Cravings - The roots of suffering

Listening to the radio last Monday morning - Beside the Toyota recalls, most talks about the economy, the rate of joblessness, etc, etc... If people are unemployed, they cannot buy stuff, and then there is no need to create jobs to build this stuff. So now is time for the Government to DO something! So Government needs to borrow money to create jobs, the newly employed people can buy stuff, and more people are hired to build this stuff. All of this snowballs, and we are back to GROWTH - Alleluia ! All is for the best in the best possible world.

But...

Do we really need this stuff ? Do I really need a new 30 GB Iphone, , a new car, a new Katana, a cruise to Cancun ?

What if in order to build this stuff the resources of the Planet are overused so much that the ecological systems on which all of humanity and other species depend are dramatically disrupted ? What if people from poorer countries have been reduced to  quasi-slavery to produce it ?

What kind of planet are we going to leave behind us ?  

Do no Evil...

The Economic system our society is based on has little alternative but growth. In order to generate it, Marketing creates new needs and cravings - attachments - for things or services we could really do without. Cereal bars, E-readers, SUV Vehicles, GPS, Boob jobs...

It was okay for a while as long as we were not taxing the resources of the Planet faster than they can renew themselves. but some people believe we have reached the point were growth is not possible anymore. Even if they are mistaken, it is very clear that this point will one day be reached. Problem for the planet.

On an individual level, the creation of these new needs and cravings is simply the root of Suffering for Buddhists. Problem for the individual.

No need to revert back to the cave age. After all, if I did not have this notebook, I could not be writing about this matter, and you could not be reading about it. We need to use the tools we have. We also need to ask ourselves, at our own little individual level : Do I really need this ? Is this really going to contribute something positive to society ? Is this really going to make me more at peace ?

Change will only occur at the individual level. No civilization was ever changed by a group. But by individuals. What we need is a change in personal attitude, we cannot and should not rely on others - everyone has to contribute their own little part. Everyone matters.

It is not going to be easy, but the later we wait, the more difficult and painful it will be.

Let's get  to work 

here, now.