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Happy New Year Twenty-Ten
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Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 10:41:57 +0000
From: Carmen Miranda <[email protected]>
But there is first of all a profound and radical change that we need to work on
which is the transformation of our culture from Consumerism to
Sustainability. When people begin to understand that consumerism is not the
path towards real meaning in life and contentment, and that their very
survival as a species depends on changing direction from short-term gains and
rampant consumerism that leads to corruption an greed, only than can we really
hope of reaching and achieving governance that is for the benefit of the
majority and policies that are sustainable.
So perhaps our first step should be to re-educate people, create awareness
and inform the masses.
Mario observes:
As an American-style consumerist and observer of how India's new-found free
market consumerism has created an economic resurgence for millions of Indians,
I am following this discussion with growing bemusement.
In my never-humble opinion the problems in Goa boil down to an unholy alliance
between corrupt business owners and greedy politicians and government
bureaucrats. They have been flouting the laws already on the books while
enriching themselves through bribery and corruption and running roughshod over
the state and its environment.
Contributing factors are the growing influence of lawless foreign drug dealers,
pimps and prostitutes, who are thriving like parasites on Goa's tourist
industry.
Law abiding Goans are watching all this unfold with growing horror and
frustration as Goa's fabled quality of life is declining. They don't know what
to do, because the same old corrupt politicians keep getting elected by the
population as a whole. They would really like a French-style Revolution, but
the only Shivaji-like Goan I know who is passionate enough, eloquent enough,
angry enough and hard-nosed enough to lead such a movement is a Goanetter and
part time resident in Goa.
Some activists opine that we cannot even wait until the next election. A
people's movement should begin TOMORROW to pressurize the politicians in Goa to
wake up and do better. Short of the French-style Revolution, this sounds
reasonable enough. Something obviously must be done, though I can't see
anything tangible happening until Goa gets at least a few legislators to go
along with reform and rock the boat. The unholy alliance between Goan
legislators and corrupt business interests is very strong. But, there's
nothing to lose by pressuring them through a civil upheaval. OK. So, where do
we sign up?
But wait! Another activist says we FIRST need to TRANSFORM OUR CULTURE from
CONSUMERISM to SUSTAINABILITY, and re-educate the unwashed masses to reject
"Consumerism" and embrace "Sustainability". Hanh?! Hasn't India been there
already?
I am left to wonder a) what exactly do these terms mean in a secular democracy
finally waking up and growing by leaps and bounds after decades of being
hobbled by extreme socialist policies, b) who decides what levels of
"consumerism" and "sustainability" an entire regional society should embrace.
Manmohan Singh is still working on convincing the communists in his political
coalitions that the central government doesn't know what's good for everyone
else better than they do, which was the ruling philosophy from Independance to
the era of Manmohan, the unassuming architect and reluctant hero of India's
economic resurgence.
Doesn't India need MORE consumerism and less government intervention in the
economy? What India could use a lot more of is a massive dose of CIVIC SENSE,
completely missing among most of the population, which would lead to less
corruption at all levels, more tax compliance, more consideration for their
neighbors and public spaces and MORE PUBLIC TOILETS RUN LIKE THE SULABHS BY
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
Adding to my bemusement the Dictionary I consulted had the following
definitions of "consumerism":
1. a modern movement for the protection of the consumer against useless,
inferior, or dangerous products, misleading advertising, unfair pricing, etc.
2. the concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to
the economy.
3. the fact or practice of an increasing consumption of goods: a critic of
American consumerism.
Somehow, I don't think Item 2 would co-exist very well with the elite notions
of "sustainability":-))
I guess this means that those who want IMMEDIATE action need to get in line and
register for the first class in this massive re-education program. This will
teach the proletariat struggling to make a living that they need to give up
their PERSONAL short term goals for the benefit of Goa's COMMUNAL long term
economic and social health, because their very survival as a species is
dependant on them doing so.
But first, the subject must be defined, a curriculum organized and a cadre of
elite teachers trained.
Karl Marx must be smiling in his mausoleum.
I think Goans should go ahead with organizing the already riled up populace to
rise up and make their voices heard in public with the demand that at least the
current laws be respected. Changing the culture can wait until the country can
afford it.
Now, who has the time and resources to lead this "Goandolan"?
