understanding
I am writing in response to some other questions/comments that people have addressed in other posts …
“Can you imagine not having a feeling of home..of belonging in any place/space? […] I will never be looked at as an equal.” - Jorge
“Our standards for a home are getting higher and because of our consumer instincts, we have to consume more. Is there no end?” - Karen
As an environmentalist/artist/clown/performer/writer/humanitarian a lot of my opinions or perspectives clash with that of mainstream western culture. I say this not to be sensationalist or difficult, but out of experience and out of constantly feeling like the outcast or the oddling because I don’t like or appreciate things that we are “suppose” to like according to ??? … whomever it is that shoves social structures down our throats. I don’t have a cell phone, for example. I refuse to have one because I know the harm that it would cause to the environment and I cant live with that. I am not telling anyone else that they need to get rid of their cell phone. I am also not convinced by the voices telling me that I need to have one for safety purposes, or for business… I use to have one and it didn’t make any of those aspects of my life more or less successful.
I often find myself looking around and feeling like a total stranger in this place. It seems we are separated from so much that matters and attached to so much that doesn’t. In a CBC program that I was watching the other day (“Planet Earth”. Its great!), someone described materialism as “psychological junk food” - meaning that we buy stuff and it temporarily makes us feel happy but in the long run it is actually detrimental due to its large mass.
I am not saying that I am perfect and do no wrong but there are days when I want to scream out, “I don’t belong here! This is NOT my home!” And then there are days when I don’t feel like fighting anymore and have a long, hot shower - which, of course, I subsequently feel guilty for having because I am wasting water.
I look at cultures from around the world, and from within Canada, that struggle or strive to maintain their ways. Cultures that fight against globalization, colonisation, Americanisation and continue to practice rituals that have been practiced for hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of years. I look at them and I can understand why they are against change. I do not agree with all of their practices and I think that change can be a good thing, but I can also understand that people look at American culture and see the destruction that it has caused to community structure and to the earth. I think it’s important to maintain old and new ways in balance. Constantly looking back, while we walk forward, to keep the lessons that we need with us.
There is only an end to consumerism if we draw a line and maintain it… Maybe then people will start to feel equal because western culture will be able to refocus attention that is currently being spent on material things back to communicating with each other and sharing. Maybe then it’ll feel something like home
“Can you imagine not having a feeling of home..of belonging in any place/space? […] I will never be looked at as an equal.” - Jorge
“Our standards for a home are getting higher and because of our consumer instincts, we have to consume more. Is there no end?” - Karen
As an environmentalist/artist/clown/performer/writer/humanitarian a lot of my opinions or perspectives clash with that of mainstream western culture. I say this not to be sensationalist or difficult, but out of experience and out of constantly feeling like the outcast or the oddling because I don’t like or appreciate things that we are “suppose” to like according to ??? … whomever it is that shoves social structures down our throats. I don’t have a cell phone, for example. I refuse to have one because I know the harm that it would cause to the environment and I cant live with that. I am not telling anyone else that they need to get rid of their cell phone. I am also not convinced by the voices telling me that I need to have one for safety purposes, or for business… I use to have one and it didn’t make any of those aspects of my life more or less successful.
I often find myself looking around and feeling like a total stranger in this place. It seems we are separated from so much that matters and attached to so much that doesn’t. In a CBC program that I was watching the other day (“Planet Earth”. Its great!), someone described materialism as “psychological junk food” - meaning that we buy stuff and it temporarily makes us feel happy but in the long run it is actually detrimental due to its large mass.
I am not saying that I am perfect and do no wrong but there are days when I want to scream out, “I don’t belong here! This is NOT my home!” And then there are days when I don’t feel like fighting anymore and have a long, hot shower - which, of course, I subsequently feel guilty for having because I am wasting water.
I look at cultures from around the world, and from within Canada, that struggle or strive to maintain their ways. Cultures that fight against globalization, colonisation, Americanisation and continue to practice rituals that have been practiced for hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of years. I look at them and I can understand why they are against change. I do not agree with all of their practices and I think that change can be a good thing, but I can also understand that people look at American culture and see the destruction that it has caused to community structure and to the earth. I think it’s important to maintain old and new ways in balance. Constantly looking back, while we walk forward, to keep the lessons that we need with us.
There is only an end to consumerism if we draw a line and maintain it… Maybe then people will start to feel equal because western culture will be able to refocus attention that is currently being spent on material things back to communicating with each other and sharing. Maybe then it’ll feel something like home