the good consumer...?

okay. so I know I might appear to be the super "anti-consumer" with a lot of the information I post on here...

I sit in humility to the reality that I purchase all the time...I buy into the branding...and I buy things that I want.

that said....videos like the one shown at the bottom are not recommended to cast guilt, fear, or hatred towards capitalism...they are merely avenues in pursuit of reflection and/or challenge.

I think its important to check-in on capitalism.. to check-in with our values.. and to ultimately create a stronger awareness for what is good and what isn't.....

personally, I measure my morality to that of Jesus....thus, my questioning and frustration with our purchasing power rests in one question...

"does love, grace, peace, and forgiveness play a part in my spending?"

check out this video..its good.

http://www.adbusters.org/abtv/good_consumer.html

bUy nOthing Day - nOvemBeR 28th - 2008

Yo people.

...interesting concept. i love it.

check out this video my sister sent me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zNwWrtVoCI

...good

"Sometimes, when I just want to quietly relax (but not necessarily be alone), I visit the old folks' home. I go to Ethel's room, and we sit together in silence for hours doing crossword puzzles. Ethel never bothers me because she's deaf.

We appreciate each other's presence. To her, I'm finally someone who isn't attempting a verbal conversation; who doesn't shy away when I can't understand her hand gestures. I can't imagine how worn out and lonely she must get, attempting to get messages and words across to people, attempting to communicate for the sake of some kind of human interaction.

And for me, she's someone who I can sit in comfortable silence with, without having to worry about what to say, or what questions I should ask, or creating an awkward silence. Someone I can have a silent conversation with by sharing air and passing time.

It's a form of human interaction in which both parties benefit and neither has to exhaust themselves due to a disability for the sake of not feeling alone. It's the beauty of understanding and being understood.

I've learned that sometimes the best kind of communication is just sitting next to someone and listening to them breathe."

- Eugenia Jobst

What an incredible collection of thoughts.

I crave presence with people.....words are great, questions are powerful, and conversation is beautiful; however,...sometimes there is nothing more peaceful than simply the beat of someone's heart or the brush of their breathe.

"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are.

You trade in your reality for a role.
You trade in your sense for an act.
You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.

There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution,
on an individual level.

It's got to happen inside first.

You can take away a man's political freedom and you won't hurt him -
unless you take away his freedom to feel.

That can destroy him.

That kind of freedom can't be granted.

Nobody can win it for you."


- Jim Morrison

...love pains

“I must learn to love the fool in me - the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries”

-Theodore Isaac Rubin