The Inconvenient Lie

In 2006 a man who nearly became
the President of The United States
made a film called 'An Inconvenient Truth'
which avoided a much much bigger,
and far less convenient, picture.

In that glossy video,
seen by the richest 5% of the world,
the wealthier consumers were told
in clear terms how sinful they were
for choosing to consume so much,
whilst the video was Trappist-quiet
about how the industries of the world
consumed more than all the individuals
in the world ever could, on their behalf.

Consumerism is at best passive citizenship
at worst personalising anonymity through debt
(if private and corporate credit facilities
were removed in rich countries and old debts
had to be settled, whoever the debtor,
then most businesses would go under).

Active citizenship will always mean
first living simply enough to be as aware
as you can be of what you are dependent upon
Then protesting clearly enough to make others aware
of the grave new world they are digging
for everyone else as well as for themselves.