Consumer choices and personal responsibility
I've been half-assed vegan for 5+ years now, mainly out of concern for the environmental impact. Reducing animal suffering is a bonus, but not the main driving force.
But I've been thinking about personal responsibility recently, and I'm struggling with it.
Comcast offered me a brand new phone to switch to them, AND I would have saved some money on my bill. I declined, because I don't want to contribute to child labor, exploitative labor, or environmental harm. My phone works, pretty well, so I chose not to take that amazing offer.
And I think I'm starting to feel more responsible for animal suffering that my actions cause. And I'm starting to feel more responsible for the harm caused by other personal choices I make, like driving my truck instead of riding my bike, or buying frozen packaged meals instead of preparing fresh meals.
It doesn't help that I'm disabled. I can't cook for myself all the time, and my health will suffer if I don't eat packaged meals. I can't ride my bike every time I go out. If I hold myself to that standard, I'll get stuck at home, isolating myself. If I don't let myself drive, I won't ever see my best friends, cuz they live too far away.
But can I say "no" next time I'm craving Dairy Queen Chicken Strips? Can I skip the bottle of soda? Can I decline to get gummies, made from animal bones? Can I ride my bike to the library?
I don't want to live in such an unjust world. I can't walk to grocery because it's too far away. My public transit is poor, and slow, and I can barely muster the energy for the 45 minute outing when I drive ... can I handle a whole extra hour or two for the bus routes? No, I don't think so.
And I know a lot of people just want to blame the corporations, blame the governments. But they wouldn't be making so many phones if we weren't buying. They wouldn't be clearing forests for beef if we weren't eating it. They wouldn't be making arms for war if we weren't fighting in them.
I get that we regular people only have a little bit of power, and can't change the system with individual actions ... But what would you say to a cop, who's just "enforcing the law"? They can't change the system either.
Letting myself off the hook for the harm I directly cause with my choices ... while holding others accountable for the harm they cause ... is a bit of a double standard.
It's also tough because the world is so complicated. If I buy McDonald's food, I'm supporting animal suffering, low wages, worker exploitation, destruction of small business ... But I'm also helping to pay somebody's wages. The people at McDonald's need those jobs to pay their bills so they can eat too.
How do I make an informed ethical choice there? Hours upon hours of research? For basically every choice I make in life? Ugh. I don't know.
Wouldn't it be nice to just be a kid again, and get a toy because it excites me? And not know about the pollution or exploitation that got that toy into my hands?
and i dont know what the mantis is prayin for
but he’s prolly jus thankin the lord
that he dont live in a home
and he dont have a phone
and he dont sit around all angry and bored
he’s jussa bug
That and he doesn't have ethical dilemmas to consider.