Principles

Lately I've been on one of my "rage against the machine" streaks, feeling frustrated by the way society functions (or fails to).  I think what it comes down to is that we as humans are generally short-sighted creatures, and I think that's the cause of most (if not all) of our major problems.  Rather than rail on things (which I tend to do, and fortunately Mark is a patient listener and empathizes with my frustration), I thought I'd do something more productive and list out some of the principles I think it's essential for us to strive to abide by - a first stab at my life philosophy.

1. Zoom out and think beyond your current situation.  Basically, keep in mind what's really important.  Desire can be strong and compelling, but if unchecked it can lead us to make choices that hurt us and the people around us (and even the people not-so-close to us as well).  Think about long-term impacts, not only short-term pleasures.

2. Consume only what you really need.  This applies to food, energy, and possessions/purchases of all kinds.  We're living with finite resources, and most of us in America already have a lot and aren't getting any happier with more (in fact, we become less happy if we consume as a drug).  Take stock of how much you have and how much you spend -- question your motives for buying.

3. Consider others before yourself, or at least give others as much consideration as you do yourself.  When we do consume and buy, the resources we are using came from someone, somewhere.  At the very least, we should use resources that help sustain the people and places that produced them, rather than exploit and deplete them.  

4.  When calculating price, think beyond your own checkbook.  Deep discounts in retail stores save us money in the short run, but they may have a heavy cost to the people who work in those stores (they may be undercompensated and lack necessary benefits), the people at each step back in the supply chain, and the broader  environment.  If something looks like a fantastic deal for you, you should question what kind of deal it is for others involved.  Remember that you vote with your dollar for the kind of world you're opting to live in.

5.  Question yourself when you find reasons why it's not possible to live by your own stated principles.  Your priorities are revealed by your actions, not by your thoughts, words, and intentions.  Hold yourself to a high standard, challenge yourself, and surround yourself with people who will reinforce this in you.

6.  Be open-minded, and be willing to be out of step with the people around you.  If there is a change you need to make, don't be afraid to make it.  It can be discouraging and even lonely at times, but it's also empowering and incredibly rewarding to live consciously the way that you think you should.  And if you are in touch with other people striving to do the same thing, you'll find community there.

I think that's about it at this point.  I'm sure this list will evolve as time goes on, but for now I think it covers the things that I find most important.  Hopefully it's food for thought for my wealth of blog followers. :-P