“Is it possible to imagine a world where we can expect to make more than a living, to find not just necessity in our work but joy as well?”
As the fall semester of my senior year comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on some of the decisions I have made. Have I accomplished everything I hoped to? Have a taken advantage of all of the opportunities I was given? How can I make the most of the next semester? Am I going to be happy in the path I have chosen after graduation? I feel it is important to do things because you enjoy them and not simply because it is something on our to do list. I sometimes find myself overwhelmed with things such as my RA position and being on the cross country team until I remind myself that I do these things because I love them and while it does help financially pay for my education, if I did not enjoy it, I would find another way to finance my education and be happy. I feel this is something I will constantly need to re-access as I move onto life after college.
“His spiritual awakening began when he realized that all his wealth and power could not provide him with true happiness.”
I would say that I grew up in a family where we were comfortable; we most definitely had enough money to live and do the things we love but were most certainly not able to take yearly vacations to travel the world or eat at fancy restaurants every night of the week. When I came to Fordham, I soon realized that this was not the case for everyone. A lot of students here have been given their ‘happiness’ through money. Even some of my closest friends cannot understand why I talk to my parents everyday or why I look forward to returning home but for me, this is where my true happiness lies. I often find it difficult to be friends with someone whose happiness is made my owning the latest fashion trend or iPhone model rather than by spending time with family and friends. I consider myself very lucky and truly blessed to have been given a life where I am able to value more than just the things money can buy.
“Knowledge is gained by discernment, by examining, by instruction”
I felt that this quote related to one of our missions as a Fair Trade class. Though we do staff the cart with the hopes of selling items, we are also staffing the cart to create a presence and an opportunity for students to learn about the meaning of Fair Trade. The knowledge and expansion of Fair Trade is not going to be grasped by simply purchasing items, you need to hear from someone about the value of your purchase so the next time you chose better Fair Trade and not Fair Trade, you choose Fair Trade.
“Together, let’s change the odds. But unless we get the “together” right, there’s no way we will succeed.”
I really enjoyed this article because I feel it really helps to drive the point that the whole is better than the individuals that make it up. In my life, I feel I have always be part of a team. Whether that team is in sports, in my job, for a school project or even my family I have come to realize that working with others allows me to see new prospective and reach an answer for something that is much different from the answer I would have come up with on my own. Specifically in sports, my teammates have always been a reason to work hard each day and really give all of my effort. We work together to make everyone the best they can be and inspire each other to keeping striving for our aspirations. This has always been an extremely powerful feeling that I have come to realize makes a huge difference in performance. I believe that the Boston Foundation has a really strong foundation to begin making changes to the city of Boston that will most certainly be for the better.
“What did each of us in the crowd do to create that miracle?”
I found this to be a really challenging question that led me to think about what it is that I could do to really make an impact on those around me. While not everything we do will be a miracle, simple things can make the biggest difference. As an RA, I always strive to make a difference for my residents. While I know not every resident wants to attend programs or be extremely active in the community, I want everyone to know they are appreciated. I began giving residents care packages for the holidays and cards for their birthdays which have been received with great success. For me, this is the something I can do to help my residents feel appreciated while they are living away from home. I have come to realize that by adding your own special touch, others appreciate the effort and often times go on to do something nice in return (even if it’s for someone else!)
“Upward mobility can be a real good, or a god.” I feel like this is a most important statement from the article “Upward Mobility.” The idea of trying to ‘move up’ in the world is not necessarily as negative as this article portrays it. Moving up allows people to support their families and be educated. With education, we may be able to solve some of society’s biggest problems; the issues of fair trade, a cure for cancer, or the latest breakthrough in medical technology. There is no shame in wanting a better life to help make yourself more useful to society as a whole. The issue in wanting a better life is when you sacrifice others. You begin to put possessions and money above caring for others and building healthy, loving relationships. This is when upward mobility becomes a god or something with idol; in summary, a major issue. “I used to be shy. You made me sing. I used to refuse things at table. Now I shout for more wine.” I feel this line really encompasses a lot of the students in our class who have been able to take action in their weekly tasks. We began this semester with a class where not many students were even aware of the definition of Fair Trade and now more than half way through there is consistent selling at the cart of a daily basis and students around campus are even beginning to gather some insight on Fair Trade. Just a few weeks ago, I put on a program in my building for Fair Trade Month and provided sample of Fair Trade chocolate. A lot of students commented “oh that’s the cart that’s always in Hughes and those students are in a class.” I have to say that it is a pleasure being part of such a wonderful group of students who have really taken initiative and shown they are truly passionate about fulfilling the Jesuit mission of being men and women for others.
