Globalization = Exploitation ?
I wrote the following ideas and thoughts down in my journal towards the end of November.
There’s exploitation in this world. And it is driven by the consumerism. The culture that is marketed by the large companies, and that we now take as a “given”.
You can see a previous blog entry and find examples… Coca-Cola, prawn farming, etc.
Now, there are various angles one can attempt to tackle this problem. One is from “bottom” up… educate the villagers in a local context about the situation of the world today, and possible decisions that they will have to make. They must be educated on what exactly is going on and has been going on in their locality, or localities LIKE theirs, what possibly could happen in their locality… AND how this ties in with GLOBALIZATION, CAPITALISM, etc. When the Coca-Cola factory was built, do you think the villagers knew that all their ground-water was going to be used up? Two is a dialogue with the decision-makers of huge corporations like Coca-Cola… and see if a dose of humanism works (probably not). Three is the “top” down approach. Consumers have to put pressure on huge corporations. If consumers stop buying products and put real pressure, then corporations have to change their ways.
For the “top” down approach, as well, education is the key. People just aren’t aware of what’s going on. Mainstream media doesn’t share these stories because they are often controlled by a lot of these large corporations as well.
There needs to be people that are doing research and work on each of the different issues/companies/products (prawn farming, sweat shops, Coca-Cola, etc.), and conduct studies in ALL parts of the world that this is occurring. The opposing point-of-view, that of the company’s, must be listened to and understood as well… if, for nothing else, to formulate stronger arguments. Some group then needs to collaborate the individual efforts of people researching individual products and/or companies, and then publish it, and get the word out. At least people would be more aware… maybe a 9-11 type documentary?
Some sort of list of products (clothes, foods, appliances, raw materials, etc.), and what the REAL costs of these products are needs to be created. When someone buys a shirt at Macy’s, they should know all the REAL human costs of that shirt, and make an educated decision on whether to buy it or not.
Hopefully, naturally… this awakening would be SO broad and effect so many industries that people will begin to realize that the entire base of today’s capitalism is FALSE (limited resources – unlimited desires), UNSUSTAINABLE, and is having negative effects on nature, people in other parts of the world, our minds (conditioning through advertising), etc. We are not in competition for a limited amount of resources, and, therefore, do not have to grab as much as we can. By doing this for our own security and “happiness”, we are not leaving enough for others... we’re grabbing their share, as well. Resources are abundant for everyone and naturally recycle if we don’t mess with their cycles, and our needs ARE limited. Many people have shown that there is plenty of food in the world for everyone, plenty of resources from everyone – but the problem is in the systems we currently live by... the systems that determine the distribution of these goods. In the name of “capitalism”, we are paying little attention to the destruction of our resources.
And, I really think that the U.S. could be the MAJOR player in this movement… in this understanding – as there are a lot of people that ARE socially-minded and justice-minded, but right now, the power lies in the hand of those with $$$. However, in the U.S. and with the use of alternate mass media tools, such as the internet, where money isn’t an issue, an awakening can begin.
To have a global, united front (from top down, and bottom up) that has a vision of a more just, natural, and cooperative system of sustenance… and has the understanding of Gandhiji’s SATYAGRAHA – that would be incredibly powerful.
When you see small steps… such as the Coca Cola situation… “bottom” up, there have been massive protests here in India, and one factory was shut down in South India. “Top” down there have also been boycotts of Coca-Cola in the U.S. on this issue, for example at the University of Michigan. I begin thinking that there is a way…
All the information and research needs to be put together without propoganda, but with facts. The universal nature of this understanding… how any and all religions would support this understanding… needs to be clearly delineated. And also, there has be a think tank of minds from around the world to come up w/ a new method for distribution of goods – the problem may not be with capitalism… capitalism may work… but is must be an AWARE capitalism… a capitalism based in humanism… aware of society at large (world society), nature, and oneself.
There’s exploitation in this world. And it is driven by the consumerism. The culture that is marketed by the large companies, and that we now take as a “given”.
