Our history and our experience should teach us that what we’ve been doing isn’t working. When it’s clear that the status quo, the normal, the “way it’s always been,” isn’t good for the planet or we humans who live on her, we must look for new ways to thrive. If we value the world that we will give to our children and grandchildren, then we must innovate not only in areas such as energy and fuel efficiency but also in our perspective, our mindsets, and our consciousness. This isn’t optional or just for those who “have time;” changing the system of our world is an urgent responsibility for all of us regardless of political affiliation, belief system, or socio-economic background.
There are many examples of what I call the Death Economy: war as a highly profitable industry, the wealthiest 85 people possessing 50% of the world’s assets, small farmers and ranchers struggling in the face of giant corporations like Monsanto that are poisoning their communities and sabotaging their livelihood, among others. The human costs are staggering, as people die every day from preventable causes such as hunger, exposure, disease, and violence. And the environmental costs are also extremely high: oil is ruining Amazon rainforests, Roundup and Big Agro are contaminating rivers and farmland, and overfishing is depleting the ocean’s population, to name a few examples.
ISIS and Al-Qaeda are tearing apart the Middle East, but the US military intervention there for the past few decades has played a large role in setting the stage for such groups to move into the vacuum. We can’t deny our part or our responsibility, though many in the government and the media try to convince us otherwise. The mutant form of predatory capitalism of our culture has allowed war to become big business, for massive profits to be made on the backs of the poor, and for pollution and vandalism of the earth to be acceptable if it helps corporate bottom lines.
What can you do? Begin by educating yourself, find resources you trust, and look for the stories behind the story. Although the mainstream media may not report damaging facts about the corporatocracy, the information is out there thanks to courageous outlets such as CSR Wire, Democracy Now!, Common Dreams, Mother Jones, and The Guardian. Support the truth, and then share it with your friends and family so that we can be stronger together.
Just recently, The Guardian has started a petition to demand that two large organizations, The Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, follow the example of the Rockefeller Foundation and immediately divest their fossil fuels interests in order to save the planet. This is an example of change happening with the power of all of us. You can sign the petition here. Look under the surface of what’s reported by the major outlets, instead of believing everything you are told. The US government, some NGOs, USAID, and other organizations that say they are doing “good” work around the world are often in bed with the corporatocracy, lining their own pockets or increasing their prestige and power, and exploiting the vulnerable. Their work, profiting off war and violence to people and nature, results in more death, more poverty, and more despair.
Take action; don’t let yourself off the hook. You have more power than you may realize and more power than the Corporatocracy wants you to believe you have. Let’s use our power together to innovate, to shift the message and let the world know that it’s not ok to pursue profits over people; let’s tell the corporatocracy and government that our Living Earth is more important than the bottom line. Share the truth and encourage those around you to act with you.
We can move from the Death Economy to the Life Economy by not only changing our actions and plans, but first and most importantly changing our mindset, our worldview, our dream. We have entered the Consciousness Revolution! Let’s make history – big time! It will take each one of us and all of us, together.
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