This poem is from my latest volume of poetry: A Rhythmic View 3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236959218-a-rhythmic-view

You can also find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers.

In the book, it looks like a brain… but here it looks like a brain going through a black hole…

Anyway, I think a lot about the causality (causes and effects) of humanity, including how damaging just being careless has been and can be. This poem, and several others, are about that carelessness in regards to consumerism and waste. I’m lucky enough to be a minimalist by chance. What I mean is, for reasons out of my control, I am someone who doesn’t desire lots of things. I don’t eat much. I don’t buy much. I don’t go out much. I don’t waste much (in comparison to the average person in my society at least). I drive an economy car. I live an economy lifestyle.

I can and do take pride in that fact, because every action has effects we don’t see that matter even on an individual basis. Every comfort-driven purchase, whether fast food, a new car/truck, a boat, a fifth pair of shoes, or thousand dollar phone, results in far more destructive waste and distribution of wealth than people want to realize. We don’t want to recognize our effects, because we don’t want to deal with the cause (our selves). I can’t think of a more hypocritical group than Americans. We idolize buying, possessions, celebrities and being rich… until it goes too far; then we ban, bash and protest ‘them’ while not taking an ounce of responsibility for handing them their wealth to begin with. There are not billionaires without millions of buyers. There are no stuck up, self entitled, greedy celebrities without fans. Being conscious of your actions and their effects is 180 degrees different/better than mindlessly buying into anything, whether it be shows, games, products, food, drugs etc.

How destructive our physical waste alone actually is, is something we can’t understand, but common sense tells us it’s far worse to waste than have a moral compass in regards to our impact. No matter what every wrapper, bottle, cup, glass, paper, electronic, vehicle, appliance and everything else you waste actually does, should be less important than the reasons you feel you need them and that they have to do more harm than good.

Now, here’s the other side, mainly from politicians and CEOs. It helps the economy. We won’t survive without blind consumers. ‘Do you want to destroy the country?’ If this country, or any country can only survive off of unbridled greed, consumerism, bribes, and monopolies (not a free market BTW), then DEFINITELY. You see, we can not only survive, but thrive without buying endless crap, without the wealth classes dividing until there’s two (those with every thing and those with no things). It’s called innovation. It’s called unity. It’s called not buying into fear. Those with wealth, including the government, are used to having it. By no means does that mean that those without it (almost all of us in comparison) have to keep supplying it. Individual wealth and national wealth are far more powerful in the hands of citizens. Despite what you’ve been told, that civilian wealth spread out is what makes a country and an economy strong. In America for example, 250 million buyers choosing to be purposeful and frugal with their money is worth more than 200 million and shrinking mindlessly throwing money away. And not just because of the numbers, but because that shift would alter the government and corporate power.

The bottom line, is that money has tremendous ‘potential’ value and spending it has effects. We all have way more power than we realize because of this. It’s my hope that more people, a lot more people, understand and utilize that power.