Because I Don't Feel Ethical When I Do This, That's Why.

Inherently, the private industry, of which I am a working member, represents the just the opposite of what I believe in so passionately: Co-operation, not competition, in work, communications, and economics; the sharing of information and ideas so that all people can learn and live sustainably.*

Listen: I don't expect our country to become totally communal; that's not what I'm fighting for. Just as I don't expect our country to become totally capitalistic, either. Both of these things, because they are extremes, are senseless goals to have, accomplishing less than they would were they to be combined. (Come on now, I've already gone through my years as young, ardent idealist).

The ultimate goal, then, is balance -- a middle path. And now the questions become as follows: Which side of this path needs more attention, more work, more passion? Are you more in love -- truly in love -- with selling a brand name and pleasing a client, or are you more in love with openly sharing the information that is so vital to the ultimate betterment and sustainably of our people and our home, the earth?? Which of these do you choose? Which of these sides is most beneficial to your grandchildren, to your favorite animal, to your favorite strip of coastline or most treasured forest tree? Which of these sides do you consider ethical to work toward and to earn a paycheck while doing so? What is it that you will do with your time, the only thing that you really have any sort of control over?

What will you do in your life in order to manifest the most balanced, fair, and open middle path?

There will always be those willing to sell their souls for just one more vacation day, for one more buck an hour, for one more promotion, for one more client. And those people populate a very large side of the middle path. Where are those of us on the other side of the middle path? Those of us who will take a lower paycheck and fewer vacation days in order to fight for a more sustainable future and a happier exchange of information on this journey to our essential middle path?

*Sentiments on co-operation taken from The Earth User's Guide to Permaculture, by Rosemary Morrow