Altar of convenience.
We are putting the world on the altar of convenience. We’re putting art and creativity out there, too. Every “convenient” choice is a sacrifice we’ve decided we’re willing to make to maintain the status quo.
See, I was Gen X before they sorted my years with millennials. I grew up on highly processed foods, fast food and fast fashion. My whole world was cheap, plastic and unhealthy. Especially because we were low income and had limited choices but also because a lot of people didn’t know any better. We just did what everyone else did.
I don’t know if my parents ever questioned it, but I did. I picked up the trash from our street. I took our aluminum cans for recycling. I wanted the planet to be healthy. I care. And it always felt like I was alone in that care. Everyone else was fine ignoring it until it became a problem. I wanted to make things better and keep those problems from ever coming up.
I have spent the greater part of my 44 years doing the bare minimum for the world. My thinking has changed over the past decade or so. I’ve given up pesticides, even in my vegetable garden, where people often prioritize convenience over results. I started shopping for organic alternatives. I started reading labels.
Then, I take conscious consumerism to the next level. I wanted to know the value of companies getting my hard earned dollars. I wanted to attach my value system to where my money was. I said “f*ck you” to the billionaire industrial complex at every opportunity, and I began looking for more sustainable alternatives.
It would be easier if I were rich. I would have many more options. But well-made things cost more. Organic products carry a high price tag. It’s not an easy way to live, but I’m putting my values into practice.
Now is the best time to do good.
As I learned better ways, I incorporated them into my life. I started swapping out cleaning tools and products for more sustainable options. I swapped synthetic clothes for artificial and real. I started thinking more about how I spend the money I have. It’s not too late to change. There will always be the best time to do good now
I see eye rolls talking about it. I can even hear them on the phone. I’m not trying to make people feel bad, but everyone needs to be held accountable for their role in climate change.
They also need to be accountable for how their personal AI affects creators like me. Every time someone chooses to use it for a writing project, they can steal money from my pocket. Every time they artificially create “art”, they are taking money from artists I know and love. I take it personally because it is very personal to me. I have to admit that it saddens me when people I care about don’t care that much about me because they are too busy justifying their immoral behavior.
I know that I don’t live perfectly. There are many ways I can still improve. I’m figuring it out as I go. i am learning
I know that if I spray for pests my garden will have a big crop, but I also know that if I do that I will poison the earth, air and water. It is worthless to me. Avoiding pesticides might make my gardening a little more challenging, but I can feel good about the food I’m growing and the impact it has on the earth and the wildlife that inhabit it.
I just found out some of my favorite sustainable products have been sold to toxic corporations for money. Looks like I’m looking for new products to support! I won’t just carry on like I don’t know what I know. Many people are already doing it.
Believe in a better world.
My family would not describe me as a religious person. To them it means Christianity or other world religions. But I have faith. I don’t necessarily believe in a god, but I do believe in cause-and-effect and science.
When I plant a seed and then nurture it, I trust that it will grow. If not, I don’t just abandon all gardens. I tried again.
While I live more sustainably, I believe that a better world is possible if we care enough. If we could all reduce our harmful effects, the world could improve. I believe, even when 9 out of 10 people tell me they don’t care, by word of mouth they don’t understand what they mean.
When I make choices that align with my deeply held values, I put my beliefs into action. It’s not just lip service. I’m not just preaching one thing and living a completely different life. Maybe I am a man of faith.
When I write something like this, that too is faith. I know that most people who read this are already doing their best to live in a harm reduction way. But maybe someone will read what I write and realize that there is another way, a better way, a kinder way to live.
Reaching out to one is enough. It is important. Even one person who refuses to use “privilege” as an excuse makes a difference in a world that needs more people to care.
Please take care.
