Be The Change

"Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want."

Anna Lappe put this idea across so succinctly. I was thinking about this before I saw the quote. We have finite resources. And our money is what keeps the businesses going. It determines what companies investors take an interest in and it determines what clothes are fashionable. It determines whether we are concerned about what companies stand for - whether these companies are advocates of anti-animal testing, being environmentally-friendly when coming up with their products or have a vested interest in their customers' well-being.

I think it's important not to be frivolous with money. Every cent that goes to Okamoto tells the world you've been sexing. Every cent that goes to Philips' shaver shows that you are amused by the un-amusing "close shave with a bear" shit. Every cent that goes to a tired, formulaic, boring Hollywood Action Blockbuster deprives the world of a meaningful film with a good story.

We all get caught up in being materialistic and everything has a commercial value nowadays. I think more carefully about how I spend my money. I support companies that design things that appeal to me, that are creative, innovative and unique, that stand for something special, that are environmentally-friendly, that communicate earnestly, that see themselves as something more than a profit-mongering organisation.

This awareness will make me a better citizen in the global marketplace and because we work hard for the money we make, it is the currency of our voice.

We have the power to determine what is important in this world.