We all want to make the world a better place. Don’t we? Some are doing it, others are thinking about it. But how often do we talk about it? This is my journey of the social conscience stripped bare, exposing personal thoughts, feelings and experiences in an attempt to bridge the gap between intention and action and just maybe inspire a little change along the way... one blog entry at a time.
It's that crazy time of year again and right on cue the shops are buzzing with thousands of little consumer bees, all in the name of "giving". But what if this year, instead of spending our usual $500 million (throughout Australia) on unwanted and unneeded gifts, we used our $$$ to make a real difference?
Launched just in time for Christmas, Gift Me Charity, is an amazing platform (created by an inspiring friend of mine) which connects gift givers to their recipients’ charities of choice through online profiles, allowing friends and family the ability to donate on a loved one’s behalf rather than wasting money on unnecessary gifts.
It's super simple, all you need to do is go to www.giftmecharity.com.au, login (preferably through Facebook), select your charity of choice and Gift Me Charity will create a profile for you which you can then share with family and friends.
The aim is to raise $1million for charity by the end of the year - who's in? I am! http://www.giftmecharity.com.au/Rachel
ARE YOU OK? How often do you ask this of your friends, your family, your colleagues, your neighbours? And, if and when you do ask, how often are you prepared to give them enough time and compassion to truly answer it?
This Thursday the 15th of September is R U OK? Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness of depression, mental illness and to aid in suicide prevention is encouraging people to start life saving conversations using the simple question, "Are you ok?".
"Connection is a crucial part of general health and well being. It helps people cope with stressful life events, mental health problems, relationship breakdowns and bereavement. Staying connected is as simple as having regular, meaningful conversations." - R U OK Flyer
While I was reading over the campaign this morning, I began questioning how often I ask this question of the people I love. I know I ask "how you going?" but it's more often than not attached to a greeting, which I think rarely elicits much of a genuine response. I know that when somebody asks the same of me, I'll seldom feel compelled to respond with more than "good thanks", rather than "well actually I was up all night with life-draining menstrual cramps, I'm feeling overwhelmed by bills this week and in general I don't feel like I'm reaching my full potential in life" (come on, we've all had one of those days!).
Asking "Are you ok?" is different though, it's less obligatory and more direct. Combine it with sitting down over a juice, coffee or beer and it might just be enough to encourage someone to lighten their load, to share a problem, to ask for help.
More than 2,100 Australians suicide each year and countless others suffer in silence with depression and mental illness. So this Thursday, R U OK? is asking you to reach out and connect with somebody you care for. Check out the website, print out a poster for school or work and spread the word, but most of all don't forget to make an extra special effort this Thursday (or any day for that matter) to take the time to sit down with somebody you care about and ask them, "are you ok?".
Right at this moment, in many different parts of the world, there are millions of people facing humanitarian crises. And similarly for every crisis, there are countless men and women risking their lives to provide aid and bring hope to those who are suffering. Today is World Humanitarian Day and this year the United Nations are celebrating the work of these amazing people through their 'People Helping People' campaign in an attempt to inspire the spirit of aid work in everyone.
Here are a couple of the stories behind the signs:
The thing is you don't have to be a photographer or a trauma surgeon to be a humanitarian, everybody has something they can contribute. Today I'm making my own contribution by spreading the word about Humanitarian Day and also donating to the UNICEF East Africa Drought, Famine and Conflict Appeal which will help to provide food and support to some of the 12.4 million people across Somalia Ethiopia and Kenya who are currently in crisis.
What can you do? For more information on World Humanitarian Day and how you can take action visit: World Humanitarian Day 2011.
"Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those already doing it." - Anna Rose
There's nothing more engaging than getting a dynamic group of people together, putting them on a stage in a beautiful venue (say the City Recital Hall for example) and encouraging them to wax lyrical on personal empowerment, community and major social issues. The City of Sydney Talk earlier this week, 'Mobilising communities and citizens: dynamic action in a world of social change' ticked all the aforementioned boxes and then added a beautiful lyrical performance by Mr Percival to boot. If you've ever had any reservations that social activism can lead to real and meaningful change then you haven't met Brett Solomon, Executive Director of Access Now; Anna Rose, Co-founder and Chair of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC); Darryl Nichols, Executive Director of Garage Sale Trail; Simon Sheikh, National Director of Get Up!; Amanda Tattersall, Coalition Director of Sydney Alliance; or John Dee, Founder and Managing Director of Do Something.
Not surprisingly, social media was one of the major reoccurring themes in the panel's discussions of community advocacy and change. Brett Solomon spoke of the use of new technology in the third world to bring about prosperity and dignity through vibrant, democratic digital activism and stressed the importance of advocating for uncensored internet as a basic human right. He noted the challenges arising in the face of this information liberation and stressed that the tensions between technology, the law and human rights which have recently been on display (eg. Egypt, London) cannot be solved by shutting down the system (as proposed by David Cameron) but rather by addressing the issues which have caused the uprising in the first place.
