Jessica Daggett is a friend from the University of California, San Diego.
America used to be the land of dreams. A place where hard work was rewarded, competition lead to innovation, and education lead to jobs. However, progress is halting. Scientific research is no longer a priority of the United States government. The government provides less grant money for research than ever before. The middle class is shrinking. Thirty year olds today make the same amount as they did thirty years ago. Being college educated and hardworking are no longer enough to secure a home, support one’s family, or save for a retirement. Why? Because the majority of businesses in the U.S have become monopolies and have outsourced manufacturing to China. Let’s face it, we have become the cogs of the machine: both its oppressed and enablers. We seek unity by partaking in mass consumption yet ultimately we are alone because our connections are based on materialism and simultaneous consumption. We complain about our lack of health insurance from employers but we purchase from the very companies that use temporary uninsured labor (think Amazon). We fight amongst ourselves over petty matters such as race and language. Yet our true enemy lies in safety and security.
If corporate monopolies are truly our enemies, how are we supposed to fight them? We need places to work, to eat, to live. We enjoy fast fashion from Forever 21, appliances from Walmart, gas from Arco, fast food from McDonald’s and the list goes on. Let’s say we cared enough to research which companies outsource or use underpaid labor and avoided those. Yet how are we supposed to really know the truth in the tangle of corporatism and bureaucracy? The reality is: we can’t. So what can we do?
- Think Local
Local resturants, local farmers’ markets, local politics
By shopping locally you can better hold sellers accountable. Many local resturants will have soft openings with discounted prices so this will keep money in your pocket and out of conglomerate hands.
Local politics will often effect citizens more directly and your vote counts for more since the population is smaller.
- Be an informed voter
Only 40% of eligible people vote in midterm, primary, and local elections! And only 60% vote in the presidential election. Your votes do count! Register for CA mail-in ballots here: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail/
It only take 10-15 minutes and it’s one of the only free things the government gives us!
- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Always!
Don’t really need it? Then don’t buy it! When we buy less our efforts are rewarded threefold: we reduce environmental pollution, we don’t support monopolies, and we save more money to spend on the things that we really want to do like travelling, buying homes, and starting our own businesses. Some great products I have purchased in the last few years that have helped me reduce: glass tupperware (I carry a container in my car for leftovers), silicon baking mats (say goodbye to aluminum foil and less oil needed when cooking), and cloth shopping bags.
Reuse! Don’t be afraid to buy used items from thrift stores or on apps like OfferUp, Letgo, etc. Buying secondhand saves your wallet and takes away power from monopolies by putting the consumption of goods between individuals. Win-Win!
Recycle – of course reduces environmental pollution but often helps employ locals as well. Recycling centers are usually run at the city level and give local people more jobs. Check your local center for materials that can be recycled which usually include: glass, paper, and most plastics.
By doing the three things mentioned above we can empower ourselves and make America a place where hard work and education are rewarded again!
