Phetasy News - Oh, The Humanity
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Greetings from the Phetaverse—
This past Wednesday night I watched the gut-wrenching Joe Rogan Experience interview with author Siddharth Kara, about his new book, Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives. Honestly, it left me feeling sick to my stomach and helpless and like a horrible hypocrite—but it was important to stare the truth about the slave labor that powers every one of our smartphones and tablets and computers and electric vehicles—directly in the face.
The writing prompt that night was to write about something we take for granted and as it was fresh on my mind, my prompt was inspired by this topic of the cobalt mines—because I take everything for granted, all the time.
One of the benefits of Write Club is not only getting to know the supporters in my communities—but realizing how many of them are fantastic writers. In response to my prompt, writer James Burr said, “The suffering of others is an opulent buffet, stretching on to eternity. Do not approach this smorgasbord with an empty stomach.”
And that line has stuck with me all day. A lot of the responses to my post were some version of “this is why I take meds” or “this is why I’m hopeless.” I get it. A huge part of the reason I drank and did drugs was because of that overwhelming sense of “OH, THE HUMANITY” that would well up inside of me whenever I was struck with intense first world guilt seeing starving kids in Africa and feeling powerless to do anything about it. How do you ease that cognitive dissonance other than to turn away, tune out, or numb out? Modern life requires indifference.
How does one approach the opulent buffet of human suffering stretching on to eternity with a full stomach? I suppose with humility and gratitude and the knowledge that I can use my luck to help ease the suffering of those who weren’t so lucky, with whatever allotted time I have left. Optimism takes effort.
I wish I had better answers but I do know nihilism helps no one. I am bullish that we the consumer will start a movement demanding these corporations grow some ethics and address the conditions of the poorest people making them trillions. That’s not too much to ask, right?
Sent from my BloodPhone.
Thumbnail artwork by Lara Cullen.
Email laracullenstudio@gmail.com to inquire or contact her.
(Raising my fist in Gen-X trauma solidarity.) I'm beside you in the movement toward ethical capitalism or goodbye shopping addiction (twitch.) (Insert raised fist emoji; I'm an old-ish.) 💜
I've found misdirected anger to be a helpful coping mechanism.
Don't get me started on Fashion Week.
Or Megan and Harry.
Or my sister-in-law.
Or the little hotel bottles of shampoo.
My rage needs a concrete target. I can't process the overwhelming abstraction of suffering.