What's a citizen? In speaking about the USA population, "We The People", we used to be referred to as citizens. Now we're rather grossly referred to as consumers. Every index, every valuation and evaluation depends on our being consumers or we simply don't count in the pie chart or in the headline news.
At heart, I believe we all like the idea of being a good citiizen, and at heart, we want to give back. Making a difference, to change something for the better feels good. It creates a different kind of relationship with ourselves and those around us. There’s every kind of cause, and need. We're not asked to hitch our wagon to just anything. What is ours to share, to participate in and to experience in a way that feels not just good but Spiritually correct?
The model of "We The People", the consuming-consumer, doesn’t work anymore. The idea of citizenship is far more fulfiling than anything we might choose to buy to fill up the holes inside.
Jill Butler
Author, Illustrator
Crease the Space You Deserve
www.jilllbutler.com
2 comments:
It's an interesting distinction between consumer and citizen.
Once we look deeply into the persona of citizen, what we then view are the artifacts of our lives.
Things & Stuff are akin to Words & Ideas.
I like your idea of the "artifacts of our lives". Have you read Lynne Twist's book, the Soul of Money? She's a guiding light in the understanding of this thing called money and wisely makes the distinction of the two: consumer and citizen. Thanks for your comment. jb
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