"What best counters bad speech is not its silencing, but more good speech" - Brett Solomon
There seemed to be a general consensus among the speakers that while social media is altering the way we advocate for social change, it is still merely a tool, enabling the people and issues which have in many cases pre-existed it to connect, communicate and collaborate in meaningful ways. Anna Rose noted that the internet is undoubtedly an important element in supporting change from the bottom up but stressed the importance of advocacy groups integrating both online and offline involvement to creatively engage the 'whole individual' and thereby create a stronger and more committed foundation in the push for change. She attributed the success of the AYCC and similar advocacy groups to the employment of a ladder of engagement in which members become, and more importantly stay involved, as a result of three key factors:
1. They can see the group is having a concrete impact.
2. They are socially engaged.
3. There is continued learning, personal growth and development.
One of the most popular tweets from the night was the quote by Anna Rose: "We must do the impossible to avoid the unimaginable". For me the most inspiring thing about these words was that she (and every other person on stage) was a personification of them. As founder of the AYCC Anna's work has contributed to having a concrete impact on climate change policy; Brett Solomon founded the International Youth Parliament through Oxfam to tackle poverty, conflict and globalisation and is currently a campaigner for digital freedom; and Darryl Nichols has contributed to the reuse and recycling of 72,585 items (or 55,000kg of potential landfill) through the Garage Sale Trail. And that's only skimming the surface, I could easily create a detailed blog post on each and every one of the panel members and their achievements and contributions to society but instead I'm going to give you the link to the video recording from the night so you can find your own inspiration among the brilliance: City Talks 2011.
City Talks are free events presented by the City of Sydney and Sydney Morning Herald. Visit What's On Sydney and subscribe to their email list to find out more about upcoming events.
Only three more days to get Sydney's random acts of kindness stories in to UK artist, Michael Landy for his upcoming public art project. If you've witnessed, experienced or taken part in spreading kindness anywhere in Sydney you can contribute your story at Kaldor Public Arts Projects. They don't have to be epic tales of messianic proportions, a few simple sentences of a connection through kindness, compassion or generosity is more than enough. The project will be exhibited throughout the CBD during Sydney's public art festival, Art and About. Submissions close this Saturday the 20th of August. If you don't have a story to share then get out there and make one happen!
Here's my contribution:
Last week while on a bus into the city I witnessed a very elderly lady who was struggling to walk board at Central Station. As you would hope, a young school boy toward the front of the bus quickly jumped up to offer his seat. However, not only did he assist in guiding her to his seat as the bus driver sped off but a few stops later, seeing her press the button he assertively stepped forward and offered his hand again. He helped her all the way down onto the footpath of Martin Place before re-boarding the bus and settling back in his seat. I watched the lady who had looked so tired and flat only a few stops before wander into the city with a beaming smile painted across her face and I wanted to applaud.
My beautiful mum shared this information with me and I thought it was too good not to pass on:
"Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved." - Dr Wayne Dyer
And just in case that's not motivation enough, a friend (with a Masters Degree in Psychology) then added that during her studies she read of an experiment that showed that the levels of seratonin in the person giving was actually higher than the one receiving. Giddy up!
Wait! Before you go jumping to conclusions, I'm not going to ask you to go digging in your wallets for spare change to feed the dolphins or to physically get off your backsides and help me lift beached humpback whales. What I'm asking will probably take the same amount of effort as clicking away from this page and ignoring my request for a little assistance.
The Wilderness Society is currently petitioning the Federal Government to increase marine sanctuaries off the coast of Western and South Australia in an effort to protect threatened blue whales, dolphins and Australian sea lions. The petition is also strongly opposing the government's current proposal to drill for oil off the coast of Kangaroo Island and Margaret River which could potentially have devastating effects on our marine environment (Gulf of Mexico disaster ring any bells?).
So here's what I'm asking, just a couple of clicks and few taps of the keyboard! Please follow the link below to find out more AND sign the petition to help protect a little more of our beautiful blue surrounds and its inhabitants.
If you were on death row, what would you choose as your last meal? It seems a morbid question I know but I find it strangely compelling; this simple daily ritual, placed under horrific circumstances takes on a whole new level of meaning and it's something I probably never would have considered had I not stumbled across the Last Meals Project. In the USA prisoners awaiting execution are granted a last meal, these details are made public record. Photographer Jonathon Kambouris has taken this information, combined with photos of the convicted killers and created the slightly controversial and extremely provocative Last Meals Project (eventually to be turned into a book). In the intro on the website, Kambouris explains:
"Justice may not always be served because the innocent can be proved guilty and the guilty can be proved innocent. Choosing the last meal is a significant ritual because the accuracy and validity of this choice is the only answer one can ultimately accept. This series visually documents the face and last meal of a convicted killer and is without question, honest and true."
Last Meals Project, Jonathon Kambouris (www.lastmealsproject.com)
After reading the intro, a slightly morbid curiosity got the better of me and I began clicking through the pages of the site. As I viewed each of the now deceased prisoners and contemplated the connotations of their last choice on this earth, the project began to take on a much greater meaning. By personifying these individuals through their final meal choice, Kambouris moved me to consider the bigger issue. With each eerie photograph I was not only plagued by questions of "guilty or innocent?" but more broadly "is taking another person's life ever justified?". I know there are some seriously ill people out there who have committed unspeakable crimes but does/would taking their lives undo what they have done?
It has been 44 years since capital punishment was carried out for the final time in Australia, however the legislation still exists and is being exercised in many countries (eg. America, China, Singapore, Japan). As a result there are currently three Australian citizens who have been sentenced and are now on death row in China and Indonesia. Last year 23 countries carried out executions under capital punishment legislation and in Iran and Somalia this also included juveniles offenders. With many countries withholding the number of executions carried out it is impossible to attain clear figures on the lives that have been taken under this law but estimates for 2010 are in the thousands.
I am probably not in a position to speak on such an issue because I have never personally experienced someone close to me becoming the victim of a senseless crime and perhaps I would feel very differently if I had, but I can't help but think of a quote by Ghandi:
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" - Mahatma Ghandi
If you've seen Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, you need to see Bjorn Lomborg's Cool It, the controversial documentary on climate change that challenges "the most terrifying film you will ever see" (tagline from An Inconvenient Truth, 2006) and presents smart solutions to global warming without the threats of impending doom and gloom which have become inextricably linked with discussions of the future state of our planet.
