By Heavy P
Guest Blogger
One of the beautiful things about the society we live in is that we can buy almost anything anytime. If I want the latest issue of Playboy and a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby to soothe the pain of loneliness while Linda is out of town, I can. Of course this also means that I can buy anything I need anytime also, which is probably of more importance.
I am 38 years old and I find that often I still think like a 20-year-old. Besides sex, I am talking about black-and-white idealism. This is my term for looking at a complex issue in an overly simplistic way. An easy example is the Iraq war. I tend to run around screaming that Bush is an idiot and what the Hell is he doing over there except pissing on a hornets’ nest. But the truth is I don't know what is going on over there. For all I know his plan is brilliant and I am just too ignorant to understand all the factors that go into a decision like that.
The idea of Black-and-White Idealism is how I (and I believe most of us) look at most social issues, which brings me to my "local issue" consumerism. Since we have the privilege to buy anything we want or need at anytime we also have the power, and Spiderman would say the responsibility, to use that dollar to promote our values. But sometimes the local health food store isn't open at 3 o’clock in the morning so I can get some organic maple syrup to put on my Waffle House waffles. What is a hungry man to do, go to Wal-mart? Wait, I hate Wal-mart. They under pay employees, run local shops out of business, sell inferior merchandise, harm the environment, strong-arm government and other meeker corporations, and are way too smug.
But I really want my syrup!
So in the spirit of Grey Idealism (the idea that complex issues demand complex solutions) I have developed a methodology of consumerism:
1. When possible I make it myself. This might mean anything from my breakfast oatmeal to my china cabinet. But often I am tired or the kitchen is filthy or I am out of oatmeal so step two.
2. I buy from a local, independent, retailer that sells local independent products. Since there are not many local producers of Scottish oatmeal we go to step 3.
3. I buy from a local, independent retailer that sells products that are national but are not mass-produced to an extent that the craft is taken out. Sometimes I can't afford a crafted product or can't find a non-mass produced product, so step 4.
4. I buy national brands at local shops like an i-Pod from Database Systems instead of Best Buy, but sometimes I can't afford that national product from a local dealer or I am going to have to wait much too long before I get said product, so step 5.
5. I buy national brands at chain stores that share my values, like Newman's Own Organics (they give all their profits to charity), but sometimes I need something that this store doesn't carry, so step 6.
6. I buy national brands at chain stores that I view as having corporate values that are neither positive nor negative. Like Starbucks (they give employees the benefits but they move in next to established coffee houses and try to steal their clientele.) But sometimes it is 3 o’clock in the morning and Linda is sick and she needs Comtrex so she can sleep. So Step 7.
7. I buy national brands at chain stores that have horrible ethics (gasp). I know, I know but here is the deal. Do I let Linda suffer all night, or do I give my dollars (and therefore support) to the devil in a mega-building? I probably say, "Hello Lucifer".
I know this plan isn't perfect. I know that emergencies are subjective, but I think by adopting a Grey Idealism maybe I'm starting to balance pragmatism and idealism.
(JACK’S NOTE: This piece was written by my long-time friend and bicycle buddy, Heavy P. He’s been discussing his Grey Idealism with me for a long time, so I invited him to write about it and publish it on my blog. Unlike some of my alter egos who publish on this blog, Heavy P is a real person. He’s just doesn’t want his own blog.)
Guest Blogger
One of the beautiful things about the society we live in is that we can buy almost anything anytime. If I want the latest issue of Playboy and a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby to soothe the pain of loneliness while Linda is out of town, I can. Of course this also means that I can buy anything I need anytime also, which is probably of more importance.
I am 38 years old and I find that often I still think like a 20-year-old. Besides sex, I am talking about black-and-white idealism. This is my term for looking at a complex issue in an overly simplistic way. An easy example is the Iraq war. I tend to run around screaming that Bush is an idiot and what the Hell is he doing over there except pissing on a hornets’ nest. But the truth is I don't know what is going on over there. For all I know his plan is brilliant and I am just too ignorant to understand all the factors that go into a decision like that.
The idea of Black-and-White Idealism is how I (and I believe most of us) look at most social issues, which brings me to my "local issue" consumerism. Since we have the privilege to buy anything we want or need at anytime we also have the power, and Spiderman would say the responsibility, to use that dollar to promote our values. But sometimes the local health food store isn't open at 3 o’clock in the morning so I can get some organic maple syrup to put on my Waffle House waffles. What is a hungry man to do, go to Wal-mart? Wait, I hate Wal-mart. They under pay employees, run local shops out of business, sell inferior merchandise, harm the environment, strong-arm government and other meeker corporations, and are way too smug.
But I really want my syrup!
So in the spirit of Grey Idealism (the idea that complex issues demand complex solutions) I have developed a methodology of consumerism:
1. When possible I make it myself. This might mean anything from my breakfast oatmeal to my china cabinet. But often I am tired or the kitchen is filthy or I am out of oatmeal so step two.
2. I buy from a local, independent, retailer that sells local independent products. Since there are not many local producers of Scottish oatmeal we go to step 3.
3. I buy from a local, independent retailer that sells products that are national but are not mass-produced to an extent that the craft is taken out. Sometimes I can't afford a crafted product or can't find a non-mass produced product, so step 4.
4. I buy national brands at local shops like an i-Pod from Database Systems instead of Best Buy, but sometimes I can't afford that national product from a local dealer or I am going to have to wait much too long before I get said product, so step 5.
5. I buy national brands at chain stores that share my values, like Newman's Own Organics (they give all their profits to charity), but sometimes I need something that this store doesn't carry, so step 6.
6. I buy national brands at chain stores that I view as having corporate values that are neither positive nor negative. Like Starbucks (they give employees the benefits but they move in next to established coffee houses and try to steal their clientele.) But sometimes it is 3 o’clock in the morning and Linda is sick and she needs Comtrex so she can sleep. So Step 7.
7. I buy national brands at chain stores that have horrible ethics (gasp). I know, I know but here is the deal. Do I let Linda suffer all night, or do I give my dollars (and therefore support) to the devil in a mega-building? I probably say, "Hello Lucifer".
I know this plan isn't perfect. I know that emergencies are subjective, but I think by adopting a Grey Idealism maybe I'm starting to balance pragmatism and idealism.
(JACK’S NOTE: This piece was written by my long-time friend and bicycle buddy, Heavy P. He’s been discussing his Grey Idealism with me for a long time, so I invited him to write about it and publish it on my blog. Unlike some of my alter egos who publish on this blog, Heavy P is a real person. He’s just doesn’t want his own blog.)
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1 comment:
It's a shame he doesn't want his own blog. He's a very interesting character. :)
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