thoughts based on real life events It was exciting, actually spending time together, without distractions of a busy life. She arranged a rental cabin for two nights up on the Parkway. In the morning we would do a great hike near by. Built as part of government work programs, the cabins were simple, solid, hand made, real wood. For a self proclaimed “nature nut,” like her, proponent of “voluntary simplicity,” like me, our cabin was perfect! For evening entertainment, she brought a favorite movie, Brother Sun, Sister Moon. Having allowed computers into the realm of one version of a possible good life, I supplied the movie viewing laptop, with speakers. There’s a scene in the film where a young Francis, later to become Saint Francis, moved by spirit, throws clothing from the balcony of his wealthy merchant father’s house. As I remember it, my friend was visibly moved by this scene. I was shaken too, but kept quiet about thoughts related to our complex relationships with the material world. It hit later, an idea, many good and smart folks would say abundance of material goods has not only helped alleviate lots of suffering, but generated greater peace as fair trade replaces war, slavery, theft, exploitation, as means to accumulate wealth. A person in a position of wealth, might even face the dilemma, where and how to move the capital around, create jobs, generate movement of folks into the middle class. Even those, like me, ranting against consumer culture, wonder how we might use capital if it came to us. Would Francis, I wondered, have created greater peace, alleviation of suffering, retreat from ignorance, by carefully buying, supporting, showing gratitude for a thriving merchant class? As a sometimes artist, I struggle with these questions. Lots of us creative types find joy, meaning, connection, expression through working with out hands. On a good day, without guilt about not getting out of the working class, into the information or owning class, making art is the best thing to do. On a bad day, it’s hard imagining how any of us can use one more nice, labor saving, fun, practical, thing in our lives. But the relationships we develop with makers, retailers, all the associated workers moving our goods and gear around is something else. Then, there’s the gifting that may reinforce some ideal of what it’s like to think about, care about, what other folks have. Likely some genetic memory knows we can’t survive long without tribal connections. One way to create that tribe is to work together, make things, share stuff, together. Would Francis, I wonder, go Christmas shopping if he had a family to share gifts with? Would he read the labels to see where goods were made, if he came from a once thriving manufacturing town? Would he, like me, read labels listing materials, before price tags? Went to Lynchburg today, with a friend, to pick up her art at a gallery. We stopped at the sacred Goodwill, where all the good clothes, not worn out, eventually return to. Bought a less than ten dollar warm Winter jacket. Did I do enough to help more the capital around, I wonder? Or, is it time to go out, burn more of my share of the oil, help spread that capital around, make more connections? Black Friday, good Friday, or just Friday?
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 22:40:24 +0000
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