I consider myself a rather optimistic individual. I’m realistic to the ways of the world, however have always possessed a gift of foresight that has allowed me to take my mind out of the present, and tell myself “this too shall pass.” In fact, to even use the word “dismal” in the title of one of this blog is out of character, to say the least. But as gas prices rise, unemployment levels increase, and food costs soar, it’s hard to hold on to that fleeting attitude of prosperity we experienced mere months ago.
Let’s put things into perspective here: Just three years ago, I could count at least a dozen friends or acquaintances who were either upgrading their homes, purchasing long-term investment properties, or becoming involved in the business of “flipping” houses in order to make a quick profit. Everyone, including the stoner who used to sit next to you in high school homeroom, was going to real-estate school in attempt to score a slice of the proverbial pie.
Gas prices that same year tapped-out at around $2 a gallon nationally--a figure which represented an increase since 2003 due to turbulence in the Middle East and increasing demand from expanding economies. Do you remember bitching about gas creeping into the $2 range? I do. Phffft. I also remember (especially a few years earlier) being able go scrape up enough change from between the bottom of my purse and my boyfriend’s jeans pockets to at least afford my gas to the beach and back.
And as for food costs? The Wall Street Journal reports that food staples have increased more than 80% since that 2005, propelling a projected 100 million people worldwide toward poverty. And to whom do we owe (partial) credit for this fabulous little predicament? MEAT EATERS! Sorry that was so bluntly put—I could’ve referenced my source in a way that would’ve been more politically correct—but I’m a vegetarian and dammit I have the right to gloat every now and then. If you really must know, I don’t have a problem with the idea of eating meat at all, and do recognize the vital role that has played in the diets of those in the Western world. However, I DO have a problem with excessive consumption. Of anything. But it can’t be denied the impact that population growth and consumerism have on agricultural resources. Simply put, since the collapse of communism, developing countries have increasingly experienced greater prosperity, and thus have followed suit of their industrial neighbors by enjoying meat-rich diets. There are certainly other factors at play in the worldwide food crisis, but this one is by far the most noteworthy.
These synopses represent a stifling trend toward a more restricted, harsher-governed world. Unfortunately, it was our own greed that brought us to this dismal state in the first place. However as an optimist, it is my duty to conclude that we will certainly overcome this slump. People just have to let go of some ego and realize that there’s more to life than having an enormous house, with an enormous truck parked outside and an enormous steak on the kitchen table. In my opinion, moderation is the most important quality one can possess, and one which will need to be incorporated into the mindsets of our country’s people if we ever expect to survive.
Let’s put things into perspective here: Just three years ago, I could count at least a dozen friends or acquaintances who were either upgrading their homes, purchasing long-term investment properties, or becoming involved in the business of “flipping” houses in order to make a quick profit. Everyone, including the stoner who used to sit next to you in high school homeroom, was going to real-estate school in attempt to score a slice of the proverbial pie.
Gas prices that same year tapped-out at around $2 a gallon nationally--a figure which represented an increase since 2003 due to turbulence in the Middle East and increasing demand from expanding economies. Do you remember bitching about gas creeping into the $2 range? I do. Phffft. I also remember (especially a few years earlier) being able go scrape up enough change from between the bottom of my purse and my boyfriend’s jeans pockets to at least afford my gas to the beach and back.
And as for food costs? The Wall Street Journal reports that food staples have increased more than 80% since that 2005, propelling a projected 100 million people worldwide toward poverty. And to whom do we owe (partial) credit for this fabulous little predicament? MEAT EATERS! Sorry that was so bluntly put—I could’ve referenced my source in a way that would’ve been more politically correct—but I’m a vegetarian and dammit I have the right to gloat every now and then. If you really must know, I don’t have a problem with the idea of eating meat at all, and do recognize the vital role that has played in the diets of those in the Western world. However, I DO have a problem with excessive consumption. Of anything. But it can’t be denied the impact that population growth and consumerism have on agricultural resources. Simply put, since the collapse of communism, developing countries have increasingly experienced greater prosperity, and thus have followed suit of their industrial neighbors by enjoying meat-rich diets. There are certainly other factors at play in the worldwide food crisis, but this one is by far the most noteworthy.
These synopses represent a stifling trend toward a more restricted, harsher-governed world. Unfortunately, it was our own greed that brought us to this dismal state in the first place. However as an optimist, it is my duty to conclude that we will certainly overcome this slump. People just have to let go of some ego and realize that there’s more to life than having an enormous house, with an enormous truck parked outside and an enormous steak on the kitchen table. In my opinion, moderation is the most important quality one can possess, and one which will need to be incorporated into the mindsets of our country’s people if we ever expect to survive.
1 comment:
Wait a minute. 100 million people put on the starvation list because of meat eaters? I must use your own word against you: Phffft!
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