“Planned obsolesce is how fast can you make something break that leaves consumers faithful enough to buy a replacement and perceived obsolesce is when the look of products are changes so that consumers feel the need to buy new to keep up with society.”
When this was mentioned in the video, I began to think about how true this statement was. I have never really thought about how often it becomes necessary to replace the things we have. I feel like the iPhone is the perfect example of a product with perceived obsolesce. A new iPhone is introduced roughly every 6 months to one year. While there are some advances in the technology of a phone, a previous model of an iPhone does not stop working; consumers simply feel the need to keep upgrading to keep up with the new advancements. As crazy as it sounds to buy something new when we currently own essentially the exact same product, many of us can agree that when you are sitting in the Fordham cafeteria with an iPhone 4, you feel a bit out of place. The list of example to prove these two ideas seems endless.
The Story of Broke
“Money from our taxes goes to oil companies and big bank bailouts but not to build a better future”
A majority of this video focused on the issues with our government and how taxes are spent. Like The Story of Stuff, I never thought about any of these issues until they were presented in the video. The government is able to pay for things like bailouts and offer subsidiaries to big corporations but there always seems to be concerns about paying for schools and having enough for social security and medicare. While I would like to think the government is always mindful of the best interests of its people, I think about my high school and wonder why there was such a struggle for resources in a public school. This really made me think, where are all the taxes we pay actually going?
Ethical Objections to Fair Trade
“Pre-announced visit by Fairtrade accountant every 5-6 years is not likely to pick up non-compliance” “Fairtrade monitors the price paid to exporters. It doesn’t control what happens to the money nor does it monitor how much reaches the farmer.”
I thought this article brought up a point of view that should be considered when thinking about the goals and practices of Fair Trade. If there are people who still have the questions and doubts like the author of this article, how can we prove to them that Fair Trade is doing something good? How can we continue to make Fair Trade more transparent? I think that this article could be used to help improve Fair Trade and make changes to help expand the idea.
“The pubic also mistrusts corporate America. The good news about this has been an increased motivation on the part of corporations to engage with social service organizations and show their commitment toward the communities in which they operate.”
When I began thinking about where I wanted my degree in Public Accounting to take me, I considered all of the things that were important to me. One of those things was the accessibility to community service. Being that my major was not directly helping those in need, I wanted to be able to give back in ways that I would enjoy. While living and working in a third world country is not really something I can picture myself doing, I can see myself running road races for charity, volunteering at local schools and soup kitchens and helping to organize clothing, toy and food drives in the office setting. Right or wrong, sufficient enough or taking the easy way out; these are acts of service to the community that I am able to give all of my heart. I was pleased to hear about the initiatives many companies are taking to offer service to the community. While companies may focus on increasing profits and expanding business, they really can be much greater.
“The world must not know about this, and I must be here for a reason. I think that I am the right person to change this.”
I think this quote can very much relate to our class. We have been fortunate enough to learn about the issues of Fair Trade and discuss them weekly. Moreover, some members from our class will even have the chance to experience these issues firsthand in just a few months. Very much like the woman from this article, we are in this class for a reason. Each and every one of us may have a million things going on but when we get to class, it is time to put them aside and focus on the issues in front of us. Can we do anything to change them? Can we dedicate a few more minutes to selling at the cart? Can we tell a friend about what Fair Trade means? Can we support Fair Trade in our everyday efforts? While we may not make as big of an impact as the author of this article, we are all certainly the right people to make small strides.
