Thank the Rich

Posted by: Simple Living Works! on: July 20, 2014

• In: Others' resources | Personal | SLW! resource
• 1 Comment

“Tax the Rich” is probably the quickest, most direct way out of our economic woes. FDR did that and it worked, in combination with an amazing jobs program, such as the Youth Conservation Corps, and raising the minimum wage.

Now I see that greed of the really rich – the 1% — may accomplish what decades of encouragement have failed to do – to get Americans to adopt voluntary simplicity as an effective and satisfying lifestyle.

Now rampant social inequity is forcing millions into INvoluntary simplicity, something familiar to 2/3rds of the world, the majority in the “developing” world. In their case they live from one day to the next without choice.

I say this with no delight. The transition will be long and painful. The really rich few will continue to grow richer thanks to their lap dogs in D.C. and many states, who continue to crank out laws that favor them. And the majority of the rest of us are too short-sighted, too gullible, too controlled by right-wing religious “leaders” to vote in our own interests.

Sadly, this forced adoption of simpler living will be good practice for the implosion of the Earth’s environment which is scheduled to begin about 2050. Our children and grandchildren of today will be ready for the truly harsh realities of the second half of this century. No technology, no wishful thinking will save us from the Great Implosion. We cannot count on God to rescue us.

Voluntary simplicity is not about deprivation. INvoluntary simplicity IS.

The best we may be able to do is to change our personal lives so that the Great Implosion happens more gradually and with less negative force. We can vote for those who have a vision of caring for the Earth and NOT of economic “growth,” which just continues to devour the Earth. The Green Party has the vision but currently not the infrastructure to do what needs to be done. Anyone who votes for a libertarian or Tea Party candidate has no one but themselves to blame for the misery of their grandchildren.

No, I am not proposing Survivalism, where we hoard and arm ourselves. I’m preaching COMMUNITARIANISM — no, not Communism – wherein we work for the benefit of our community before our own personal “rights.”

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What’s NOW with SLW

• The Second Half of Tony and Shane Uncut has begun — Tony Campolo & Shane Claiborne’s complete dialog on simpler living and global justice, in eight parts. To LISTEN, click the player at the top or the bottom of the Show Notes, or visit the Episode Index. NOTE: You can listen to each episode as it is released the 1st and 15th of the month, May-Aug. Or listen to several or all episodes at Preview/Back-up. The topics are different for each episode.
• Jerry’s Excellent Adventure in Social Media complete. READ MORE
• The response to my blog “Why Are Danes So Happy?” has been AMAZING. Thank you! The responses to my blogs and podcasts are collected HERE.
• Let’s Learn About RAMADAN, June 28-July 27, 2014 – Life Standard: “Learn from the World Community” from Living More with Less — RAMADAN: Month-Long Fast for Muslims
• Simpler Living Alternative Daily Calendar – July
• Check out a few of these thought-provoking, timely resources that might meet your personal, family or congregational/group needs. They’re all FREE.
  • Treasury of Celebrations*: Create Celebrations That Reflect Your Values and Don’t Cost the Earth Earth – May-Aug.
  • Worship Alternatives: Pentecost/Ordinary Time
  • Spirit of Simplicity: ART | QUOTES
  • 10 Tips for Simpler, More Meaningful Celebrations | Spanish: 10 puntas
  • Alternatives’ Seasonal/Thematic Index

What’s Coming

• Tony and Shane Uncut part 7 — Tony Campolo & Shane Claiborne’s complete dialog on simpler living and global justice, in eight parts.

What’s Happened

• July 11 – World Population Day
• An Alternate Fourth of July
• Alternative Pentecost & Ordinary Time
• Frances Moore “Frankie” Lappe’ Shares Her Co-Creative Way to Ecological Healing – TheCommonGoodPodcast.com, episode 48.

What Others Are Doing

• The Common Good Podcast Episode 49 :: Geoscientist Jeff Severinghaus: How 800,000 Year Old Antarctica Ice Confirms Earth’s Changing Climate & How to Respond
• Seeing Systems: Peace, Justice and Sustainability – New Course from Northwest Earth Institute
• Interviews, Book Groups, etc. – Spreading the Conversation about The OneEarth Project and the book, Blinded by Progress: Breaking Out of the Illusion That Holds Us, by Lee Van Ham. | TheCommonGoodPodcast.com, episode 42 | Lee’s new Slide Show
• Spring of Sustainability: Turning Crises into Creative Solutions [Since this series is over, you can only access it by subscribing. Or hear two free samples. // Summer of Peace: Transforming Conflict in Your Heart, Your Relationships and the World, a free online event, June 13-September 21, both series from The Shift Network and Sustainable World Coalition

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Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist

GRAPHIC: Spirit of Simplicity #7-A1280

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