An illusion of choice. Am I a free consumer?

When I enter a supermarket, or when I browse online, I encounter numerable choices. As a consumer, I feel that I have the freedom to choose, to decide what product I want to buy. However, I would like to question this sense of freedom of choice. 

Do I get to choose whether I want toxic chemicals in my soap or not? Do I get to choose if I want it to be packaged in single-use plastic or not? When companies choose to influence me on a psychological level to buy a soap, where is my freedom? Of course, there are different fragrances, colours & types of soap available but if you zoom out and really analyse, there is only one popular, mainstream option. Do I have the freedom to choose the right soap for me or for that matter any other consumer good?

If I wish to buy a bar of soap I can choose from neem to lemon or creamy to clear. I can choose Lux or Dove or Pears or Dettol or any other brand. But am I really the one making a choice or has the system already made choices for me?

Am I really choosing or have the choices for me have been already made by the system?

Let me try and explain this with a story.
 A man was drinking in a bar with his friends when the clock struck at 10 pm. Halfway through his drink, he got up hastily to leave. His friends mocked him, "Are you leaving your drink midway because you are scared of your wife?" They asked him, "Are you the man of the house or a mouse?". The man replied ''I am the man of the house. If I was a mouse then my wife would have been scared of me, not the other way around." When he reached home, his wife was angry because he was late again. The angry wife began to chase him with a rolling pin in hand. The man ran all around the house with his wife on tow. When he reached the bedroom he quickly slipped under the bed,  where he knew his wife couldn't fit. His wife screamed "Why are you hiding under the bed? Are you the man of the house or a mouse?". The man responded, "I am the man of the house. That's why I have the freedom to sleep wherever I want".

Did he really have the freedom to sleep wherever he wanted or he had no other choice but choose to stay in an illusion of choice?

Did he really have the freedom to sleep wherever he wanted? Or did he have no other choice but to stay in an illusion of having a choice? While sleeping under the bed we may feel we have the choice between the different companies and technologies of phones or TV or clothes or cosmetics. The important question is if we have blinded ourselves with the current reality of the market and stopped thinking beyond it. In this process have we forgotten to consider our health and our planet's well-being?

Here I would like to state the fact that there is no legal definition of the words Ayurvedic, Natural, Organic, Healthy. I can label a packet of chips Healthy and fill it with whatever ingredients and sell it to you. I am not implying that all ingredients and all companies are bad or that they have a bad intention. All that I am asking you is, "Are you are making an informed choice?". "Do you know what is there in your so-called Natural Ayurvedic Toothpaste?

If freedom means choosing whatever type of clothes I want to wear, am I aware of the workers who are underpaid, overworked and abused to make those fashionable branded clothes so affordable?

If freedom means keeping my hair the way I want, am I aware of the harmful chemicals put in shampoos, hair gels, conditioners and hair colours?

If freedom means having the choice to eat veg or non-veg food, do I know how cruelly animals are treated in today's mass meat industry? Do I know that the modern meat industry is one of the top contributors to global warming?

Do I and you live in a false sense of freedom?

For many of us, shopping has become an activity to feel good about ourselves. Using one's own credit card make one feel free and independent. But what are you really free from? Haven't we become slaves to modern stereotypes of being fashionable, successful and happy. How and why does owning the best thing available in the market dictate my self-worth? And mind you, the best things in the market change every day.

Leading a modern and free life to me doesn't mean falling prey to a consumeristic lifestyle. To me, a free life means being true to who I am. It means living my life to its full potential and leading a conscious lifestyle.

 

Protest for Climate Justice.

Greta Thunbery is an inspiring young environmental activist. Her strikes for climate change has given rise in the environmental justice movement.  Inspired by her, around the globe people are protesting for climate change. India is one such country to have just recently adopted this phenomenon of friday for future. Friday for future essentially means fighting on every Friday for a better future for coming generations.

I attended the first such protest happening in Bangalore on the 24th of May. It was also my first experience of attending a protest. I have always read about protest and been very inspired by it but also there is a fear around protest, due to the news we see in the media about violence and stuff.

