Age: 19
Location: San Fransico, CA
Joined On: May 07, 2006
Occupation: -Poet. Artist-
Piano Steps hasn't posted any photos yet.
yesterday when i was browsing through the Global Business Coalition's website, a Coalition that fights against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, i found the strangest thing
well not the strangest thing, but quite a bizzare notion that didn't quite match up in my head.
one of GBC's strategic partners was the Nike Foundation.
now this is quite interesting...
Nike Foundation is a foundation formed by Nike which "understands the complexities of poverty [as being] profound", and "believes in the power of girls to transform their own futures, and the futures of their communities." -http://www.nike.com/nikebiz/nikefoundation/home.jhtml
the program's focus is on smoothing the path from girlhood to womanhood
well this is certainly neat, but what about the endless articles of women working in factories and suffering unfair pay and often times sexual abuse?
how does the Nike Foundation feel about that?
so enough about Nike, what about the GAPs big AIDS campaign, which goes something along the lines of buying a shirt (which is made from a starving child in asia) to support their AIDS campaign.
this is quite tricky.
how does this match up?
i don't quite understand how in buying into something good we can actually be supporting something that is equally as bad.
child labour vs. AIDS?
which one to choose?
i have now come to the conclusion that everything in this world is somehow tainted.
and i'm not trying to pick on certain corporations.
but really as responsible consumers we should be aware of what we are buying into
if its a battle between the importance of child labour vs. the importance of AIDS i choose nothing
i'd rather just walk out of the store.
my last rant i must admit proves to be quite typical
there are alot of angry advocates against Nike and Starbucks
of course those are just the easiest corporations to target...
but with angry trends and much talk, this seemingly childish conformity can motivate one to start a journey of education, where the small points matter.
for example, buying something from an ethical buisness may seem to be quite tedious and perhaps arduous in becoming an aware consumer, but these steps are worth it
i'm constantly searching, renewing, learning, creating new ideas...
education is a difficult process at times, especially when you feel overwhelmed
there is so much out there to learn
so much to care about
and yet not enough talk
but let me tell you its worth the search
its worth the time
because when one thing is learned, another action can be produced
and people will actually start living conscious
because believe me
we are living in one ignorant world
welcome to the new year
2008.
sharp grappling fingers digging into my heart
ripping out the valves, the muscle, the blood
i panicked at this sudden goodbye
because i didn't think it was the end
but it must be
and i'm reluctant to let go.
the thing with big corporations is that what they are becoming are monopolies
and last time i checked, Adam Smith's idea of capitalism encouraged a free market economy of good heathly competition
not some corporate ass market of mass takeover
and it isn't only the issue of monopolies
there is the issue of monopolies abusing other's rights
so we have some big corporation holding a substantial sum of money
and not paying their workers the amount they deserve
or even worse, making children work extensive hours, for nothing
is it so hard to fork out some money to pay your workers fairly?
So big names like Nike are encouraging unfair labour and child labour
often times workers are paid inadequate wages and forced to work overtime
we have to stop abusing human rights for something that we don't even need
sure a pair of Nike shoes are great
but compared to the price of suffering women, children, and men?
"human life is not commodity, figures, statistics or make believe." -refused
and whats even worse is that although many big names have been busted for their unethical ways of production
we are still buying into it
and hey i'm no saint, i still have a pair of converse shoes that i wear every single day, even though Nike has bought out converse all stars
but it takes steps to education
and steps to caring
and steps of action
to make any sort of a difference
"lets take this one mind thought train, lets make a mark on the surface."
imagine if democracy really worked.
where everyone actually participated in altering policies
imagine if we stopped buying from certain stores that are unethical to make a point
imagine if all of us did it
and those corporations using unethical production start loosing money
and suddenly they start to listen
and suddenly the voice is in the hands of the people
and then it changes
and people are being paid the right amounts
children are being sent back to school
and people start actually caring
cool hey?
its incredible.
this new found secret
division
world market fusion
of something i hate so much
turned into an oulet for frustration
today is sunday.
it's cold outside, the winter is marble white
i am unexcited to be here.
but then again, i should learn how to be content
i feel like i've lived this life too many times
seen all the shit i've seen
and lived in a superficial glass bowl
and now i am sick of it
and now i want out
now i want to educate
be educated
and write
i want to release ideas
formulate plans
and ignite
a fire
some sort of a movement
against our western superficial middle class rich life
shit
its all shit
and we're slowly drowning ourselves in our gluttonous lives