In The Economy of Communion Project, one phrase that really stood out to me was “the core of our being, our deepest fulfillment is found in a life of communion, in loving, in giving.” This reading seemed to be the exact opposite of our second reading which stressed that establishing relationships with others was setting ourselves up to be wounded. I felt I could relate to the Economy of Communion Project much easier because it seemed more like, a jar half full attitude rather than a jar half empty.
“The Core of our being, our deepest fulfillment is found in a life of communion, in loving, in giving.” This is a really powerful statement that caused me to reflect on how often I make time to both love and give to others. Often, 24 hours in a day just never seem like enough time to get everything on our to-do lists finished none the less add in trying to make time for others. Over the past few months, I’ve been making an effort to give my full attention to others when I am with them after being told that I always seem like I am in a rush and thinking about something else. While it was really hard to hear this, when I took the time to really think about it, it is 100% true. It feels better to have good relationships with those around me; it’s energizing.
“We want our doctors to take good care of us not only because they are executing a contract, or because they want to keep us alive so that we will be a source of future business, but also because they are genuinely concerned with our well-being…similarly, we hope that teachers discipline or praise our children not only for the salary, but also because they are genuinely interest in the growth of our children. Normal relations in the market require something more, beyond contractual relations.”
This statement could not have summed up the feelings and beliefs of society more perfectly. We always want teachers and doctors to go beyond the bare minimum and when we do not feel like they are, we simply replace them with someone who will. Businesses that perform a service are held to higher standards than those that supply a product, they are charged with building a solid reputation and being able to impress and meet the standards of the public. I feel this article makes really solid points when it comes to society expecting more than just social responsibility, we simply always expect more.
I found this movie to be very difficult to watch because of all of the goriness. Though difficult to get through, it did make a very bold statement about the injustices occurring in San Salvador. The first thing that stood out to be was when the woman was speaking about Oscar Romero being stopped during a trip and accused of having a weapon. Her response was that he had the strongest weapon of all; he had the voice of justice. I found it truly admirable that despite their terrible circumstances, the people of San Salvador still had a lot of faith and trust in their leaders. I feel that in many situations, leaders are not always respected as much as they should be. It is not uncommon for followers, teams and groups to become frustrated with leaders when progress does not seem to be occurring. Even when situation seems to be getting worse and more people were murdered, the people behind Oscar Romero still supported him and his efforts to try to bring peace to their lives. While watching the movie and listening to the men and women tell their stories, the woman telling the story about how she lived next to the guard station and could hear the cries, but could not do anything, really stuck out to me. I was really disheartened by the fact that people felt they lacked the power to be able to help others for the fear of their own life. It made me realize that these people lived in constant fear and really had no control over the horror that surrounded them. It is hard to believe that all of this was happening in San Salvador within the last 40 years. Here in America, we are very lucky. While we may struggle to pay our bills and lose some weight, we never have to fear being murdered by our own government. I could never imagine living in a state of constant fear and not being able to do anything to control it. While humans need food, water, and shelter, they also need protection, love, and a sense of dignity, something the people of San Salvador were not given.