Lomborg is the founder of the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, a Danish think-tank that uses economic science to inform governments and the public on the most cost effective solutions to some of the world's largest problems. Cool It it based on the book of the same name in which Lomborg explores and controversially dismisses some of the main premises and supporting science behind the climate change debate with the assistance of an expert panel of scientists and economists (including three Nobel Laureates).
One of the main and most controversial findings in Lomborg's documentary is the ineffectiveness of carbon tax and cap-and-trade policies, which the expert panel highlights through a cost/benefit analysis in comparison with other proposed climate change solutions. For the $250 billion the US is proposing to spend annually on carbon taxes and trading the estimated benefit over the next 100 years would be a 0.05 degree drop in global temperatures. Alternatively, Lomborg and his experts propose that America could use the $250 billion more effectively to combat not only climate change but a range of world issues, as follows:
$100B — clean energy research
$ 1B — research on geoengineering proposals
$ 30B — adapting coastlines for rising sea levels
$ 6B — adapting inland waterways for rising sea levels
$ 12B — adapting cities by reducing heat island effects
$ 33B — to promote global health
$ 32B — to reduce hunger
$ 10B — to provide clean water and sanitation
$ 22B — for education
Not surprisingly one of the most promising solutions to climate change is the research and development of clean energy alternatives. So whilst putting a tax on carbon and inflating the cost of living is definitely an incentive for many of us to reduce our carbon emissions, the question is how can we realistically do this without affordable and sustainable green alternatives? And the answer is we can't! The documentary explores alternatives such a solar, wind and wave energy which are currently being researched but notably will require some substantial cash injections and government support if they are to ever become viable.
As both Gore and Lomborg state, climate change is real phenomenon and it is one which we as humans have created and subsequently need to be held responsible for. Whilst the proposed solutions are many and varied, I think at least one thing is clear, for any real change to occur the public needs access to more information. As the old adage goes "knowledge is power" and this knowledge could potentially give us the power to change the world, for the better. So if you have the opportunity, watch An Inconvenient Truth, watchCool It, read the proposed carbon tax legislation, get informed, ask questions and demand answers. This planet belongs to all of us and we all need the knowledge of how to take care of it not only for ourselves but for the future generations.
I have no qualms in admitting I'm aesthetically motivated. I'm a marketer's dream, put the right packaging in front of me and I'm sold! Although as I've grown older and wiser my tastes have changed, I'm not so drawn to the shiny and new as I am the recycled and pre-loved. Wrap it in brown paper, give it a green tick and I'll take two, thank you very much. Don't worry, I'm not so naive as to assume that the increasing amount of environmentally friendly packaging isn't a clever marketing ploy in itself. After all, being green is becoming quite fashionable and with popularity comes profit but in this case is that really such a bad thing? As long as these companies are living up to their labels I'm happy for them to continue conjuring up environmentally friendly connotations of their products until the polar ice caps melt.
So it should come as no surprise that whilst updating the apps on my phone today, the above icon for the "App of the Week" caught my eye. Without delving too much into the semiotic analysis: brown paper (tick), green tick (double tick) and the word "ethical" (ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!), my somewhat superficial aesthetic compulsions led me to a particularly beautiful discovery being the Shop Ethical! App, which as you've probably already guessed, I purchased today.
Shop Ethical! allows you to vote for sustainable and ethical production with your hard earned dollars. The app gives a run down of the environmental and social record of the companies behind the products we're buying in the supermarket, allowing the consumer to make informed choices and find ethical alternatives to brands that aren't up to scratch. There are over 2,800 products listed (using supporting data from the Ethical Consumer Guide Database) in a format that is quick and easy to navigate and understand. So now I can find all the environmentally friendly and sustainable products with or without the brown paper wrapping... love it!
I am not well equipped to deal with death and I am not alone. I am well aware that I (along with many others) have a false sense of indestructibility, a sense which not only denies the certainty of my own mortality but also that of the people who surround me. When death comes it is shocking and unbelievable. It is completely incomprehensible that at any moment my life or the life of somebody I love could be taken away. Even the act of writing about it seems morbid and unnecessary. "What happened to the 'glad game'?" you're saying, "let's get back to the random acts of kindness and smiles and happiness", and as I'm writing this I'm fighting the urge to do exactly that. The reason I will continue to fight that urge (for today at least) is a documentary I saw yesterday at the Sydney Film Festival which has left me contemplating death, not in a morbid or depressing way, but as it applies to life and the choices we have when that life is coming to an end.
Winner of the documentary category at this years Sundance Film Festival, 'How to Die in Oregon' is a powerful and moving exploration of the legalisation of doctor-assisted death for terminally ill patients in the State of Oregon, USA. The law which was enacted in 1997, was passed on the grounds that it was not doctor administered euthanasia (which is a physician delivered lethal injection) but rather a self-administered medication taken by physically able (although terminally diagnosed) and mentally fit patients. The film documented the final journey of several patients who had chosen to utilise the Death with Dignity Act, providing them the ability to obtain a prescription of lethal medications from a physician for voluntary self-administration if and when they chose.
Physician or family assisted death is understandably a very controversial ethical and medical debate, the fight for survival is strong in all of us and the voluntary ending of life is incomprehensible to many but I think one of the most poignant points that each of the patients made when posed with opposition from people who disagree with the Act was that "I am not choosing death. I am simply exercising my right to die with dignity". Given the choice, each and every one of them would have chosen life but as untreatable patients of cancer and other degenerative illnesses, death had already chosen them. And we aren't talking about the type of death where you quietly and painlessly slip away in your sleep, these people were facing long, painful and humiliating declines in which they would suffer greatly for months, slowly losing control of their bodily functions and all quality of life. It is worth noting that not all patients in the documentary ended their lives using the medication, for some it was more for peace of mind than for actual use. And for those who did self-administer the medication, they did so after much counselling and consultation with physicians and social workers, and only at the point when the pain and suffering had become too much to continue on.
