Hermenuetics

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THE STORY OF STUFF will air in its entirety in the fourth season of the Emmy award-winning Public Television series, NATURAL HEROES.

Annie Leonard is a natural hero for researching and sharing this information in a way that motivates thought, change, and even anger.

Check your local Public Television listings this fall. http://www.naturalheroestv.com/season4/thestoryofstuff.html

Posted By: NaturalHeroes | May 13, 2009 6:49 PM

The thing is that our economy runs on consumption. It's called capitalism. And many politically conservative Christians seem to be passionate advocates of it... unrestrained capitalism. The almighty dollar is the bottom line.

Hopefully, this will change as believers recognize that this economic model systematically disenfranchises the poor and weak.

Posted By: Robyn | May 13, 2009 8:01 PM

Why would the first three minutes appall? I'm not clear on that.

Posted By: Robyn | May 13, 2009 8:06 PM

Partners for Just Trade, a Fair Trade Organization that works with the Presbyterian Church, has released a useful Bible Study called Fair Trade: Using our Purchasing Power for Justice and Hope at http://www.partnersforjusttrade.org/ht/d/sp/i/277/pid/277. It seeks to show the convergence of its nine basic Key Principles with the Judeo-Christian teachings of justice, if folks would find that useful.

Posted By: CKIezzi | May 14, 2009 12:07 PM

There are a number of for profit groups that have been created over the past 5+ years that are designed to give jobs and distribution points for products that are created in the third world. These are inherently consumption based ministries. Coffee shops like Good Coffee and Land of a 1000 Hills plow about 30 percent of revenue (not profits) back into local developing world economies. Others sell hand made products. ServantWorks is a group that employs former Thai prostitutes to make hand made greeting cards and other art. These jobs allow the women to make money and leave prostitution(which is funded in large part by US tourism).

Consumption is not all bad. I agree with much of the program that consumption creates a lot of waste. But the 99 percent of products that no longer exist within six months number that is used is just not legitimate. It includes food and other products that are designed to be used and cannot be taken out of our consumption system. Taking food and water out of the consumption system would not make it better, but much worse.

Posted By: Adam S | May 14, 2009 2:42 PM

I LOVE this video. I agree, consumption isn't all bad and the video never states this - just that we should think about the true costs of consumption. I remember Chuck Colson trying, a while ago, to refuse to buy any products connected to China due to human rights issues in China, and he found it impossible. We can't avoid all the hidden social and environmental costs of consumption, but better awareness will help us make better decisions. Jesus talked a lot about how the way we use money reflects our hearts (For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.) I hope Christians will think carefully before choosing materialism and consumerism over stewardship, justice for the poor and exploited, and compassion for the sick.

Posted By: Beth | May 14, 2009 3:03 PM

Robyn, you asked why the first three minutes would appall. It seemed to me that she begins the video in a way that would appeal to some political leanings and offend others. I'm just saying, if anyone is made uncomfortable by the beginning--keep watching anyway. Her real points aren't political, they're ethical. CKlezzi, Adam, and Beth--Christians like the ones you mention are making an important difference. May their tribe increase!

Posted By: LaVonne | May 14, 2009 5:09 PM

the only thing that bothers me about this video is that she seems to place the blame on THEY instead on WE. I heard something recently that I think is true--capitalism works because it requires people to be sinners and we have a lot of those--I think the system she proposes requires us to all be saints and as we know there is a short supply of those. Perceived obsolescence wouldn't work if we weren't greedy people.

Posted By: Barb | May 14, 2009 7:39 PM

I think it's important for us to remember that we need -- and imperatively MUST -- be the change we want to see in the world. This is true when we are at work and at home, in every minute of our lives. If we wish for a compassionate, honest, and ethical world of enlightened capitalism, then we must remember that our first responsibility is for EACH OF US -- in our capacity as decision-makers and workers at work, in our capacity as parents at home -- to have the courage to model behavior that will make the world -- the habitat for all of its individual people -- a better place by our OWN decisions, by our OWN behavior. If corruption, waste, environmental irresponsibility, and greed exist in our world, we are responsible for every bit of it we create with our own two hands, our own work, our own words, our own actions. At home and at work, we each must act to curb wrongdoing, unkindness, unjust action, and corporate or parental irresponsibility with each action we take, with each word we speak and write, with every decision we make. Come my friends, it is not too late to make a better world. Each breath we take is a new chance to make a peaceful, mature, earth-loving choice.

Posted By: martha | May 25, 2009 8:45 PM