There seems to be a tendency for people to get involved in causes for short periods of time because of what they just saw on t.v, a good book they just read, or a great speaker they had the pleasure of speaking with. Whatever cause is in front of them they take on, jumping from band wagon to band wagon buying ‘Green is the New Black’ water bottles and ‘I heart the Planet’ t-shirts after listening to Gwyn Dyer. Immediately giving up anything that isn’t Fair Trade after watching Black Gold, becoming a vegan after watching PETA videos and making radical changes immediately following said enlightenment. I would be interested in talking to those people in 3-weeks (in 6-weeks, in 3-months, 6-months, a year) when they aren’t basking in their inspirational hangover. Would they still be an aggressively opposed to these behaviours? Have they refrained from eating meat all this time? Are they still ‘green’?
I think this form of social activism is trendy. It follows the media’s influence and doesn’t lead to sustainable lifestyle changes. In my experience this kind of trend driven activism is alright…but it’s not great. Issues that need attention get a little bit of light, but it’s not enough to make any significant changes. Its all good that you are now aware that your coffee’s journey starts long before you walk up to the counter to order it, but then what? Its great that you’re now aware of the impact you are having on the environment and are but its more of the…well what now that makes me a bit frustrated. Now you realize there is an issue at hand….but how do you sustain that and do something about it? Thinking about Haiti for example makes me a bit mad. Not to mock the seriousness of the disaster…but I want to know where these people, who are inviting me to hundreds of socials and willing to donate their funds were two years ago?!? And where will they be in six months when the media is no longer paying so much attention. Just because the camera is off doesn’t mean we can care any less.
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