Not surprisingly their stories moved me to tears on more than one occasion. Watching those people and their families coming to terms with their fast approaching mortality was extremely confronting. It left me contemplating my own life and health with extreme gratitude as well as how I would handle such a situation if it were me or my friends or family. I pray that I will never find myself or someone I love in their shoes but the fact is that there are many people facing terminal illness every day and in Australia we are not provided the legal right to die with dignity. Whilst I understand that many people for religious or other reasons are opposed to such an option I strongly believe that each and every individual should have the right to make that choice for themselves. Article Five of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that: ''No one shall be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" and I believe the right for a death with dignity falls into that category. Apparently I am not alone in my thoughts on the subject, with 85% of Australians believing in the right of the terminally ill to obtain medical assistance to end their lives, but still it is not legislated.
If you respect the right to choose please visit these websites to find out more and support the legislation of the human right to die with dignity in Australia:
The ocean is my "happy place"; a powerful presence in my life from a young age, it never ceases to soothe me and wash away the troubles of the terrestrial world. I was fortunate enough to grow up by (and largely in) the ocean, my classroom was the waters of the warm Pacific and my education was one of respect and reverence. I never grew out of my connection with the ocean, the smell of salty sea air still fills my heart with childish delight and when I have the opportunity to submerge my body in the beautiful blue, I am free, bound to the surface only by lack of gills: "when I grow up I want to be a mermaid".
Today is World Oceans Day, a day to celebrate and promote the conservation of the magnificent bodies of water that make up over seventy percent of our planet. Whilst not everybody has a strong personal connection with the ocean, many can't escape it's appeal as a food source, with one billion of the population relying on it as an important source of protein. However as we are all too slowly learning, with mass consumption comes equally massive impacts to our environment. In the 60 odd years since commercial fishing began on a mass scale and increasing technology made it virtually impossible for any fish (turtle, dolphin, shark, whale) to escape our nets we have depleted our ocean's large fish stocks by 90 percent. The bluefin tuna that so many of us have eagerly snapped up off the sashimi plate is now an endangered species and if you think that's disappointing, how about the prediction of the end of seafood by 2048 (if we keep fishing at this rate)? Not to mention the fact that disharmony in the ocean will undoubtedly lead to other serious environmental problems, taking into consideration 50-70 percent of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean.
What's most troubling about all this is that unlike other environmental problems, this one is fairly easy to solve. If we cut back and regulate world fishing practices these ocean species will replenish themselves and we can continue to enjoy the fishy fruits of the ocean for many generations to come. Unfortunately though, the change needs to happen now and the governments and fishing industries are not heeding the call. We as consumers and guardians of the planet need to put pressure on the fishing industries and governments to implement sustainable practices before it is too late. We also need to push for increased ocean reserves (no fishing zones) which currently sit at less than one percent!
Ok so what can we do? Firstly, get informed! I highly recommend watching The End of the Line, an insightful documentary revealing the impact of overfishing on our oceans:
But if you want to skip straight to the solution:
1. Eat only sustainable seafood: ask where your fish comes from and how it was caught.
2. Tell politicians: respect the science and cut the fishing fleet.
3. Join the campaign for marine protected areas and responsible fishing.
"Poverty is the worst form of violence" - Mahatma Gandi
For those as fortunate as myself, Sundays are a glorious time of the week. Today was especially so; I stayed in bed late, ate all my favourite foods (ok, not ALL, I have a lot), strolled in the sunshine, talked and laughed with the people I love, sipped margaritas at sunset by the beach and to top it all off I was gifted a gorgeous bunch of flowers from one of my most favourite people (thank you!!). However between the sleeping, strolling, tequila and talking I must confess I was having a severe battle of the conscience. And here's why...
I heard about this campaign yesterday and went online this morning to see what it was all about. As soon as I watched this video I immediately wanted to jump up and shout "Hell yes! I'm in Hugh! Sign me up! Send me the t-shirt! I'm your girl". For a good five minutes I thought, without question I can make the small sacrifice and eat for $2 a day ($1.50 was the American equivalent) for five days to help raise awareness for world poverty. My social conscience was already mentally putting up the banners and streamers for anti-poverty party week and then the bubble burst, I came out of my "do-gooder" induced hyperactivity for a moment and stopped to think.
The Live Below the Line challenge begins tomorrow, so first of all I'm a little behind the eight ball for registration and fundraising. But secondly and slightly more significantly, I have two huge uni assessments due this Friday, I have a 40 hour work week and just to keep it interesting I've been battling some form of cold/flu/virus for the past couple of weeks, which I just can't seem to shake. So I sat myself down and I said, "Rachel, given all of the above factors, do you really think this week is a good time to potentially deprive yourself of nutrition and energy for a boat which has practically set sail?". I found the answer to be depressingly ironic, "I can't afford to live BELOW the poverty line", at least not this week anyway. This was the sensible choice and at that moment I thought about how ridiculously privileged I was to be able to make it. There are 1.4 billion people on the planet who do not have that privilege. Those people live on the equivalent of $2 a day and for them that is not just for food, that is for EVERYTHING.
So in between all the glory that was my Sunday as mentioned above, I kept experiencing those occasional moments of inner turmoil that only come from a battle of the conscience: "Will I? Won't I? Of course you can! You can't afford to! Make a sacrifice!", and back and forth it went. Finally this evening I sat down and decided I needed to make peace with myself and this is what I came up with...
