Idea for your health, your wallet, and your planet.
To be fair I live in a friggin cold part of canada, so biking is only "realistic" (ie, doesnt take a full body snow suit) for about 1/3-1/2 the year.. but yes, i acknowledge its more than nothing.