When I arrived at the protest, I was disappointed. There were very few people, few means around 100 or so but I was like this is no use, to create an effect we need 1000's. People were standing on the step of the Bangalore Townhall. Many were holding different posters, with messages about the environment. On the mike, someone was singing a song, which I couldn't understand at all because of all the traffic noise. For a moment I felt like leaving, thinking I have seen all there is to the event. Since I had travelled a long way to the event I decided to stick around for a while.

They read out the protest appeal - It was an appeal to the environment minister to do some changes in govt. policy to create climate justice. There was an online petition which they asked us to sign and I did that. In my mind, there was this thought "this all is not going to create any effect because the scale is too small for govt. to take action. What is the point of this protest? It is hopeless for the planet"

Next was a talk about how in our personal lives we can be agents of change. How changes in our lifestyle can heal the planet. I knew everything they shared but I realized the importance of this strike. It is not an easy path to change and it has to happen in small steps and this was the beginning. The crowd was mainly youth, which was amazing. Because the young people of the world are the torch bearers of change.
It was nice to see people enthusiastically ask questions about what they can do in their lives and equally great to see young people answer the questions. Veganism, no plastic, planting trees whatever it may be if people are doing it, are aware of it and able to reach 100 people by the strike then its an achievement.

The government may not change immediately but it knows that the people are rising slowly. The Jhatkaa organisation along with Friday for future India will continue to organise such strikes. This shows hope and possibility for change. I left the event with awe and hope. I felt great to be able to participate in the peacefull strike for climate justice.

We declare Climate Emergency! We want Climate Justice and we need it NOW!

Travelogue : Himalayan Trek

I found myself amidst mountains, full of greenery, rocks, streams and far away peaks of snow. A family trek took me to the Himalayas for a trek. I wouldn't have gone or planned it myself, I not the adventurous type and I dislike the cold. Having a family that enjoys meaningful holidays rather than full of touristy stuff is very beneficial and that is how I landed in the cold but beautiful Himalayas.

It was a 4-day trek called the Rupin Supin Trek, it was an easy level trek. It was a new, challenging and fun experience for me. Every day we trekked around 8km for 7-8 hours. The trekking was difficult but it was fun to walk. Of course, climbing uphill was tougher than walking down. 

The best experience was the snow. First time in my life I was experiencing snow even though it was just a few 100 meters of snow, walking uphill on snow was scary, I felt I would slip and fall down the mountain. Coming down the snow was super fun because we came sliding down in the freezing cold snow!

Before coming for the trek, I worked on my fitness at home however I was still worried about my physical ability and thought that I might have to deal with body pain. I had underestimated my physical capability. The only problem I had to deal with was the car sickness I felt during the travel to the base camp and back. My body was quite capable of trekking on the level we went.

I really disliked the cold. Maybe because I have never lived in a cold area, I find it difficult to cope with cold. The mountains were cold and that was something I did not enjoy and will be one of the major aspects for me when considering another trek. I just not built for the cold. 

We stayed in tents. Everyday day we camped at different places. I was challenging for me to sleep in tents, in sleeping bags in the cold. I am very grateful for the organiser's Himalayan Hikers because they took good care of us and pampered us with good food. I am also thankful to the mules who carried our backpacks for us so we could trek with ease.

Apart from my family, a friend's family had also come along, It was super fun to play cards in the evening after the trek in the camp. I learnt some new games and enjoyed the fun company of family and friends. The villages, the children, the houses, the goats, the dogs were so different from what I have seen and so cute! I enjoyed the beauty of the place and the kind nature of the people in the mountains. 

I was very pleased to see our trip organisers take care of the environment, they made sure not to use single-use plastic and carried out packed lunches in steel boxes on the trek every day. However, I completely enjoyed food without considering my sustainability or health values like appy terta pack, toffees, kurkure, Maggi etc. I broke my values happily just for the trek.

Overall it was an amazing experience and I would recommend everyone to experience it at least once in their lifetime. I am not sure I will go again but I will cherish the memories.