First things first, stop buying shit just for the sake of buying shit.
Get real with yourself about what you are spending your money on. Know where your dollars are going. Begin to understand that everything you buy has it’s own story attached to it - are you willing to hear the story of whatever it is you are buying? Or would it be more convenient to not hear the story because it might ruin your buyers high? Imagine we all immediately ceased purchasing new items. Imagine the impact this would have on the global constructs of capitalism. Just imagine. Imagine how much more valuable everything you currently own would become, knowing that there would be no replacing it with a new item. Imagine how we would begin to move more towards fixing items, up-cycling items, re-using items. Imagine the ingenuity that would ensue. Could we commit to a world where we weren’t always upgrading our technology, our vehicles, our wardrobes, mostly just for the fuck of it, because we can?!? Could we give up bigger and better and faster and “more efficient”, for smaller and good enough and slower and “maybe I don’t need that”? Imagine a life of equity, where everyone on this planet had exactly what they NEED to live a good healthy life. We don’t all need the same things. We probably know that by now. We are unique beings with unique needs. Some of us have more than we need. Some of have way less than we need. Some of us have a little bit more than we need. Some of us have almost enough of what we need. Some of us have way more than we could ever imagine needing. Here in the north western hemisphere, we are mostly all sick with a nasty, virile dis-ease called capitalism. Perhaps capitalism is a direct result of colonialism. Perhaps colonialism is direct result of the patriarchy. Perhaps the patriarchy is a direct result of the loss of connection to spirit. Perhaps the loss of connection to spirit is a direct result of the burning, hanging, & drowning of the “witches” way back when. Perhaps cultural genocide has been perpetuated so as to eradicate anything or anyone who might stand in the way of capitalistic takeover. Perhaps or perhaps not. The history in my mind is certainly different than the history I learned in school. One things I do know for sure - we are neck deep in a crisis of the spirit. I say neck deep because the neck is directly related to the throat. Most of us have major imbalances of the throat. We are either over-talkers, or scared shitless of speaking our mind aloud. We all have our own reasons for this common human condition of throat imbalance. Imagine as we balanced our throats, we learned to listen better. Imagine we started to listen to the spirit that exists in all things. Imagine we could sit quietly and still enough to hear the murmurings of our own spirits. Imagine that having a connection to spirit fulfilled us in ways that buying shit we don’t need ever could. Imagine we learned to listen better. To the trees and the streams and the earth beneath our feet. Imagine we began to learn about the sacredness of all life. Imagine we started to act in ways that honoured the sacredness of all life. Imagine we lived in ways that looked beyond what the eyes can see. Imagine we learned to truly feel again. Imagine a human species that was no longer de-sensitized to destruction and violence. Imagine we actually felt the suffering of our brothers, our sisters, our neighbours. Imagine what we would do if we truly felt that suffering. Imagine we began to act in more ways that brought relief and care and resources to our suffering brothers, sisters & neighbours, because we began to realize that when one suffers, we all suffer. Imagine a world where we didn’t simply try to save one another, and instead took the time and care to learn what the other needs, and then we shared what we could based on their true needs, and our true ability to give. Imagine a world where all human’s were considered gifts. Imagine a world where all human’s gifts were of equal value and worth to the collective whole. Imagine that time became the new currency, because at least in each day, we all have the same amount. Imagine what you would do with your time if it became the most valuable thing you had. Now, if you can, go do that. Time is already the one true currency that we share. Time is already the most valuable thing each one of us has. Our intangible human gifts are the things that will make this world turn into a better version of itself than is currently present, if they are so freely given, as they have been given to each one of us to bring forth into this world. Perhaps it is the gifts of our human spirit that will burn the wobbly constructs of capitalism to the ground - if we so dare use them.
1 Comment
Kathy Duperron
8/8/2020 01:35:52 am
I am doing better than ever with capitalism, trying to shop locally and thrifting. I have discovered myself feeling uncomfortable and out of place in a mall, feeling like it has nothing to offer me. I tried for an older car, but no one wants to part with the kind I like, so I got a 2 year old and it is my last car ever. I am shaky on listening and connecting deeply with nature. I have noticed the last couple of days the sounds of wind in the trees and rain falling through the leaves, the freshness of both. Thanks for this lovely writing and suggestions.
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morgan leigh callisonmostly i write to remind myself what it means to be me. it is through words, my soul finds expression & my mind finds a place for form to take shape. Archives
August 2024
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