Firstly I would like to convey my support to all those beautiful, amazing, generous people who have taken the pledge, raised money and will for the next five days sacrifice one of my favourite comforts: food. Secondly I would like to express my overwhelming gratitude for the all the comforts and luxuries I was privileged to today (and every day), that I often take for granted. I am so extremely fortunate to live in a country and in a manner which affords me the choice to say, "No, I will not live below the poverty line". Thirdly in a gesture of support I have sponsored five people, one for each day of the challenge in which I will not be taking part. And lastly, as a symbolic gesture and to quiet my conscience I've decided to give up some of my favourite comforts this week: coffee, sugar and wine. It's not much but sometimes making a little sacrifice helps us to stop, contemplate and appreciate the things for which we are so fortunate that we often take for granted.
For anybody interested in finding out more about global poverty, joining the challenge or supporting those taking part please visit http://www.livebelowtheline.com.au/.
Introducing my new essential items for "living the GOOD life"!
I'm pleased to announce the nasty, disposable drink bottle(s) littering my handbag, car and eventually the PLANET have now been replaced with one shiny, new, stainless steel bottle which is not only environmentally friendly but also looks better, makes my water taste better (more like water, less like plastic) and is overall a healthier choice. The second item which has been getting a daily work out is my super practical (oh I am getting old aren't I?!) environmentally friendly, fabric bag which zips up inside itself so I now always have one at the ready in my handbag. I'm generally good at refusing (see The REFUSE Pledge) plastic bags, especially when making small purchases, but my spontaneous grocery shops were becoming a plastic bag party because I never had my bulky, fabric bags with me when I needed them. However, I'm happy to report that since purchasing my fabric zip bag I have politely refused every plastic bag offered to me this week.
And last but definitely not least are the beautiful "Kindness Cards" that arrived in the mail from Wake Up Sydney this week. The idea being that when you perform an act of kindness you pass the card on and ask that person to continue the kindess:
"Do something kind and leave this card behind to keep the ripple going."
"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude" - Cynthia Ozick
I have had many teachers along the way; some loveable and infinitely memorable, whilst others I would prefer to forget. They weren't always in the classroom and many who have made the biggest impact on my life have never held a teaching degree. Their ages range from eighteen months to 104 years and they have come in many forms: strangers, friends, family, work colleagues, even animals. I didn't always like the lessons they had to teach but in hindsight I now see they were invaluable and I would like to take this opportunity to express my boundless gratitude to all of them.
There is one however, that shines far brighter the rest and whom I would especially like to pay tribute to today. Whilst she might not be aware of it, she is the inspiration for me embarking on this journey of the social conscience, and the reason for this is twofold: firstly because she gave birth to me and without her I would not even be here today; but secondly, because she has been my most influential role model, teacher and guide in matters of love, compassion, generosity and kindness. She above all others is the one who has instilled and inspired in me a strong desire to be good and do good and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Now I know I am slightly biased in my praise and admiration of her but I'm sure there are many others who would join me in celebrating her beautiful humanity and infectious spirit. She taught me many lessons, some spoken: "treat others the way you would want to be treated" and "play the 'glad game'"; others unspoken, such as how to look for and find the good in the world and to show kindness and compassion, leading by example. Her empathy is limitless, she shares in the joys and sorrows of anybody and everybody who touches her life, with many tears and I would hope even more laughter. She has a passion for little people and I am so proud that she now makes a living out of working in the classroom as a teacher's aide, instilling all the most important lessons in the future generations. Her enthusiasm, passion, kindness and compassion are infectious and I am so happy and grateful that she continues to spread her gifts among the many little people who are lucky enough to pass through her classroom. If everybody grew up with a little bit of Mrs Banks in their lives, the world would be an immeasurably better place.
I would like to share one example of her humanity and generous spirit that particularly stands out in my mind. Firstly I need to frame this story by saying my mother has an obsession with long hair. She has always had beautiful, golden, long hair (and probably always will) and during my childhood any suggestion of my sister or I getting our hair cut was met with unbridled shock and horror: "You have such beautiful, long hair, why would you want to cut it off??!!".
It was a couple of years ago when my mother was working in the school library, I remember her coming home and telling me about a beautiful little girl in the lower primary school who had started losing her hair. They eventually discovered that she had a rare condition and whilst it wasn't life threatening, it meant that she would lose all her hair, permanently. Mum was very distressed, not because of her love of hair but because this beautiful little person (whom she only knew from library visits) might suffer taunts and trauma during some of her most formative years as a result of this hair loss.
Less than a week later I remember Mum coming home and telling me she was going to cut off her hair, to which I immediately responded: "But you have such beautiful, long hair, why would you want to cut it off??!!". I can tell you now the reasons were her empathy, compassion, generosity and kindness: the little girl needed a wig, the cost was great and the wait was long so my Mum had decided she would donate her own hair. As it turns out they could only use uncoloured hair so in the end she got to keep her long, golden locks but I think the gesture of offering speaks just as loudly as the act itself.
I love you Mum. Thank you for teaching me the most important and valuable lessons in life. I am so proud to be your daughter. Happy Mother's Day x
In a thirsty search for plastic facts during my water bottle epiphany (see previous post), Google transported me to the doorstep of global alliance called the Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC), a group of individuals, organisations and businesses who are committed to saving our planet from death by plastic. Through collaborative efforts the PPC is attempting to get the world talking about and taking action against plastic pollution. One of their initiatives to fuel the anti-plastic pollution revolution is the The REFUSE Pledge, which I signed today. This is a pledge to follow the "4 Rs" of sustainable living:
REFUSE: say no to disposable plastics.
REDUCE: Reduce your plastic footprint: buy in bulk, choose products with the least packaging, look for products and packaging made from renewable resources, and avoid plastic packaging and containers. Choose products that have the least amount of disposable parts.
REUSE: Reuse preferably nontoxic (glass, stainless steel) containers and goods to make less waste.
