the individual society, rant 2

I was talking with my mom yesterday about the issue of mental illness in this country, and I realized – this is another strong example of our culture’s intense focus on being individuals. We do not bother to take care of our mentally ill. Especially in Austin, you will notice that so many of the … Continue reading →

the individual society

I read this quote in an issue of the VISTA “newsletter” thing we get every once in a while.  This comes from a woman who grew up in poverty, and she thought herself a lesser person than the rest of society.  She has since become a VISTA and is working to eliminate poverty in South … Continue reading →

Invisibility, not just a super power anymore

Surely anyone who has committed any time listening to what people have to say on the issue of poverty has heard the saying that the people in poverty have little or no voice, that they are invisible.  I think that this statement says just as much about the people who say it as it does … Continue reading →

conspire for a better christmas

About this time last year, I saw this video about Christmas, consumerism, love, and the gap between resources and need: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU   It’s the Advent Conspiracy, and I think it’s an awesome initiative.  We spend $450 billion on Christmas every year…. Think about how many presents you receive thinking, “Man, I don’t really like this”, … Continue reading →