when should our human duty to one another begin to put us - as well-off human beings - out? maybe it's the way I learned to do justice, but to me, it's not helping someone, unless you are making a sacrifice. This sacrifice - however - should not be making a purchase.
Food for thought
Paul Theroux writes a good piece on charity, throwing away money, in "the rock star's burden" - I like the way Roldo Bartimole puts it: "The problem with charities such as United Way isn't that they don't do any good. They do. Wealth interests use the concept of charity to avoid government action, especially if it is based on progressive taxation. They would then pay the largest share of the burden. They hate government. It's a deep ideological, class hatred. That is why they would even like to get rid of Social Security. Corporate, foundation and charity leaders know this but do not want the public to understand. Charity - despite all the headlines of great gifts by wealthy individuals -- shifts the burden to ordinary individuals, just as increasingly regressive taxation does"▪ and finally - my favourite - everyone reminding us to "think pink". I am a suporter of all things to encourage the aggressive study of breast cancer… however…. "When peach went pink, an activist movement became a consumerist movement. Yet, as noted by Barbara Brenner, executive director of BCA (Breast Cancer Action), "If shopping for pink ribbon products was truly the path to a cure, we’d have solved the breast cancer problem by now." Yeah, and if SHOPPING was a CURE for anything, we would have also saved the environment, the economy, and eradicated poverty!"
yes. I'm sarcastic. however - let's look at working in a tangible, non-consumerist, and non convenient way, to work for those who accompany our day to day life on this planet. Let's actually consume less, work harder, and talk less about how good we feel.
the critic in me finds ways to be jealous of everyone. my newest green bug is for "style rookie". she has taken to selling her clothes in an auction style, for charity. giving up clothes she does not wear anymore, selling them on a blog that is linked to her blog she currently writes in (almost) daily, and donating the money to charity. nontheless - she has an eye for fashion, a MASSIVE following, and a killer writing style. I'm dwarved by her. clearly critique can only take me so far.
I'm not that mean… I'll leave with something I do love and respect. These photos.
I'm not that mean… I'll leave with something I do love and respect. These photos.
