Keeping it Simple - Does it matter?

I've been part of several lively debates lately about whether or not changes at the personal level can affect Big Problems like peak oil,climate change and pollution levels.  Of course, I want to think “yes!” partly because it would be so gratifying (and simple)to imagine that what we do matters and will matter -  that if we line-dry our clothes, ride our bikes, grow some of our own food, and recycle we will be making a positive difference that will keep the world liveable for our grandchildren.

Well, dang Derrick Jensen for throwing a bucket of gray-water on this kind of personal idealism.  In a recent article in Orion titled “Forget Shorter Showers,” Jensen contends we do-gooders have been duped by a “campaign of systematic misdirection” that seeks to have us blame ourselves and waste our time taking little, meaningless acts of self-denial. While these actions may make us feel righteous, they don’t take on the real problem - big corporations and our economic system, which he says are responsible for 80% of our environmental woes.

I think he’s right. And I think he’s wrong.

Yes, there are bigger forces than our little families out there running the show – this most recent act especially.  No matter how bad off we are economy-wise, there always seems to be enough money in the corporate coffers to pay off our elected officials, and no end to the number of folks willing to sell their souls to stay in office.  Not to mention the question of how ethical our capitalistic system is in the first place. As long as money is THE bottom line, emission controls on cars, restraints on factory and agribusiness pollution, cleaner power plants, and other big fixes don’t happen, or happen way too slowly. The people profiting from these systems keep finding ways to continue business as usual.

But he’s wrong that individuals and families don’t have an impact. We pay the corporations to do what they do through our consumption of their products – gas guzzling cars, stuff we don’t need, food from far off, excessive climate control.  If we ALL cut back it would make a difference – not just because green house gases would be cut back by 22% (the amount he cites would result if we all followed the directions on “An Inconvenient Truth”), but because the Big Guys rely on us go keep them in business.  If we change, they change (some).  

But still, I hear him. A lot of people are arguing that it is too little too late. A few of us doing some things here and there and regulations forcing a few more things over the next 20 or 25 years is just not enough to turn around the problems barreling down on us.  Deciding we did our part by changing out all our light bulbs to compact fluorescents – or taking shorter showers, and then sitting back waiting for the world to get better is clearly a bad idea.  Unfortunately Jensen, like the no-impact-man-backlashers, are short on suggestions regarding how exactly to “confront and take down those systems.”

I want to argue for continuing to change our ways – while we learn how to take on the systemic problems.

First it makes sense to learn to live with less because we are simply going to have to at some point.  As peak oil and climate change affect prices (at the very least) of food, growing our own will become more and more important; conserving water, fuel, and “things” will too. Most thinking people think we can’t continue our rate of consumption, so learning to live with less makes sense regardless. Learning to share is going to be important to, which is going to call into question our whole dog-eat-dog, every-man-for-himself system of greed and consumption many of us have been living in.

Second, most of these conservation activities have the side effect of building community. They get us out of our houses; they require that we work together; they sometimes even require sharing and bartering knowledge and tools. If we are going to fight against large-scale systemic problems, we’re going to have to do it together. Working together on the little positive things can lead to working against the big, bad ones. 

Third, 22% is something.  And personal integrity is too. It’s not just about that warm feeling of self-righteousness. Making changes in how you live your life based on what you believe to be right – and real - is both mentally healthy AND an important part of change. Living a life reflective of what you’re advocating gives us little people authority when we confront larger structures. Al Gore, for instance, has received constant criticism for not living his life in a more environmentally sustainable way, Michael Moore is being raked over the coals for "gaining capital" from the system he criticizes (this critique is just ridiculous).  Whether it’s making a huge difference or not, actually changing your  ways goes a long way in inspiring others to change theirs. Not to quote refrigerator magnets, but some famous wise people have recommended it:  Margaret Meade’s “Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has,” and Gandhi’s “Be the change you wish to see in the world” come to mind.  

In the end, I appreciate Jensen’s rallying cry to work toward changing something bigger than light bulbs as well. The fact that he can’t name how to do it and that many of us are drawing blanks are just signs that we are at the beginning of figuring this out.  Clearly it’s going to require large groups of people to stop “the industrial economy from killing the planet.”

 Where are the gatherings starting in your community? One that comes to mind here in mine is Sustainable Alachua County and the groups listed as members so far.  It’s time those of us inspired to make personal changes to start transforming the movement into a revolution.

 

Comments

[becky]

Thank you Kelli as always for speaking so eloquently. Your post concisely details the debate i've been struggling with lately inside my own head. i especially appreciated your three reasons for plugging along daily on this path while "waiting for the world to change". i hope jensen and others will figure out soon how to stop the industrial machine that seems intent on obliterating the planet. surely we have creativity and intellect on our side and as colin says in your most recent post we just need a great turning of minds to more important and critical matters. meanwhile, your link to Sustainable Alachua County offers great hope. thanks for sharing.
becky

[Terry Ingram]

Surely the light of a few will guide many. It will take time, perhaps generations, for us to undue what we have thrust upon the planet. However I agree that the actions of individuals make a difference. Even if it does not make a difference it is the right thing to do. Thanks for the post. I have the same frustration with Jensen. However, with time, I have come to realize that he is only pointing out the ugly truth. Perhaps this is the hardest job of all. This revolution will take a generation. Let us do the training now so those in the future will take up where we left off. It will mushroom it already has.