RECYCLE: Recycle what you can’t refuse, reduce or reuse. Recycling is a last option because it uses energy, and there may not be a market for the re-fabricated materials.
We all have items we can't leave the house without: keys, wallet, phone, lip balm, hip flask, brain. My essential item (although many of the aforementioned also apply) is my water bottle, constantly at the ready to rehydrate me during the day when the occasion arises. I could swear that sometimes just "knowing" it's in my bag keeps the thirst away. So you can imagine my parched distress when said bottle goes missing and I no longer have this amazing thirst-quenching device at my disposal! The key word here and the point I am eventually getting to is "disposal" and more specifically the issue of disposable plastic. You may be forgiven for thinking that this item which I am so clearly very fond of and attached to was one of those beautiful, shiny, stainless steel drinking vessels (which I have every intention of buying... one day), but no, the missing drink bottle was nothing more than a disposable plastic bottle which I buy and refill and eventually (as I had to do again today), replace.
Pictured above: Artist, Chris Jordan's depiction of the 2 million plastic bottles used in the US every five minutes.
Did you know that almost every piece of plastic EVER made still exists today? The average plastic bottle takes 50-80 years to decompose, so the remnants of the first plastic bottle ever created are still somewhere on our planet as I'm typing this. Plastic bottles came onto the market in the late 60s and whilst I haven't been able to get my hands on an estimation of the number which have been produced and disposed of since then, I can tell you that in America alone 2,500,000 plastic bottles are used every hour with three quarters of them being discarded after one use. I can't even begin to fathom what the damage would be over 40 odd years on a global scale but you get my drift?
"The plastic from a single one litre bottle could break down into enough fragments to put one fragment on every mile of beach in the entire world." - Qamar Schuyler
What's worse is that a frightening amount of this plastic waste (6 million tonnes per year) is ending up in our planet's vital life source, our oceans. The effects on our marine life are devastating (reason enough to make a change) but what many people also don't realise is that the consequences are transferable, the toxins from this pollution is moving up the food chain so we are simultaneously disposing of our environment and our health.
So what's the moral to this story? I don't think I need to spell it out for you but I can tell you this, tomorrow I'm going to buy that beautiful, shiny, stainless steel drinking vessel I've been dreaming of.
Every day provides an opportunity for a new discovery and today I feel as if I have stumbled on a goldmine! I was browsing the web looking for a little inspiration when I remembered a friend telling me about an amazing social consciousness/kindness event called "Wake Up Sydney" which was held in Town Hall last year. I was only really hoping to find out if they were holding another one this year (which they are - numerous actually!) but in doing so, discovered not only a bounty of inspiring events I can attend, but even more exciting, an amazing community of creative Sydney-based individuals who are dedicated to inspiring a "kindness revolution through art, beauty and wisdom" and wait for it... have a vision to make Sydney the 'kindness capital of the world! Sounds like my kind of people!
And just when I thought it couldn't get any better the Wake Up Sydney website offered me a free gift of 'kindness cards' which I am very happy to report will shortly be arriving in my mailbox so I can unleash my kindness on more unsuspecting Sydneysiders and hopefully contribute to the Pay It Forward movement.
I look forward to sharing some of my Wake Up Sydney experiences with you soon!
Today's post is on little more of a personal note than usual, a long overdue self-critique of the conscience if you will, which I am afraid to say falls somewhat short of my own expectations. It's been a little quiet on the blogging front over the past week. You know how it is; work, assignments, a little cold and flu and before I knew it I was feeling completely drained with nothing left to give. I know this isn't unusual, most of us lead extremely busy lives and at the end of the week you want to keep what little time and energy leftover you have for yourself.
I got up this morning and all I wanted to do was draw the curtains, put on a dvd and spend the day vegetating on the couch but much to my dismay, not long after I picked up the remote, the little voice in the back of my head started: "Really? You have a whole day at your disposal, you don't feel sick anymore, there are no assignment deadlines hanging over your head or pressing engagements and you're just going to sit here and do absolutely nothing?!". I then started thinking about this blog and wondering why I wasn't feeling more motivated to make up for lost time when all week I'd been wishing for this exact opportunity to devote myself to the cause which I usually feel so passionately about. Then it hit me, I was avoiding it. But not due to a lack of interest or passion. I was only avoiding the blog because I wanted to avoid myself.
With each post I publish (whether it is always evident or not) I examine my own social conscience and this week that means examining the lack of it. That is not to say of course that this week I have conducted myself with absolutely no consideration of the world around me. I have smiled at strangers, I have stopped to let people in during peak hour traffic, I have taken my family Easter gifts, I have stood up on the bus to let others sit down, I have recycled. However, none of these things were very out of the ordinary, they took no real extra effort and considering the purpose of this endeavour is to step outside my comfort zone and really push my social conscience to a higher level, I feel as if this week I have failed. But...
"There is no failure except in no longer trying." - Elbert Hubbard
So this is my confession: this week I have not done all that I can and I have not been the best that I can be. I am not perfect, but that is okay. To move forward I think it is important to let go of the guilt (which I never find a very productive emotion) and get up and start again. So I am clearing my conscience right here and right now and starting fresh. I think sometimes we all get a little weighed down with feelings of inadequacy and there's no time like the present to acknowledge it, shake it off and make a change. I am so grateful that I have a new minute, a new hour, a new day and a new week to try again.
You're going to have to forgive my Cultural Studies background! It's not enough for me to simply jump online, express my thoughts on the social conscience (as promised) and log out as I have a plethora of noisy theorists whom, during the course of my studies, have lodged themselves within the quiet recesses of my brain and cannot be silenced! As a result, each time I begin typing one of these entries a theorist pops up and begins his/her musings and I can't help but to start unpacking the cultural processes of communication and the roles they play in the production of meaning. However, I do think this is relevant (even to those who aren't Media/Cultural studies nerds such as myself) so bear with me!
