restlessness

As most of you know, I'm an activist at heart. I call this blog "idealist for sale" because I've somehow found myself caught up in the corporate world doing things that just don't match up with my beliefs. It's not that I'm doing bad things. Now that I'm working in market research instead of advertising, I can at least sleep at night without worrying that I'm somehow contributing to the deterioration of our society. But I'm certainly not doing much for it.

When I was between jobs, I did my best to find a position that I could really feel good about. I couldn't get a great position at a non-profit since I didn't have any non-profit experience. But my education and my time at The Richards Group could make me a real asset in the marketing department of a progressive company. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of options at Dallas, and I didn't really have time to wait around. So, now I'm in market research... It's not as bad as advertising, but it's certainly nothing great. It's a good work environment, and I'm making a lot more money, but I'm not making the world a better place.

I've been trying to make the most of it. I went to a protest outside the Exxon shareholders meeting, and I've been to a couple anti-war rallies, but I don't know how much of a difference it makes. I want to know that my contribution is creating positive change, and I just don't feel like I've found anything that does.

It was The 11th Hour that revived this part of me. It was a great film, and everyone should see it. The part that struck me the most was the stuff contributed by Thom Hartmann, author of The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. And, it's actually a concern unrelated to global warming. He points out that throughout history (up until the industrial revolution), people always got by with current sunlight. They got all the food and energy they needed from the sun above them. Only recently (in the historical since of the word) have we started relying on ancient sunlight (fossil fuels). The problem with relying on ancient sunlight is that we'll run out. The world, however, can only sustain a fraction of the current population once that ancient sunlight runs out. Unfortunately, we take the ancient sunlight for granted. No one wants to admit how soon we'll run out. It's going to happen during our lifetime... certainly during the lives of our children. As long as we deny the fact that we're going to run out, we waste time that should be spent preparing for a future without fossil fuels.

I can't stand that the entire world is just moving forward oblivious to this fact. We drink water bottled in plastic and shipped for thousands of miles. We eat ridiculous amounts of beef, the most resource-inefficient food available. We live out in the suburbs and commute 30 miles to and from work each day. We drive huge vehicles that consume far more gasoline than is really necessary for our transportation. We choose to get coal-powered energy instead of easily available and competitively prices green alternatives.

I'm not asking for people to make radical changes to their lives... just to wake up and think about these things. Do you really need to get a new bottle of water each time you empty yours, or can you refill it with filtered tap water? If you're having trouble deciding between beef and chicken, get the chicken (or better yet the vegetarian option). Switch to Green Mountain; it takes no effort.

The problem with my current job is not that it makes a worse impact on the world than any other company. The problem is that it's just like every other company: oblivious. I want to start making a difference.I want to make people think about these things. And, if I can't get people to think about these things, I want to tax the hell out of them.

MUSE

Donnice bought tickets to Muse for our anniversary. She's not crazy about rock concerts, but I've been talking about Muse being the best concert experience of my life ever since I saw them in October, and she wanted us to be able to share it with me this time. The concert was last night, and it was amazing.

I tried to appreciate the first band that played. I told myself that the members of Muse must have some respect for them if they were letting them open. I tried to imagine how I would be experiencing the concert if I knew and liked all the songs and was finally getting to see them for the first time. I couldn't do it. The lead singer was old and ugly and trying way too hard to be a rock star.

The second band was awesome. It was a group called Juliette and the Licks. Some of you may know where this is going (my coworker, Angela, seemed surprised that I hadn't heard of them), but I had no idea what to expect. At first I thought it was just another nobody trying way to hard to act like a rock star. But towards the end of the first song, I realized that she looked very familiar. Just as I was starting to connect her face with the name Juliette, Donnice looked over and said "it looks like the actress who played the retarded girl." It was Juliette Lewis! As soon as I realized that it was not a nobody trying to act cool, but a celebrity who was acting that was because she's truly crazy, I really enjoyed it. I don't think my words can possibly do justice to the energy and insanity of her performance. She owned the stage and every member of her band. At one point, she was flopping around on the floor like Linda Blair in the Exorcist. At another, she donned a hat with cat ears and eyes to sing about being like a cat. She sang a song about her needs when she's out on the road, and somehow communicated the word "horny" while speaking the work "lonely." She covered "Hot Stuff," and came off the stage to be touched by the crowd. Although, I'm not sure I'd buy her cd, her performance was great. Donnice and I just kept looking at each other with open mouths as she got more and more outrageous. Don't go out and buy her cd, but don't miss a chance to see her live. It's unforgettable.

Muse, of course, was amazing too. When I saw them in October, they closed with "Knights of Cydonia," and it was the best song of the show. This time they opened with it, and it was just as good as I remembered. I love the theme of revolution that runs through so many of their songs (especially on the newest album). I wonder how many people at the show even notice that and how many just like the amazing guitar. As much as I love seeing them live, I'm ready for them to go back to the studio. I want another album.