Hey
all!
I
want to thank you all for making our last class a very enjoyable one. It was
inspiring to learn about your beliefs on what an ideal world should look like.
In
class, we explored how consumer culture and the market work hand-in-hand to
produce social justice problems. In our analysis, we concluded that the role of
the government—the enforcer of rights—has been reduced to all but that of a
protector of the market itself. The thirst for profit spurs corporations to
indulge in condemnable labor practices, and as governments divest themselves of
their primary responsibility to the people, God is called upon to fill the
vacuum. Is this a problem, and is it avoidable?
On a more positive note, we should conclude our posts the
same way that we ended the class: exercising what Galeano describes as the
never proclaimed Right to Dream. Feel free to elaborate on the sentence you
submitted during the class exercise or comment on a vision you find problematic.
PS for our dear Verons that could not attend class, this is
the instruction for the class exercise: Write one sentence stating your vision
for a better world.
Thank you again.
14 comments:
Part 1
Thanks for a great class James!
Before I comment on James' post I just want to share something. It's in keeping with the "Grendel" class. Saturday morning I was watching and listening to "Superman." Yes, the cartoon and yes I do occasionally enjoy cartoons. The villain told Superman that without him, the villain, there would be no hero, Superman. Ergo, Superman needs him. Of course I'm paraphrasing but that's the gist. The villain said "You need me Superman." This comment perked my ears right up and I remembered Grendel. It's amazing how all of classes so far this semester, all seem to be related and coincide with other events, like Jaraed's class. It's as though the professors had a premonition as to what would develop during the course of the semester and set up the classes accordingly or selected readings that would fit so perfectly with so many of this semester's themes :)
Now to the issue at hand. Calling upon God to fix the problems created, as governments reduce their responsibilities for creating (or at least idly stand by while) a domino effect of consequences that affect the lives of so many people, is definitely problematic.
I believe that we are supposed to take responsibility for our actions. I think that we are God's hands and feet so to speak. We are to be our brothers and sisters keeper. Not just our biological siblings. Like I wrote in class, if we see each person as equally valuable as ourselves, we would treat others the way we would want to be treated. And since members of the government are elected by us, they SHOULD have the public interests at heart. God has us as guardians of this earth and we should protect it and each other. There is a slogan I saw somewhere that says "nowadays you have to work like a dog to be able to live like one." That should not be but sadly, with the governments and corporations focusing on profits, the marginalized are being trampled. Governments make a lot of revenue from taxes paid by companies. The more profitable the company, the more revenues collected by the government in the form of taxes. Why would governments want to lose such revenue, after all, we live in a capitalist economy. Of course it can be argued that these revenues/taxes collected are used in part to fund social service programs. But I counter-argue that if people are treated humanely, basic human rights are available to all, there will be less need for some of these services.
Part 2.
By putting the responsibility on God, governments are removing themselves from the problems that they have helped to create. After all, who put the policies in place in the first place? We need to take ownership of our actions and consequences of these actions. I say we, because we elect the government officials. By making wise choices and choosing to vote, we can elect officials that will represent the people and hopefully there will be greater oversight on business dealings that will put an end to "sweatshops", slave labor, inhumane working conditions etc. Like we discussed in class and saw in our readings, we as consumers also need to research the background of the products we buy. If the companies use cheap or slave labor, we should boycott these businesses by not purchasing their products. I know this is very time consuming and many of us may not have the time or be willing to do research before purchasing products, but that is another solution.
This was my contribution, "Teaching and embracing cosmopolitanism, for it Is only when we see others as human and of equal value to ourselves, despite nationality, racial, socio-economic status, etc., then our mindset will change to embrace all and policies will be put in place for equality for all." Martha Nussbaum wrote about cosmopolitanism. This may seem like a radical concept to some. She argued that with patriotism, some may have the view that because we are citizens of a particular country,and that citizenship makes us better than citizens of other countries. According to Nussbaum, Rousseau writes "[w]e also easily suppose that people who are not like us do not really suffer as we suffer... Rousseau speaks of the imagination's tendency to engage itself sympathetically only with those who resemble us, whose possibilities we see as real possibilities for ourselves." (Taken from For love of country? by Martha Nussbaum, p. 132) For Nussbaum, with cosmopolitanism, we would see ourselves as citizens of the world. "Whatever else we are bound by and pursue, we should recognize, at whatever personal or social cost, that each human being is human and counts as the moral equal of every other. To use the words of John Rawls, 'Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice'" p.133. If we see each person as valuable, then the words of the Constitution would not just be on paper, it will be true in practice as well, that all men are created equal.
