Thanksgiving is almost upon us. Christmas shopping is coming with its Black Friday and other efforts to encourage shopping and consuming. Before you go out to buy x for your dear y, please go to this web site and play "the story of stuff" The story of stuff goes into why buying of throw away junk and toys is a way to destroy the world. We need to consider carefully before deciding that the way to our dear ones' hearts and to rebuilding the economy is to buy a lot of things that people don't really need and won't use for very long if at all.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
The Story of Stuff is an animated film about 20 minutes long and thoroughly entertaining. You will want to send it to lots of people you know after you see it.
We really, really need to give deep consideration as to whether we want to keep on supporting each other's jobs and prosperity -- or trying to expand jobs and rehiring -- on the basis of endless consumption.
Yesterday on NPR, I listened to a discussion of Chinese economic development. One of the big points brought up in the discussion was that the Chinese totalitarian form of government may have a big advantage over Democracy in not facing road blocks to passing important legislation and policy, allowing the Chinese to overtake us in consumer production and development. Since right now, watching the machinations of our not loyal opposition combined with our blue dog Democracts is very frustrating, I could give a little sympathy to the idea that our system may not be the best. But then I gave some thought to what the Chinese are achieving -- the production and sale of more "stuff."
I'd like the President to have more power when it comes to going around Congress on issues like health care, the environment, consumer protection, etc. but only when it is "our" President. It doesn't take much memory to remember Bush and our wish that the then President had less power to destroy so much. So, I'll stick with our system of checks and balances, imperfect as it is, and work to improve both the makeup of Congress and to reform the flaws in the system that lead many of our representatives to support a Plutocracy rather than the well being of the people and the world.
Meanwhile, the underlying premise of Christmas giving needs reviewing by watching http://www.storyofstuff.com/ You'll be glad you did.