I have a bumper sticker that I purchased awhile back: It reads Live Simply So That Others May Simply Live. I haven't put it on my car yet; I have a tendency to buy random things sometimes. Kind of odd, huh? A sticker promoting simplicity, yet I purchased it and have not even used it yet.
Oh affluenza, mon cherie. I know well about affluenza. While I do not think I live a "luxurious" life and while I do restrict myself from buying, I still own tons of stuff... at least 600 CDs [some bought "used" though...so those are justified purchases], at least 500 books [an estimate... I try to buy used books, but sometimes cave into Borders or amazon.com], much more stationary than I will ever need, lots of candles [they are in my closet...I don't even use them!], etc.
Ok, so I am not a candidate for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous... I still have a lot of stuff though. Recently, I've been impacted by a combination of readings and viewings. I'm just thinking a lot about how most of us Americans act. I've read Affluenza and Culture Jam; I've recently seen some documentaries on both rich people and the homeless of America [one documentary showed how people live under subways and have their own community... it was amazing...the documentary was done in the mid 90s...]; I've also recently seen some episodes of Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days.
In one episode of 30 Days, Morgan and his fiancee live on minimum wage for one month, in order to see what it is like. They had to literally count every bit of cash they had. Even something like a pastry was something they couldn't give to themselves as a treat. In another episode of 30 Days, two people from the Bronx live in a village that is "off the grid." Basically, in this village [in the U.S.], the people make their own crops and use resources such as solar panels, in order to have sources of electricity. In lieu of toilets, there was a different bathroom system, which led to the use of "hu-manure" for the land. It's easy to say that we're not going to have a movement where Americans want to live "off the grid"- that's hardcore simplicity... I wouldn't want to live "off the grid" either...although the idea of solar electricity interests me. I know Leonardo DiCaprio just had some kind of house built for himself, all "environmentally friendly," solar panels and all...oh, if we could all be Leo....
Back to the point...
While I try to be careful with my money [trying to be cautious of my purchases, not buying tons of take-out food, etc], I do have the ability to buy the things that I want. When I think of the simplicity move and its role in America, I think that Americans could simplify their lives- they just don't want to. I think if you were to somehow broadcast a video like Affluenza across the nation, or somehow make people all have their computers linked to www.simpleliving.net at the same time, that most people would comment, "Yeah- I could live more simply, but why?" I think that people are aware, to an extent, of their impulsiveness with shopping or of their waste of goods, but I don't think a majority of Americans are willing to change.
It's just crazy to know that an informal survey showed 1957 as being the year that Americans were the happiest. It's now 2006 and we've made so many advances, or so we thought, yet we're not happy. The weirdest thing I find is that in this country there are tons of people working like crazy and not spending time with their family. These people might also be seeing therapists. Maybe if they worked a little less and bought a little less, the whole family and happiness "thang" would work out.... ?
Then there's tons of people working like crazy, just to be able to feed their family. What about them too?
1 comment:
Reading your reference to owning "tons of stuff," made me laugh, thinking of a recent Dr. Phil show. They literally trucked away--in 6 huge trucks--excess "tons of stuff" from one guy's home.
On a more serious note, I love your bumper sticker. The challenge is how to live more simply and have it postively impact the poor. When I was a kid and didn't want to eat, my parents would say, "Eat your food; children are starving in China." (So I ate. Ludicrous, but I guess the idea was to be grateful that you have food.) Years later, when I tried that line on a kid, he said, "Send it to them." (Why didn't I think of that???? On some level, though insubordinate, at least he was saying I'm not going to eat because they're starving--do something for them.)
Your bumper sticker reminds me of another social call-to-action one: "If you want peace, work for justice." Part of justice is making sure that we who have an over-abundance share with those who have not enough. ...And we don't have to look outside our own borders to find the ones you refer to who struggle to subsist. ...With what's happening in the Middle East, I wonder what is justice, and who determines it?
Enough.
You've done it again, Michelle! I continue to admire at your level-headed maturity and sensitivity; I'm going to miss your blogs when this course is over. Will you maintain them?
p.s. More than affluenza, I'm a victim of the clutter bug; it pains me to throw anything away. I see a possible treasure in just about anything. Right now I'm collecting paper towel tubes to use for some not-yet-imagined project with my primary students. Any ideas on how to use them?
pp.ss. Anyone know of a charity that would want coffee mugs? For a good cause, I'm prepared to part with many of them :)
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