It seems only fitting that in this online exposition of my social conscience I also consider the medium which provides the platform for my expression (it's a "Cultural Studies thing"). Where (or what) would my message be without this blog and the network of social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, email etc) that enable me to share it? Marshall McLuhan was a communication theorist (among other things) and was well known for coining the idiom quoted above in which he is basically asserting that the medium and the message cannot be separated. According to his assumption my musings on the social conscience (message) and this blog (medium) are inextricably linked, therefore the way in which you are receiving this blog post (via email, twitter link, facebook post etc) will ultimately influence the way you interpret the message.
Still with me? So taking this into account, the issue I really want to explore is how social media platforms and networks are influencing and enabling online activism on a global scale. What is the potential power of social media as a medium to communicate messages of activism in meaningful ways which bring about REAL positive change? I could unleash a torrent of theory upon you now but instead I think I'll pass over to Gina Bianchini (CEO and co founder of Ning) in her interview for the BBC Series, The Virtual Revolution, discussing the potential of social technology to change humanity...
CONNECTION leads to INSPIRATION leads to MOTIVATION leads to ACTION.
Inspired by online movements for "random acts of kindness" I today joined a "smile group" at Help Others.org. Membership to the group entitles me to read and post stories of kindness within the "Australian Smile Group", as well as give and receive 'smiles' and 'karma bucks'. Whilst it may not seem like much I think it's a great way to connect, stay motivated and turn intention into action.
I was really surprised with the positive feedback (comments, smiles and karma bucks) I received in response to my "kindness story" which was simply "making an effort to smile and say good morning to everybody I passed whilst walking my dog today". Not only was it gratifying to be praised for my small act of kindness but it was also extremely motivating, both to continue my own acts of kindness, as well as to praise others for theirs.
Connecting with others is a huge part of our humanity and whatever the motivations (eg. psychological egoism) I think the outcomes are largely positive. When we connect through kindness we all win.
Nine years ago, an 18 year old version of myself was driving to work in my beastly, red, Ford Telstar when much to my horror the engine overheated and my not so trust worthy car died a smoky death on the middle of a bridge in bumper-to-bumper, peak hour traffic. My first reaction was to lock the doors of my corpse of a car and bawl my eyes out but my common sense prevailed and instead I got out began trying to push and steer the car over the bridge while numerous, disgruntled drivers manoeuvred around me. Whilst I'm sure the lifetime of pushing I felt I undertook was probably more like a couple of minutes in reality it was no doubt magnified by the large amount of cars which overtook me and just kept on going. By the time somebody finally came to my aid I had almost given up on anybody helping me and the generous soul who offered me the kindness of getting me and my beast off that bridge was met with a complete breakdown on my part. I could barely get the words "thank you" out through the flood of tears that ensued his kind offer to push while I steered. He was a middle aged man, also on his way to work and not only did he get me off that bridge but also offered to help me call a tow truck and following making those arrangements and waiting with me, drove me the rest of the way to work (which was a massive detour from his destination).
This particular story came to mind this morning while I was pondering the question "what motivates us to be good?". Why did that man stop and help me when so many others drove right on by? Moral philosophy (see previous post: Foundations for the "greater good": moral philosophy) attempts to answer this question in exploring the psychological issues within metaethics which motivate us to be moral. Within this area of metaethics they explore both psychological egoism and psychological altruism as drivers for our moral actions (or inaction as the case may be). According to psychological egoism, the man that stopped to help me did so because it served his own self-interest (eg. seeking the praise of onlookers, gratitude from said damsel in distress or the self satisfaction of knowing he did a good deed). However, psychological altruism asserts that whilst factors of egoism may provide some motivation, that we as humans also have an inherent psychological capacity to show compassion and kindness to others. In my saviour's case I would tend to lead towards altruism but unfortunately I was too traumatised by the whole event to ask that question at that time or even exchange details so I guess I will never really know.
What I do know is that not everybody that passed me that day was motivated to help. Whether it's egoism or altruism that moves us morally to perform an act of kindness there are still those that do not seem to be moved at all. Whilst these musings interest me immensely, personally I don't think it matters what a person's motivation is for helping another, as long as they're helping what's the difference? I know my personal motivations vary and whilst I would love to advocate being a pure altruist, the truth is that helping also makes me happy, undoubtedly providing added incentive! And what's wrong with that? When I "feel good" I'm more motivated to "do good" and in a way I think it can act as a beautiful circle, happy people are more helpful people and helpful people are more happy people. For proof see "Making Australia Happy" an amazing documentary and social experiment into the art of happiness. Of particular interest is Dr Tony Grant's "positive psychology" exercises, employing strategies of kindness to increase happiness levels.
"Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others." - Plato
"It's a spark of energy that you're transferring from yourself to another"- 'high five girl' (on kindness).
Through the maze of madness that is social media (Twitter - Website - YouTube) I came across this short clip, Kindness 101, through the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Foundation. My first response to the clip was the 'high five girl' is a complete loon but who am I to judge? Everybody has their own kindness style. High fives obviously work for her and I must admit, it's actually pretty impressive, I definitely cracked a smile more than once. I love that with each high five given there was an almost automatic smile reaction from the recipient. Mission accomplished! However, I think I'll stick to my baby steps; eye contact and smiles, just for now...
The one reoccurring issue I've come across when exploring the social conscience, both mine and that of others is that we all have a desire to help but we become so overwhelmed with the problems of the world that we don't know where to start. Do I help homeless people in Australia or starving people in Africa? Do I save the whales or save the rainforests? Do I donate money or time? And what if I don't have enough of either to make a difference? Of course all or any of these are good but it's okay to take baby steps too. As Chris Abani muses in the video from my last post:
"The world is never saved in grand messianic gestures but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft, almost invisible acts of compassion, everyday acts of compassion".