James, how did you know my dream statement before we identified with them (just curious)? Its going to be hard to follow Simonne, but here I go!
The overwhelming demand for cheap "goods" serves as a justification for acts of social injustice. Companies interpret what we want by how much we buy. If we keep buying things created through the misery of others without blinking an eye, companies will keep producing them. Government also interprets consumer demand as product endorsement. This love triangle creates the perfect condition for the exploitation of the vulnerable. Its really that simple.
In my honest opinion, most consumers would cease to support such atrocious violations of human rights, if they were educated and understood the problem. I believe an advertisement campaign against the garment industry--similar to the one aimed at the tobacco industry--would significantly impact consumer demand on a global level. Just as cigarette packs had death warning labels, clothes from these unregulated regions should have one as well. Advertisements on the trains and on TV should omniscient. People must begin to know and understand before they can act. Raising awareness is the only way to combat corporate interest.
My dream was "keep it simple; all love, no war." This really speaks on a micro-level of how to achieve a better society. This dream was actually influenced by a nutrition book I am currently reading. The book calls for a diet similar to those of our pre-agricultural ancestors. In one of the chapters, however, the author compares a day in the life of a pre-agricultural family with a "modern" family. The latter's life is full of the complexities of disease due to malnutrition (and "cured" by modern medicine with all its side effects), workplace competition and stress, marriage stress, consumerism, and so forth. the former, however, followed a very "carpe diem" flow to it. the lives of our ancestors was by no means easy. Each day was a struggle; however, there were a lot less distractions about what true happiness is: just living. I believe this same approach to life (this is the hippie in me talking now!) combined with certain elements of modern life (peninsilyn and so forth) would greatly increase our quality of life.
My comment in response to Simonne's entry: Amen.
Hey Everyone! Thanks for a great class, James! It really left me feeling all tingly and happy on the inside.
This is such a huge problem, as are many of the ones we discuss, because it is so deeply rooted in our culture and it is something so rarely thought twice about. Its as if the sun revolved around the West. The entire world and its resources and population are at our use and disposal.
In memory of Cinco de Mayo, lets remember the fight against colonialism that has not ended around the world. I absolutely loved the excerpts from Galeano's book. All i kept thinking about reading them was James saying "mmmmm!!!" In particular, he starts "Injustice 101" by saying that the the free-market economy commands everyone to have what only so few people can get, and this inevitably leads to crime. At Safe Horizon on Friday, during my learning week at staff meeting, one of the attorneys shared a story from her experience working in Mexican anti-trafficking groups. She went into a kindergarten class for a "career day," and asked the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up and about half of them say they wanted to be "pimps." The thought that five year olds can so openly say that is a reflection of the prevalence and normalcy of sex trafficking in the culture. That is not a reflection of anything more than of the crippling state of the economy. The reason trafficking is so prevalent around the world is because of the need and desire to migrate. We create situations in Latin America, for example, through colonialism and exploitation, that cripples the economy and the population, and then we increase policing on borders in an effort to "control trafficking." Increased policing pushes people towards more illegal channels, which leaves them more vulnerable to be exploited and trafficking. This is a continuous circle that won't be broken until we drastically change our ways. I dont know how optimistic I can be, but the fart that we are talking about this so deeply gives me some hope!
Thank you James for a truly remarkable class!
My issue with leaving God to fill the void left by the government is the utter lack of accountability of the government to its people. The utter lack of responsibility is atrocious, and goes against everything that our government is supposed to stand for. On top of this I am even more disturbed by the degree of apathy among the American people. Although many of us can agree with the existence of the “love triangle” Anthony describes, I cannot help but feel that the majority of our society simply doesn’t care for the suffering of others, often caused by our very own government policies that are a product of consumer culture.
