With the clear problems straining our Earth it is no wonder people are motivated to make changes. On the other hand, there is also a growing sense of apatheia among our society. Apatheia literally means non-suffering and letting go of problems we feel we have no control over. When we hear distressing news trying our world, it brings about feelings of fear, anger, and sorrow. The problem arises when we begin to repress our pain for the Earth, as most Americans do. We repress this pain for several reasons including fear of our own pain, we distrust our own intelligence, and because of media distractions. When we remain silent, we are denying ourselves the power we have to make a change. We are all completely aware of our ecological problem; however, we are scared to take initiative, speak up, and take action. Our silence could have heavy costs if we remain speechless.
Some people have been voicing their opinions however. Thousands of people from across North America have been taking steps ensuring Wal-mart will never disrupt their community. Currently, Vermont is the only remaining state in the United States without one. Throughout the country Wal-marts are being rejected or submitted a long list of demands regarding how its business must operate in their community. Think globally, act locally is an idea these people are putting into action. Though these are only the first steps in combating such corporations, much work is yet to be done to make a significant impact.
“Economism is an approach to life that places great meaning on money, work, and possessions”(Uhl 239). Our culture is currently revolving around corporations, markets, resources, manufacturing, and advertising. Countless Americans believe that the purpose of life is to work hard, make money, and buy things that they think will bring them happiness. However money should not determine progress, success, or most importantly happiness. Instead there must be a shift away from financial wealth, and toward more meaningful forms of wealth such as valuable relationships, education, natural surroundings, and cultural and political expression.
On a whole, the American values are backwards. Instead of becoming infatuated with the money cycle, we should instead nurture the life cycle. It is impossible to shut down the complex infrastructures and super-power corporations that run this country; however, the key to our solution is now, focus on sustainability. We must remember that Earth’s resources are finite and take time to re-generate. If we begin to live within our limits, and work with what the Earth can provide, we will begin to see noticeable changes. The dangers that lie ahead of us are real; however, if we make a conscious change in our lifestyles the outlook for our future generations does not look so bleak.
We also have the choice of alternate media. Independent media corporations have been springing up across the planet that provides news and information without any corporate influence. Many feel that mainstream newspapers, magazines, television, and radio cannot be trusted and are being filtered with some corporate bias. These independent media forums strive to provide the public with nothing but the truth. Of course such sites should be viewed the same way one looks at CNN’s news, with a critical eye.
It is important to we reduce, reuse, and recycle, however when it comes to enticing advertisements, we must change our way of thinking. The Earth is not at our disposal, and resources are progressively becoming depleted more and more each day. It is completely impossible to get rid of the advertising industry in this country. In response to this, there are such radical approaches to this problem such as boycotting all advertised products. Though this method may work for some, clearly it would be unsuitable for most of America. Instead, there is a less radical idea proposed.
The best tactic for this problem, is taking part in something called “Buy Nothing Day”. It usually takes place on “Black Friday”, or the day after Thanksgiving marking the beginning to the holiday shopping season. The concept of this method is simple, and everyone is invited to take part across the globe. The goal is to get everyone to deviate from shopping for just one day. By joining the “Buy Nothing Day” campaign, it shows retailers how fed up consumers are with their relentless pressures and push toward materialism. The true meaning of Christmas has become masked by the alarming consumption rates in preparation of this holiday. Participating in this event, is a non-violent yet substantial movement that hurts retailers earnings and sends them a clear message.