the Big Picture
is never simple…
This TED talk by Ellen Gustafson on Obesity and Hunger is a great presentation. She mixes humour in with a very bleak subject, and is passionate about what she believes in. She has publicly stated her opinion, which I feel is of concern to the 80′s kids generation, of which I can relate. The idea that our generation is all about the NOW, that most of our notions of being future oriented is to focus on making money — because it worked for our parents, and that to change the world would take a binding and shift of the me to we perspective. There seems to be a cultural shift in how we approach global epidemics like these issues now because we need to shift our instant gratification modes of problem solving into sustainable and creative solutions in which most of us are not traditionally trained to do or think on this level. That seeing the bigger picture makes most of us utterly depressed and inhibited by fear, and we deal by not dealing, by shopping and consuming more or choosing to be ignorant by ignoring the issues which is the most privileged of privileged place to be as an educated young individual. Though, we still think to ourselves everyday, at the end of it all, what do I WANT? and how will I survive?! Given that the question “what do I NEED to do to get there” comes as an after thought.
This pretty much sums up my current feelings after having some time to absorb, gauge the reactions of, and converse with my fellow peers, friends, and colleagues about our year spent learning about the current food systems in place and the ridiculous policies lobbied and supported by profiting producers and benefactors of the now broken economics of national and world agriculture. Food studies, has been a ride and a half, even in trying to explain to people what is it that i exactly ‘do’ everyday. And the subsequent TED talk comment section bellow the video link pretty much illustrates why it’s been so frustrating at that. People will always have differing opinions on implementing change and what would affect other people the most (yet themselves the least) as long as the situation is out of their circumstance, and out of their control. I find it’s always difficult to deal with these world issues at large with a ‘me/you vs them’ attitude. I guess it always melts down to the core value that is being challenged here — how does one begin to fight for equality and social justice in a capital power world designed to hold everyone in their place? One can’t ever help but wonder “How do I fit into this picture”, and “Where do we even begin”? How do we focus on one small thing that can be changed on a daily basis and apply that to the masses? Does that even work when everyone’s lifestyles and perceptions of the world are different by and large? Isn’t this where nutritional information dealing with diet, health, and lifestyle have always been challenged by authorities and health industries by taking test subjects not proven but correlated to affect something that is really unknown, inspiring drug makers to produce and sell to the masses as a solution? Embedded within industries and systems to organize and treat people are cultural points of views enforced by those in power. So, who wants to tackle being in charge or more than themselves?
This is what I imagine world leaders asking when they get together to meet and greet and converse. I guess that’s what I expect national leaders to do, though sometimes it seems like they are more stuck tunnel vision and short term yet expensive ‘quick’ fixes to keep everybody ‘happy’… at least for now…
Globalizing (i use term as a verb here) national issues seem to increase our notions of the ‘one nation/one world’ point of view, which to me seems quite limited. (Maybe it’s the labeling that I’m not comfortable with – perhaps it should be ‘one humanity, a million cultural solutions’ haaa!) Such a ‘one nation’ point of view seems to go by a ‘one leader’ policy, in which none of the most ‘powerful’ or ‘rich’ nation’s leaders can handle all on their own, nor do they want to? Such a notion manipulates the bigger picture as if humans actually have much control over mother nature as one nation state, and seemingly fits the idea of a dying earth that we have crushed into one hand. When really, it’s the evolutionary theory of humans killing other humans that is the problem and solution here. Such a global point of view are embedded in first world nations’ economic perceptions of trade, agriculture, and food – why I ask? How do we even begin to look at change if we use the same system of organization to devalue the voice of nations that are poorer, instead of looking at their cultural values and how their ancient civilizations have survived and procreated over the centuries. Hence opinions that erk me like “let’s increase funding for technology to manipulate natural seeds and plants, gmo technology, and enclosed ecosystems in order to feed the third world” seem to be masked in wonderful intentions to help others, though who takes responsibility when it doesn’t work? When a big company patents and sells their new bio-technologies to poor farmers on the other side of the world implying that they can’t help themselves, how is this devaluing system solving any problems when they can no longer take control over their own sustenance and way of life? – Again, why? to make a buck? Why do people feel the urge to feed our human need to help other people so we can feel better about ourselves in the end? Is it a sense of survival pointing at the other who suffers and saying to yourself “HAHA! I am doing better than him in life!”? Blaming “human nature” for our ugly truths don’t mean anything. The mind can be conditioned to overcome adversity given the right conditions and nurturing, and the body as much as we push it, if not taken care of, will die. Is this just how it works? How do you even begin organizing a million of these varying bodies and minds in a community, nation state,, and then the world?! Are we getting ahead of ourselves blinded by the flashiness of power?
Like puzzle pieces floating in space out of place on a flat table that is unknowingly round, issues of consumption and waste, hunger and obesity, health and living wages, along with private and public enterprises versus sustainable greener economics, creative, innovative, and technological well-being…etc. I can only imagine, anyone would ask “which piece do you grab and focus on first”? hmmm, future world leaders? youth of our nations?
You can tell Ellen is really excited and passionate about this issue, and is exactly the type of personality that would make a great big picture leader. Makes me wonder how she would conduct meetings amongst these great organizations, and how they would be able to work together to combine mission statements. Go Ellen go!
I on the other hand have discovered that I am more of a ‘create small change daily, and stick to them’ kind of person. I realize that change happens everyday, in an instant. But the greater challenge as I am a product of my generation, is committing to long term change through every day action. I am a situation handler, a problem solver on spot, an organizer, an event executioner. Always have been. I love the multiple sense of accomplishments throughout my day, even as simple as feeding myself a hearty yummy meal that I have cooked out of love for myself and for others when I share. I have no huge ten year goals to ‘change the world’ or to ‘feed’ everybody, but I have goals to change my own path, and to find food security for myself and my family. I need to love who I am first, love what I do, and take care of my family first. I know I am accountable for that much in life. In turn, I hope to inspire others to do the same kind of small but impactful things that bring enjoyment into their lives, every day too. But that is never up to me. I just share what I love with you. Simple.
xoxo J xoxo
shout out to BHT, thanks for being my biggest jloeats supporter ;) woot woot! <3