I definitely agree with Anthony that, in part, this can be due to a lack of knowledge and an awareness campaign could definitely do a lot of good, but I feel it will not be enough. I think the basic logic that consumer culture operates under is too strong. The only reason the government is able to protect the market is because we want them to. We as a nation demand the cheapest goods possible every single day, which is why the government supports the market, because in theory they are supporting our desires as well.
Now I can’t help but feel that most Americans, even if made aware of the suffering that other people are going through to create our cheap goods, would simply turn their heads away from the injustice because they are benefiting from it. This is why I made my one sentence dream in class “I dream of a world absent of complicity, where people cease to turn their heads away from injustice, but instead face it head on.” This is the change I would like to see in the world. I would like to see our country and its citizens take more responsibility for the suffering that we cause. This is where I agree with Simonne. We have already established that the government only operates to protect the market (and consequently cause suffering), because that is what it believes we want. Therefore if our government officials only plan to be accountable to the market, it is crucial that we hold them accountable for the suffering that the market causes. One of the ways that we can do this is through elections. We have the power to dictate the political agendas of our leaders through electing the officials who plan to address what we want, and not voting for incumbents who perpetuate injustice. The only piece of the puzzle missing is the demand from the people for change. We must want this change to happen if we are ever going to fight the injustices cause by consumer culture. It is time to stop complying with the injustice, and time to face it head on!
James, your excellent class has sparked an excellent discussion. A few hasty thoughts:
I am delighted to have been present at the birth of Anthony Ortiz, Hippie.
The idea of Simonne watching cartoons tickles me to no end.
I am grateful for Leena reminding us that Cinco de Mayo is more than Corona and chimichangas.
This last thing I'll say is completely un-earthshattering since Prof Waterston reminds us of this all the time: we tend to focus on the symptoms of the problem rather than on the cause. But lest we despair that we have to re-make the world entirely from scratch, I've been thinking about how this would look in my own life. I know what it would take to be a responsible consumer/consumer activist-in-miniature. This is the summer me: I walk instead of drive, I am a member of a community agriculture thing where I get local fruits and veggies, I don't use plastic, I shop less and am mindful of where things come from (i.e. I read labels and make choices about anything from flip flops to fish). The difference in the summer me is TIME. The winter me drives (o.k. speeds), buys food that is both more processed and packaged (including fast food dinners), buys stuff based on the time it takes to get to me (speed, again, over concern for my carbon footprint) -- so Amazon over a trip to a local bkstore that might be fruitless -- in other words, the winter me will always spend money rather than time because I am always short on time. What would give me more time? A school system that reflected the reality of the lives of working parents (i.e. after school care options, extracurriculars on site). Part of the consumer culture that James asked us to think about keeps folks so busy putting out fires (or as I, a veteran of many midwestern state fairs, think of it: whacking moles) that we can't do the thoughtful work Simonne so eloquently described.
To take a step back from me, folks who shop at Walmart might not want to be cogs in a wheel of an exploitive multinational capitalism. But Walmart shoppers are most likely working more hours for less money than in the pre-Walmart days and need the (in)famous Walmart prices. I don't think this is about flat-screen tvs (which is what the media would have us believe) as much as food and clothing. And geography -- most working folks can't take the time to drive an hour to a grocery store/department store with less exploitive practices (if there are any remaining) -- but Walmart is right there off the highway. And if you are working 2-3 jobs to pay for food and clothes, you don't have the gas money (not to mention a car) to get to better stores. And we have basically no public transportation in rural America. I know that people freaked over the stat that no American President has ever been re-elected if the gas price went above $4 a gallon; but if you've ever driven across the midwest, you'd know why. What would give these Walmart shoppers more options: a higher minimum wage so they could work fewer hours for more money so that they too would have the time to make responsible decisions.
James, kudos for having led a great class and discussion!
In response to Professor's excerpt about Walmart shoppers - I am guilty (of shopping there). Accessibility of Walmart stores in neighborhoods outside of the NYC area drives sales because as Prof. R. stated, not many people have the time or the resources to shop elsewhere. In my case, I justify shopping at Walmart because I am a "broke college student". However, I still always feel guilty when I shop there because I am aware of the horrible company it really is. Slowly but surely, I am making a conscious effort to stop shopping there as well as becoming a more responsible consumer all around.