I found this article to be very interesting. The first thing that really stood out to me was the fact that there are websites where you are able to purchase a wedding toast. I myself have never heard of theperfecttoast.com or instantweddingtoasts.com and have a hard time believing that someone has managed to put a price on a wedding toast. The fact that you can receive a custom wedding toast within three business days for $149 or a prewritten wedding toast instantly for $19.95 is simply baffling. Though not exactly the same as writing a wedding toast, I have written speeches for the swimmers I coach each summer when they win an award at the end of the season. Not only does choosing a swimmer to win the most improved or the coach’s award take a lot of time, deciding what to say when the award is given is something I plan days in advance. This past summer, I presented the most improved swimmer award to a young girl named Kaileigh. Kaileigh joined the swim team this past summer at the age of 5 and refused to put her face in the water. Her twin sister Katherine, was the exact opposite and was quick to learn each of the four strokes. While Kaileigh took some time to really learn how to swim, each time she made an improvement, the smile on her face is something I will never forget. Not only did she improve this summer, she helped me realize why I love my coaching job so much and why graduating from school and moving onto a new position has seemed so difficult. When presenting Kaileigh with her award, I could not help but feel overwhelmed and tear up because it truly meant more than just giving a trophy. I would imagine that giving a wedding toast to a close friend or family member will remind me of this exact experience. It’s not something you can put a price on if it truly comes from the heart. The second piece of information from this article that really stood out to me was the debate of giving cash over choosing a gift for someone. It was determined that giving cash is the economical thing to do because receivers usually perceive the gift at 20% lower cost than what was actually spent. At the same time, it is believed that you are really able to make an impact and show your appreciation or love for someone by picking something out that they would not have chosen for themselves. This is something that I myself have come to seriously consider about gift giving. I love birthdays. My birthday is on Christmas Eve and not only do I feel blessed to have been born so close to such a special holiday, I enjoy the fact that everyone around me has taken two steps back, forgotten about how much they have spent on purchasing gifts, and is enjoying time spent with those who matter the most. I only wish everyone could feel that way on their birthday which is probably why I find myself spending hours picking out the perfect birthday card and really thinking about a gift that would make them smile. One of my favorite gifts to give is something to do with pictures; whether is a collage, a nice frame, and a scrapbook, I feel others appreciate that I have taken the time to give them something unique. I have never been a fan of giving gift cards and to be perfectly honest, I could probably re-decorate my entire dorm room with the number of gift cards that are currently in my wallet. I’ve come to appreciate those who take time to really pick out something I would enjoy; whether it’s a nice pair of earring, a charm for my bracelet, a new pair of shoes, a picture frame or an outfit that makes me feel my best, these are the gifts that I have come to love and appreciate the most.
In the first paragraph of this article a statistic is stated that really captured my attention; “The gap between the rich and the poor is widening, with the world’s richest 20% consuming over 75% of the world’s resources while the world’s poorest 20% consumer only 1.5%.” This is stated to capture a reader’s attention and begin to explain why issues of Fair Trade need to exist. Fair Trade works to improve the quality of life of those who need it most while giving them also giving them confidence, self worth, and a sense of dignity. This statistic really stood out to me because so often I feel like things are too expensive for me as a college student. Textbooks seem to cost a fortune, my college education has put me in debt, trying to dress in the newest trends quickly shrinks my bank account ,and leisure trips to the city tend to add up rather quickly. But when I really take a step back to think about it, I have everything I need. I have clothes, shelter, food to eat at every meal, and my health. In life, these are the things we take for granted. The fact that there are some without these necessary items is baffling and seems to open a space in my life to work to make the world a little better. This article also includes a short description about a husband and a wife, Ganesh and Nanda who used Fair Trade to help disadvantaged children. The couple makes Nepali drums and instruments that are sold in both retail and wholesale markets. The profits from sales have improved the couple’s life and they have used what is left over to open a shelter for disadvantaged children. The home, Mitrata, was opened 10 years ago and provides food, shelter, education, and a home for about 100 children in the community. The home is Nanda’s passion and it was so inspiring reading about someone so selfless even when she does not have much for herself. Nanda reminded me very much of my own mother who too is a very selfless role model. Though not exactly like Nanda, my mom gave up her career after my sister and I were born to be a stay at home mom. When we went off to kindergarten, she did not feel she could return to work because she wanted to be home with us every time we were sick, had a day off from school, were home for summer vacation, and for all of our extra circular activities. She opened her own day care from our house which she has successfully run for the past 20 years. Having my mom home has truly meant the world to me, but watching her give love and kindness to the children who come to our house each day is beyond words. Like my mom, Nanda is an admirable woman who has devoted her life to helping others.