You can see a previous blog entry and find examples… Coca-Cola, prawn farming, etc.
Now, there are various angles one can attempt to tackle this problem. One is from “bottom” up… educate the villagers in a local context about the situation of the world today, and possible decisions that they will have to make. They must be educated on what exactly is going on and has been going on in their locality, or localities LIKE theirs, what possibly could happen in their locality… AND how this ties in with GLOBALIZATION, CAPITALISM, etc. When the Coca-Cola factory was built, do you think the villagers knew that all their ground-water was going to be used up? Two is a dialogue with the decision-makers of huge corporations like Coca-Cola… and see if a dose of humanism works (probably not). Three is the “top” down approach. Consumers have to put pressure on huge corporations. If consumers stop buying products and put real pressure, then corporations have to change their ways.
For the “top” down approach, as well, education is the key. People just aren’t aware of what’s going on. Mainstream media doesn’t share these stories because they are often controlled by a lot of these large corporations as well.
There needs to be people that are doing research and work on each of the different issues/companies/products (prawn farming, sweat shops, Coca-Cola, etc.), and conduct studies in ALL parts of the world that this is occurring. The opposing point-of-view, that of the company’s, must be listened to and understood as well… if, for nothing else, to formulate stronger arguments. Some group then needs to collaborate the individual efforts of people researching individual products and/or companies, and then publish it, and get the word out. At least people would be more aware… maybe a 9-11 type documentary?
Some sort of list of products (clothes, foods, appliances, raw materials, etc.), and what the REAL costs of these products are needs to be created. When someone buys a shirt at Macy’s, they should know all the REAL human costs of that shirt, and make an educated decision on whether to buy it or not.
Hopefully, naturally… this awakening would be SO broad and effect so many industries that people will begin to realize that the entire base of today’s capitalism is FALSE (limited resources – unlimited desires), UNSUSTAINABLE, and is having negative effects on nature, people in other parts of the world, our minds (conditioning through advertising), etc. We are not in competition for a limited amount of resources, and, therefore, do not have to grab as much as we can. By doing this for our own security and “happiness”, we are not leaving enough for others... we’re grabbing their share, as well. Resources are abundant for everyone and naturally recycle if we don’t mess with their cycles, and our needs ARE limited. Many people have shown that there is plenty of food in the world for everyone, plenty of resources from everyone – but the problem is in the systems we currently live by... the systems that determine the distribution of these goods. In the name of “capitalism”, we are paying little attention to the destruction of our resources.
And, I really think that the U.S. could be the MAJOR player in this movement… in this understanding – as there are a lot of people that ARE socially-minded and justice-minded, but right now, the power lies in the hand of those with $$$. However, in the U.S. and with the use of alternate mass media tools, such as the internet, where money isn’t an issue, an awakening can begin.
To have a global, united front (from top down, and bottom up) that has a vision of a more just, natural, and cooperative system of sustenance… and has the understanding of Gandhiji’s SATYAGRAHA – that would be incredibly powerful.
When you see small steps… such as the Coca Cola situation… “bottom” up, there have been massive protests here in India, and one factory was shut down in South India. “Top” down there have also been boycotts of Coca-Cola in the U.S. on this issue, for example at the University of Michigan. I begin thinking that there is a way…
All the information and research needs to be put together without propoganda, but with facts. The universal nature of this understanding… how any and all religions would support this understanding… needs to be clearly delineated. And also, there has be a think tank of minds from around the world to come up w/ a new method for distribution of goods – the problem may not be with capitalism… capitalism may work… but is must be an AWARE capitalism… a capitalism based in humanism… aware of society at large (world society), nature, and oneself.
posted by Raj Kanani | 11:44 AM
1 Comments:
wow raj i really like those ideas/thoughts. capitalism with some humanism . . that's an awesome idea. or just getting the word around bout where our money is going when we buy things. who's getting it and are they getting what they deserve? we talked a bit about this stuff in SANGAM, u shoulda come to more meetings >: O haha.
-aniketa
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