In the same vein, as I have traveled to Guatemala over the past few years, it has truly broken my heart to see an enormous Walmart establishment located in the heart of the capital. Of course, the Walmart is full of excited shoppers who just can't get enough of the deals and low prices... As we have previously discussed, the effects multinational corporations have in developing countries are very harmful. More often than not, worker exploitation is commonplace. Along with that you can also find local mom-and-pop stores being run out of business. At this point, you can begin to wave goodbye to the rich cultures of these nations worldwide and give a big welcome to globalization... Anyway, I think I just lost myself and forgot the point I was trying to make...
Thank you James for a very fun class that ended a group hug and a selfie!
But to respond to the “God is called upon to fill the vacuum” comment, I am not sure exactly what you are referring to. Are you saying that the Government is acting as a “God like” overseeing figure in the labor force? If not, are you trying to come to a more divine understanding of the inevitability of the way in which the market place profits from suffering? Or am I way off in my interpretation completely? What I will say to the general idea of human suffering in the market place is that it has always been done to make money. Slavery is the most common example of putting out little to no money for employee labor to turn a greater profit. Currently, the humanizing effect of seeing human suffering is diminished by shipping the problem oversees to not have to see the problem.
As far as my quote is concerned which is, “I wish the world would stop reminding me of what I don’t have and instead make me feel better about what I do have. Confidence!!”, the world will never stop feeding off of the insecurity of consumers to turn a profit. It is my greatest hope that people can be more confident in themselves than to need a product to feel satisfatction but if that were to happen, where would the hair care, clothing, cosmetic, sexual enhassmnet etc. industries go? A lot of people are employed based off of capitalizing on insecurity, even those suffering oversees.
To conclude, this video is of comic Louis CK explaining how the world’s greatest achievements are made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVTXFsHYLKA
Hello Everyone,
Great class James wonderful exploration of consumer culture and the relation to social justice problems. The class exemplifies the risk individuals have with taking part in consumer culture. One of the aims of consumer culture is the emphasis on the benefits of consumption. However, over consumption is highly problematic for the future. I believe the problems stem from a limited number of resources to produce, which will lead to high consumption with stagnant production. As an end result, the resources will deplete and the system theoretical will fall apart. I do believe that the system does look out for the market’s interest and creates a setup that is oppressive. The more individuals consume the greater the effect on consumer culture looking out for the market’s interest.
I believe that Galeno was correct in proposing a right to dream, but what is the point? Many dreams that individuals will come up with will only benefit specific individuals. The dreams of many have to be combined into one to create a holistic dream. I think the compromise of many dreams will lead to the dream that will create and create change.
Best,
JT
I can't express how sad I am to have missed your class James! It seems like it was an amazing class, and I was so looking forward to the discussion! Alas, I shall have my discussion here.
When speaking about consumerism and policies around consumer culture, I don't have much hope in reform. I say this because of the same points that my colleagues have pointed above: there is no accountability for those who perpetuate this culture; the people who benefit do not want to give up their benefits; and us, as consumers, as college students, as working class citizens, might not have the time or the resources to shop at local stores.
This then has to be a discussion about privilege; how do we, as a collective, begin to have a conversation about changing this culture that thrives on the exploitation of human beings if there is no feasible solution in sight? Our government has become, as James said, "the protector of the market itself." While we can work as a whole to boycott stores that practice inhumane production of goods, most of us cannot afford to do so. I cannot go to American Apparel and buy $80 jeans, so I go to another shop that sells me $15 jeans. As long as the powers that be continue to create this cycle, of which seems to be impossible to escape, by cultivating power/economic disparities and forcing us to remain where we are as a people and as a society, what can we do except make noise?
My dream? To have the people who hold power become decent human beings. Is that too much to ask?
Hi All. Here's a report just released today that you may find relevant to our discussion:
http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report
http://www.globalchange.gov/
Maybe you can save the report to read when you have the time, once the semester ends. I just think it's an important resource for all of us....
Post a Comment