A Post Too Far

Well, it has been a while since I posted on here. So, here goes...

"The worth of a human being is only as much as their free time allows."

- Anders Alm (21st Century A.D.)

To what extent that statement holds true is up to conjecture. However, the basic premise of such a statement derives from the 'Western' concept of spare time and what we do with it.

This point hit me as I watched the upsetting story of the sweatshop workers of Bangladesh in a documentary last night. These people were working an average 14-20 hour shifts, 7 days a week. That doesn't leave a lot of time to yourself.

I'm not the most 'active' in terms of social 'activism'. In fact, I have a long-standing purchasing history at the Gap. However, I'm conscious of the consequences that my consuming Western lifestyle has on the markets of the world.

Be that as it may, I am a student, and a poor one. The irony is that I don't buy clothes very often, most times receiving second-hand items that my brother-in-law doesn't want anymore. The only clothes that are usually within my meager price-range are those that are being sold on the discount rack at the Gap (perhaps Old Navy too). Where else am I going to be able to purchase a pair of jeans for $20?

So who wins?

As a consumer, I'm stuck in the revolving doorway of generic clothing that places like the Gap offer. Hey, I can wear my make-believe vintage t-shirt (pick your American state or National Park name), with my 'loose-fit' jeans, and look like any other 'Joe Blow' at school. To be completely honest, I am tired of the clothing that these sweat shop mackin' multi-nationals are mass-producing. It's time to take a stand! Let's stop buying clothes and start making our own... ok, that's not going to work, considering I don't have a clue how to sew. However, I am seriously considering buying all my clothes at independent clothing companies from now on.

A lot of good that will do.