Consuming In America

i read something last week that has been weighing heavy on my mind and heart. it was an answer to a question i had been seeking for a few months. i have been wondering about consumption, wondering if everyone on the planet lived like the elite, could the planet sustain this level of consumption/living? of course i knew the answer to that one, but i wanted to see proof. and i got it. according to a report called "Footprints of the Planet" (no date--read it in the Health and Social Justice textbook I am reading for work), if every nation consumed at the same rate as we do here in the States, we would need, get this, FOUR ADDITIONAL PLANETS to sustain this level of consumption. Four Additional Planets.

and here i have been saying "i need more, i need more". perhaps the truth isn't that i need more. perhaps the truth is those who have the most actually need LESS. a lot less.

i am a strong believer in fairness. to my core, i support the idea of sharing the wealth. i deplore the class system. i deplore the idea of anyone owning big homes (unless they have a big family and have adopted most of their children). i deplore the idea of anyone owning more than one home (unless they allow homeless persons to live in them when not in use). i deplore the idea of anyone owning large SUV's and more than 1 car per adult.

if the planet could sustain this for everyone, i'd have no issue with it. but being we have populated this planet so heavily, it is time for those WITH EXCESS to relinquish some of that load. equal the playing field. every one of us is worthy of and deserving of every item of luxury that life has to offer. however, because this is not feasible for ALL of us to enjoy, then none of us need to live such a life. it isn't right. it certainly isn't fair. or just.

i used to believe in the words of the new thought movement, in the words of oprah and others of her financial status. "we don't know what the purpose is for others. perhaps the poor people chose to come here and live as a poor person to teach us compassion." utter rubbish. bullocks. bullshit. this is nothing more than a convenient justification told in order to justify THEIR wealth which enables them to turn their minds and their hearts away from reality. that reality being there are policies created that KEEP the class system in place, that create it to begin with. that reality being that not everyone has the support system, the skills, the talents, the energy to pursue work that pays a high income. that reality that not everyone can possibly live their standard. speaking from a plantery/resource level, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE.

do i think those "with" will voluntarily decide one day to give back some of that wealth? likely not in my lifetime. massive consumption just continues to grow. people want more. it's an obsession. an addiction. technology keeps spitting out new gadgets and americans want to keep up. our homes are bigger. we eat more food. we own more cars. my god WHEN WILL THIS INSANITY END??? when will folks wake up and see that THEIR CHOICES are EFFECTING OTHERS? when will folks wake up and see that THEIR CHOICES are DESTROYING OUR PLANET?? it isn't just co2 and other toxic substances that are hurting our planet. it's our over-consumption that's also causing harm.

imagine if you knew that your way of living was ensuring that other folks go without?

if this woman living in poverty (poverty according to the standards as set forth in the U.S.) can ask herself this question and do some serious soul-searching, then so can you.