For me this translates into a phrase that I know many people are familiar with: 'random acts of kindness'. No matter your circumstances, employed, unemployed, rich, poor, young or old, we all have the capacity to participate in random acts of kindness every day. Many people already do this subconsciously but imagine if we all started making a conscious effort to do something selfless on a daily basis to improve the circumstances of another person, animal or the environment.
The beauty of it is it can be as simple as a smile. How many people do you pass on the street everyday? How many do you make eye contact with and smile at? This is a simple act of kindness that we could all practice a hundred times a day: connect with people on the street (in the shopping centre, on the beach, at the gym, in the ocean, on the train) and acknowledge our shared humanity by making eye contact and smiling.
Now I must admit, as "simple" as this gesture seems, it doesn't always come easily. For someone like me who is inherently a little shy, the act of making eye contact and smiling at a stranger can be somewhat daunting and definitely takes a conscious effort to manufacture. But I figure what have I got to lose? What is the worst that could happen? Somebody could tell me to "Piss off, keep walking!" (as the local homeless man often says to a friend of mine)? I think I'm going to take my chances, I'm going to put myself out on the proverbial 'limb' in the hope that it just might brighten someone elses day.
"We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle
I want to excel in random acts of kindness and this is my commitment to myself and anybody reading. I'm going to endeavour (step by step) to integrate random acts of kindness into my day to day life with the hope of one day reaching a point where it becomes so deeply ingrained in my being that I don't even think about it anymore. I know I am joining a kindness community of many and I hope that many more will continue to join. If we all start taking baby steps each and every day we could leave one massive footprint of kindness on the planet.
This particular talk by Chris Abani really struck a chord with me. Abani was a Nigerian political protester who managed to escape the trials of prison not only with his life but also with some amazing insight into humanity which he has manifested into poetry and books.
What I found most poignant was his reference to the South African phrase, "ubuntu", a word derived from a philosphy which asserts:
"The only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me."
He goes on to discuss his belief that the world is not saved by grand gestures but rather smaller everyday acts of compassion and kindness which he gives examples of through his own harrowing life experiences.
If you have the time (or even if you don't) this talk is worth watching and the ideas Abani discusses are definitely worth spreading.
For an unlimited source of inspiration pay a visit to the TED website, a collection of talks from some of the most brilliant, creative and inspirational people this planet has to offer disseminating what they believe are "ideas worth spreading".
Morality: principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour.
It forms the very core of who we are as human beings; dictating how we interact with each other and our environment, and yet it evades all five senses, so how are we supposed to understand it? Moral philosophy first sparked my interest three years ago when it popped up as a brief introduction to one of my media subjects. I'd been 24 years on this planet before I'd received any formal education on theories of ethics and morality, quite an oversight, I remember thinking at the time. I had imagined that something which was so essential to my humanity would have been broached a little earlier. I did of course receive plenty of informal training, "don't drown your sister in the bath", "don't put the cat in the letterbox", "don't take somebody elses food without asking"; these things were BAD. All those little hints did help to point me in the right direction but like so many other things we are taught when we're young it was "1+1=2, because it just did". As far as morals went there was never any real framework for examination or exploration, I was simply expected to be GOOD and had to guess the rest.
As per the always evasive nature of philosophy, moral philosophy offers no concrete answers for what is right and what is wrong nor how we negotiate this daily see-saw but it does provide some concepts which have helped me to wrap my head around this intangible force within. There are three main theoretical areas within the field: metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics. Metaethics is the most abstract, examining the meaning and origin of morality, eg. do morals exist independently of us or are they human conventions? And what psychological factors motivate us to act morally? Normative ethics examine how we regulate these moral conventions, for example the consequentialist theories break it down into three categories:
1. Egoism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to the person performing the action.
2. Altruism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to everyone except the person performing the action.
3. Utilitarianism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to everyone.
Finally there are applied ethics which focus specifically on analysing various moral issues (eg. welfare, animal rights), employing various normative theories to determine right from wrong. It’s a lot to take in and this is only the tip of the iceberg but I think this is really interesting stuff. I'd love to go into more detail but everything you need you can find at the Internet Encylopedia of Philosophy (Ethics).
Good and bad, wrong and right, they can make the world go round or stop completely. I want to understand why I act the way I do in different moral situations and even more than that I want to understand why other people act the way they do when faced with right and wrong. I believe change begins with understanding and this forms the basis of my journey, to understand as much as I can so that I can go into the world and do well, but more importantly I can go into the world and do "good".
"Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and choice, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim." - Aristotle.
For me encounters with my social conscience are a daily occurrence, a mixture of intention and (in)action which I often struggle to reconcile. This blog is an exploration of the internal battle; I’m taking it external, stripping it back and laying it bare for the world to see, with the blogosphere and as my mediator, regulator and guide.
I don't claim to be a saint nor do I have any plans to become one and whilst it would be nice to achieve world peace my aims are much more modest. What I know is that each of us has the capacity do some good and whether we're fulfilling our potential or not, there seems to be little discussion of it. So why aren't we talking about it? Does the silence speak of our inaction and guilt because we know we can and should be contributing but aren't? Or, do we keep quiet to avoid the public perception of the hedonistic do-gooder who only speaks of their deeds to boost their own image and esteem? Perhaps it is both or neither but either way I think that becoming involved in this dialogue has great potential to bridge the gap between intention and action.
I want to be held responsible and I want to be inspired. This blog is the platform for my journey into the social conscience and I hope that readers will join with me and come along for the ride. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated!
