Not long ago in human history, when matters became unruly and unsustainable in society, commoners would bond together to overthrow the ruling minority. There were altruistic values that superseded selfish purpose among the commune. Today, we, as the common grand majority (what we refer to as the 99%) have lost this sense of compassionate activism. We each strive to individually and selfishly break into the 1% wealthiest. Those of us who do not make it into capitalism’s 1% membership will complain. We blame Nestlé for the plastic we consume. We blame everyone but ourselves for allowing global deterioration and disharmony. We pretend to be powerless. Yet, we are the power.
We choose to give up our power because the maintenance of power requires effort. We would rather work for low wages without taking on huge risks in return for better shelter, food, and entertainment. Eventually, the only way we can resolve this existential concern and impeding mass extinction is by raising the alarm to activate the 99% to rise as one whole. Pointing fingers on social media and virtual spaces shall only become fruitful if we purpose such exposure to action and refrain from posting merely for increased “likes.” Our focus should be on engagement through compassionate activism.
Boycotts and mindful consumption affect production detrimentally. If we are not buying, it means they are not selling. Eventually, someone will have to change. However, we must never expect change to be instant or easy. There will be no gain without immediate suffering as we will face friction throughout the challenge.
Without progressive action to prevent more destruction, there cannot be any healing or evolution to harmony. We have heard the message; adequate awareness has been raised to the dangers of global warming, especially mass extinction. We must retaliate. It begins with forming decentralized and united tribes to reduce consumption through continuous nonviolent protest, including acts of civil disobedience, to force an efficient and focused momentum to reverse the existential crisis.
When analyzing radical global change, we notice that historically change was embraced after an increase in awareness to mandate the required shift through activism, sometimes by extreme measures such as civil war or political revolution. We should hope and aim for a socio-spiritual revolution through the use of economic artillery such as impacting trade, GDP growth, and production. We must endure short-term physical hardship to reap the benefits of future-minded long-term sustainable harmony.
Governments, especially elected ones, are predominantly controlled by industry giants. Green policies are detrimental to true capitalist agenda, which dominates every aspect of our society. Sustainability implies reduced consumption. But at the level of overconsumption required annually for economic growth, we simply cannot maintain a green economy at the desired profit rate. As such, industry bosses only hire government officials who support profit maximization models.
Things will only change when we ignite, implementing radical change beginning in the mindful activist’s consumer pledge to limit personal overconsumption. We blame government and industry yet it is humans just as ourselves working in those spaces. We are ironic, paradoxical, hypocritical, and toxic when we cast the first stone on places such as Nestlé as we sip water from plastic Nestlé bottles. We work to create products that are then sold through overconsumption schemes right back to us, now as consumers. Our kind leaders allow us to consume our labor’s produce! We act as cowards as we forego rights and truth.
Our delusional hypocrisy has caused a circular economy of blame that continues on a hamster wheel. Those who find a way to get off the wheel are too few to bring about change alone. Instead, we must initiate change through a collective. Industry is a reactionary effect of supply primarily influenced by demand. If we demand no plastic, for example, and commit to absolutely no plastic purchases over even three months, the industry will quickly respond to these boycotts. The consumer is always in charge of their spending, even as they are manipulated into spending their money in ways that maximize profit. We must always remain in charge of our consumption choices.
With ample tech, reason, and assembly power in democracies today, we have the best opportunity for radical change for a better future. History proves that revolutions were successful in the past because the collective mattered more than the individual. Capitalism has led us to believe that the individual matters more than the whole. The love of money, or love of the excesses money can buy, allows for continually deteriorating choices.
We must stop blaming each other. We are the great majority of the human race capable of initiating change through compassionate activism. We can begin this process by educating ourselves about the truth and science of climate change, significantly reducing our consumption, boycotting unsustainable goods and services, advocating for government reforms and regulations, and living mindfully and compassionately.
