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Consumer Confidence Rises; Democracy Declines

March 21, 2007: Benjamin Barber explains why consumer culture is bad for humanity copyright © 2009 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org Great News!  The good life will soon return to America.  Auspiciously, months before the holiday shopping season began, Americans were told that after more than a year of fiscal recession, or what some have characterized as akin to an economic depression, consumers were optimistic.  The confidence  index and other indicators were much improved.  Manufacturing executives assured the public, the engine that drives the free enterprise system was in a "sustainable recovery mode." In the very near future, products, and people's sense of need, would be fabricated again. Everything will be right with the world, economically.  Few feared the threat that, long ago, Americans had come to accept.   The foundation of a democratic system had eroded in favor of consumption.

Less Homework Plus Yoga Equals Greater Stress?

copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org

In recent years, parents appear to be less able, or available, to assist with their child's education. Moms work outside the home. Dad is away at the office. Either or each, flies off on business trips. Even when the family is together, they run from one activity to another. Few families dine together. Less eat home cooked meals. There is so much pressure and it is not in the cooker.

Stress fills the lives of everyone, young and old. Among teens the problem many be more profound. Depression affects twenty percent of teens. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents and teenagers. According to the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), about 8 out of every 100,000 teenagers committed suicide in 2000. Needham High School Principal, Paul Richards yearns to change these statistics. Mister Richards is among many educators that have introduced programs to help reduce the strain, yoga classes among these.

War of Words. Bloggers, Broadcasters, Rappers Code of Ethics

Oprah on Imus (Public forum with Russell and others) 2

© copyright 2007 Betsy L. Angert
In this tome, I am not advocating autocratic censorship. I ask each of us to look within and consciously choose an empathetic ethical code.

"There is a problem." However, Americans do not agree what the problem is. Sexism, racism, homophobia, violence, or the words we use to promote such social ills. For weeks, language has been in the news, on the blogs, in the airwaves, and in music-industry executives meeting rooms. Free speech is the topic in question, as is the power of words. As children, we learned that "Sticks and stones may break our bones; but names will never hurt me." In fact, the opposite is true. Words and the inferences can cause greater, and more last injuries than twigs or rocks might. The body heals far better than the heart does.

Income Inequity. The Real Reason the Rich Get Richer. ©

Income inequity has been in the news of late; disparity is increasing. Jared Bernstein, of the Economic Policy Institute, wrote of this in, “The Catch-Up Economy.” Paul Krugman, a writer-economist for the New York Times shared his views in “Left Behind Economics.” Economics Professor J. Bradford DeLong comments on the subject. However, it seems to me that the views of these learned economists are limited. While assessing the statistics, I think experts miss the substance, what lies behind simple “economic” causes and effects.

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction From Stuff, Or Can I? ©

Interestingly, the topic of ownership has been a frequent conversation in my life, recently. I moved and am working to create a home. We all live in dwellings, a house, a condominium, an apartment, a box, or even [the safety of] the streets. However, few feel their house is a home. I admittedly love a tame, gracious, and refined life. I live in my surroundings. I relate to each entity within my environment and because of this, the ambiance within the framework of my abode is important to me. Some see my work to secure serenity as a waste of time and money. I see it as survival; I am creating a world in which I can thrive.