The first part of the reading that really stood out to me was the text that described Deuteronomu 15:7-11. This text describes an event in 2005 in which partners from Just Trade put together boxes filled with Fair Trade good to sell. The church that sold them made a profit from the sales and was hoping they would be able to buy the artisans something they really needed. When they were able to get in contact with the artisans, the artisans asked if the funds could be donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States. The artisans felt honored they were able to give money to Americans because they themselves had been the victims for so long. I was really impressed by this story because it helped me to see how a fair trade relationship really benefits both parties. Often, I feel that relationships end up so out of balance because one is always giving more than they are getting. It’s not that I feel both parties deserve to constantly be getting, but when there is a balance, the relationship seems more valuable because there is not a constant feeling of something being owed to the giving party. I also found it really impressive that the artisans were willing to give back to the United States when we have so many organizations within our own country that were supporting the Hurricane Katrina disaster efforts. In many of the countries where fair trade efforts are focused, there was no inside support from the government or wealthier people of the country. Many of these people solely depend on support from the United States and wealthier countries to support them. The fact that the artisans were willing to look past the fact that the disaster from Hurricane Katrina would be fixed in due time when their own lives would remain very difficult for years to come is truly inspiring. The second part of the reading that really stood out to me is the text following Acts 16:13-15. In this passage there is one quote in particular that really stands out to me, “we can look up at our husbands and they have to look back at us with full respect.” This section describes how the women in Huayanay have been able to support their families by learning how to weave. For these women, this was an incredible opportunity because they were never given an opportunity to work and were therefore seen as lesser than the men. The fact that there are countries where women are not given the same opportunities as men is simply baffling to me. Here in the United States, women and men have all of the same opportunities; we can get the same education, play the same supports, and hold the same jobs. Women are no longer expected to stay home and serve as a housewife, in fact in April it was reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that 59% of US households had two working parents. As a female entering the work force in the very near future, I could never imagine not having the opportunity to become educated and enter the work force. At 21, I feel I have a sense of independence and am looking forward to taking time to work and support myself before settling down and starting a family. This is a privilege that I most certainly take for granted each and every day. Reading this article reminded me that I am lucky to have this privilege but also helped me to realize just how much fair trade efforts are helping others to slowly gain privileges.
“The New Conscious Consumer: Expanding Economic Justice Through Fair Trade”
The first part of the reading that really stood out to me was the text that described Deuteronomu 15:7-11. This text describes an event in 2005 in which partners from Just Trade put together boxes filled with Fair Trade good to sell. The church that sold them made a profit from the sales and was hoping they would be able to buy the artisans something they really needed. When they were able to get in contact with the artisans, the artisans asked if the funds could be donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States. The artisans felt honored they were able to give money to Americans because they themselves had been the victims for so long.
I was really impressed by this story because it helped me to see how a fair trade relationship really benefits both parties. Often, I feel that relationships end up so out of balance because one is always giving more than they are getting. It’s not that I feel both parties deserve to constantly be getting, but when there is a balance, the relationship seems more valuable because there is not a constant feeling of something being owed to the giving party. I also found it really impressive that the artisans were willing to give back to the United States when we have so many organizations within our own country that were supporting the Hurricane Katrina disaster efforts. In many of the countries where fair trade efforts are focused, there was no inside support from the government or wealthier people of the country. Many of these people solely depend on support from the United States and wealthier countries to support them. The fact that the artisans were willing to look past the fact that the disaster from Hurricane Katrina would be fixed in due time when their own lives would remain very difficult for years to come is truly inspiring.
The second part of the reading that really stood out to me is the text following Acts 16:13-15. In this passage there is one quote in particular that really stands out to me, “we can look up at our husbands and they have to look back at us with full respect.” This section describes how the women in Huayanay have been able to support their families by learning how to weave. For these women, this was an incredible opportunity because they were never given an opportunity to work and were therefore seen as lesser than the men.
The fact that there are countries where women are not given the same opportunities as men is simply baffling to me. Here in the United States, women and men have all of the same opportunities; we can get the same education, play the same supports, and hold the same jobs. Women are no longer expected to stay home and serve as a housewife, in fact in April it was reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that 59% of US households had two working parents. As a female entering the work force in the very near future, I could never imagine not having the opportunity to become educated and enter the work force. At 21, I feel I have a sense of independence and am looking forward to taking time to work and support myself before settling down and starting a family. This is a privilege that I most certainly take for granted each and every day. Reading this article reminded me that I am lucky to have this privilege but also helped me to realize just how much fair trade efforts are helping others to slowly gain privileges.
Tue Nov 19, 2013 7:37 am
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