DAMN THE INVISIBLE HAND

Damn the invisible hand,

these disembodied entities unleashed

this transparent fate we embrace


Damn the constructs of our own demise,

this economic voodoo

this blind deference to mystics and seers


Damn the assumptions and expertise

telling us to take our medicine and say "please"


Damn the forecasts, projections and call to arms

to keep the wealth spiraling upwards and beyond


Damn the invisible hand,

this one stop shop

this cure all

this one fix for ills


Damn this lack of vision

LIBERATING THE HAPPY FACE FROM SERVITUDE

It always offended me to the core of my being that the ubiquitous and innocent happy face had been over time co-opted by a corporation whose entire business structure could never turn that frown "upside down". I was relieved therefore to learn that Wal-Mart recently lost a McLibel type lawsuit where they tried to lay claim to this symbol in the hope of shutting down someone daring to take them on regarding their rather dubious corporate practices.

Regrettably, the happy face had long been in servitude to the corporation. An image that was once an innocent doodling representing humanities deepest longings had over time become synonymous with minimum wages and the peddling of cheap plastic crap. In a world where everything is branded ad infinitum it is refreshing to see that every once in a while there are voices rising above the glossy din and speaking out against the categories that are imposed as "reality".

Regardless of how one feels about Walmart personally, it is alarming when large corporations hide behind copyright laws as a guise for shutting down increasingly creative and dynamic parodies and criticisms that are surfacing in the blogosphere, such as in this case where a Georgia man posted an anti Walmart campaign with the following logo;


In the digital age where images are manipulated and information transmitted faster than you can say "low prices" it is not terribly surprising that some big corporation like Walmart are gasping to catch their breath and assert control as the media becomes (hopefully) more democratized. This is one of those cases that makes me feel hopeful and proud of that subversive human spirit that still manages to counteract the claims of the dominant paradigm that so many of us are encouraged to embrace blindly.

I know on a personal level I am trying to make better choices for my family around what sort of business practices we support. I have a long way to go with this still, though it may have to change one purchase at a time, or perhaps even with fewer purchases as a matter of principal.
In the meantime, I am beaming with delight at the liberation of the happy face, and perhaps now that he is free we can finally hear his sad story in full.

TRYING TO GET THE BALANCE RIGHT

It rocks my world when good questions get asked, and once in a while when I peruse the blogosphere I get inspired by other people's stories, especially when they involve potentially embracing a significant paradigm shift.

Case in point (with thanks at JMGB at Lulliloo), I noticed that a woman named Lisa via her Not Buying It blog is beginning a journey and asking questions about how she spends her money and what constitutes a want versus a need. Inspired by the book "Not Buying It: My Year Without Spending", by Judith Levine, she is starting to journal about how and why she makes certain consumer choices in her life and is trying to make some changes.

This is an important discussion, and like many of us who have families and who live in this consumer driven culture it is important to learn how to live sanely and consume ethically and not be totally sucked in by the current paradigm at the same time. Here are a few of my thoughts, based on what I left in Lisa's comment section;

For me, having kids has caused me to reevaluate the want vs need paradigm in my own life. Also, I am motivated to examine how my own consumer habits send different signals to my kids around what values shape our lives and how we relate to the world. I am starting small, and for example I am choosing not to shop at Wal-Mart due to the destructive business practices that it engages in.

Asking questions and examining one's motives is a sane and reasonable way to start making changes. This simple act of engaging in an internal dialogue each time you contemplate a purchase is a radical notion in and of itself, as the consumer driven culture we live doesn't promote critical self-reflection in such matters. Re-examining the validity of long standing, though rarely question patterns is a healthy endeavor, though it doesn't happen over night.

Just look at the current concerns about the economy in the U.S. and throughout the world presently. There is this destructive notion that if people simply just get more money via tax cuts in their wallets they will spend more and thus keep the wealth flowing for all. Though true in purely economic sense, there is a disconnection from the far reaching consequences of this framework and the over all cost that excessive consumption has on our personal lives and on the planet.

Its quite the balancing act being part of this culture but not wanting to be totally sold on all of its unquestioned constructs. Perhaps the want vs. need discussion will be one of the most important discussions throughout this young century. I certainly hope so.

Anyways, its a long journey and I am but one traveler. I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this. Come walk beside me!