‘pursuit of happiness’ exhortation
to obscenely materialistic lengths
over the years, accumulating possessions
like there is tomorrow,
Canadians have held on to
Uncle Sam’s coat-tails, intoxicated by
our own extended buying spree.”
(Time to Rethink American Dream, Mindelle Jacobs)
Clearly, Americans and Canadians are not the only people who have accumulated possessions and are going through a ‘rethink’ as an age of austerity takes stronger root.
As the use and over-use of fossil fuels became the norm over the last 60 - 80 years, vast wealth grew throughout the world. And though the U.S.A., Canada and Australia lead the pack in terms of per capita emissions of dangerous greenhouse gases, many other countries are closing the gap (e.g. China, India) as they chase their own delightful version of the American Dream.
Our extended buying spree must be curtailed. Our peace of mind and heart are at stake, and less-importantly, our economy.
Yesterday I admitted I live a regal life, master of my own domain (the most comfortable region being my 9 by 19 ft. workshop), and have six basic and several higher needs met without great difficulty.
And as I redefine the good life or my version of the Canadian Dream (see ‘Lessons to be learned from the recession Parts 1 and 2’ below) I must be more careful not to let the fulfillment of basic needs distract me as much from a higher life.
I suppose, as I look a bit more closely at my basic needs (Things: food, clothing, shelter, communication, transportation, recreation), I need to ask myself some questions.
Foe example - re food:
Can I eat more simply, conservatively?
Will my efforts benefit others as well as myself?
Do I need to stockpile so many items in cupboards?
How many kinds of mustard do I actually need?
Can I make healthier salad dressing on my own?
Is a freezer absolutely necessary?
Can I lower my meat consumption further?
Where does will power come from?
How much time do I spend dealing with food?
What are the easiest or quickest ways to cut back on that time element, so that there’s more time for important matters?
How did we get to the point that a basic need eats up so much time?
***
I’m an average guy with average questions. What did I miss?
.
4 comments:
I don't know what you missed GH, but I've always thought it was cruel of God to make us so that we require 3 meals a day. WAY too much time spent on gathering, preparing and ingesting in my opinion. Perhaps that time could be better spent on finding solutions to many, many things that are more needed in our world.
I'm in the habit of making big batches; porridge, casseroles, beer, etc.
Time is precious, for sure, Jane.
GAH
When you move overseas (especially to the third world) you quickly realize how much we actually have in North America. And how much you really can live without.
I've had to do without a tv for the last month - and you know what? It has actually been liberating.
Hi Michel,
Discovering 'how much you really can live without' would be an interesting challenge. Liberating, indeed.
I'll check in later to see how jack is doing.
Keep well in Sudan,
GAH
Post a Comment