Today, our group woke up to the sounds and chilly dampness of the nature outside of our tents. As the cold shocked us into ourselves, we (or at least I) began to feel the supreme surrealness of our trip coming to a close. We have learned so much, so many powerful things, during our stay in Guatemala, and it seems strange that in 24 hours, this environment will be exchanged for the one of College Park (which, admittedly, will also be one of intense learning ).
In the morning, we had our last breakfast of beans, eggs, and tortillas. We then split up, some of us heading up a trail to go zip-lining, and others of us heading into Panajachel to do some shopping. Both options allowed for us to take in the breathtaking beauty of the environment in and around Panajachel. By noon-ish, we met back up at the Reserve and had a quick lunch before deciding to do more shopping. After shopping was over, we hopped onto the bus with Fidel and settled in for a 3-hour drive back to Antigua, where we are spending the night. Fortunately, the relaxed events of the day allowed us time to reflect on our experiences here, and the knowledge that we have been empowered with.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more we have learned about the issue of sustainable development, the more questions we have about it. But in the interests of imparting knowledge, here is what we have learned:
1. As a term, Sustainable Development can be viewed as an oxymoron. Development itself requires environmental resources and human labor, and therefore requires that a footprint be made on the environmental and social state of our world. It cannot be sustained indefinitely, because resources are finite. Perhaps a more accurate term for SD would be ‘green development’ or ‘ethical development.’ But perhaps also, we shouldn’t get hung up on the term—maybe we should just focus on what it means, which is, presumably, development which is 1) economically viable, 2) socially just, and 3) environmentally aware.
2. Development occurs contextually. There are always people involved, and people themselves are steeped in their own cultures and histories. To be conscious of the needs of people as it ties into SD, it is necessary to understand how these people have been shaped by their social and political climates. For example, when Carlos, Los Andes’ resident medical practitioner, sought to introduce family planning practices to the community of workers at the reserve to lessen the economic burdens of individual families, he had to be understanding of the cultural resistance his efforts were to be met with. Though acceptance of FP practices was slow-going because of religious and cultural norms, Carlos’ sensitivity only strengthened the bonds he had with community members; and after some time, many community members began to adopt FP practices.
3. Development involves power and privilege. The goods and services that are made available to the privileged in and outside of our society are inextricably linked to the less privileged members of our national and global communities. Every material thing we touch, has been touched by someone else—its maker--who most likely does not have the same rights and privileges as the average consumer. This concept has been most powerfully illustrated by our experiences at Los Andes, where we have been exposed to the human component of the soon-to-be coffee in our cups. Being culturally immersed in a community that makes a product which is shipped around the world and consumed en masse has made us think about the human politics and circumstances behind not just coffee, but every product that we consume. Where do we arrive to from this thinking? To the knowledge that WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED, regardless of how isolated from one another we may seem. There is a person behind the words “Made in China,” even if they are invisible to us. Acknowledging this interconnectedness seems to be the first step on the path of promoting justice for workers, and thus SD, because it requires us to view the oppression and hardships of others in terms of our own privilege. It requires us to leave our individualism on the shelf.
4. Privilege brings with it certain ethical responsibilities. Alberto explained that with privilege comes the duty to understand the social, economic, and political circumstances surrounding every object that we own. Once we gain an understanding of these, it is our duty to act against oppressive circumstances, because we are the ones with the power. Alberto gave the example of relative cost in terms of the retailer/consumer dynamic. While a consumer (say, in the Antigua market) can buy whatever he or she wants, he explained, for a poor retailer, there is much less choice involved. If he or she does not sell his or her products, he or she must suffer the result. Same thing with coffee: while we as consumers get to choose whether or not to buy coffee, the person working in the fields depends on the coffee he or she picks to support his or her livelihood. Sometimes, this lack of choice results in exploitation and oppression that is invisible to us on the consumer end. But just because it is invisible, does not mean that we are not inextricably linked to the circumstances that surround the production of what we buy. Only when we begin to see other’s oppression in the light of our own lives (and our own material possessions), does it become much easier to see the importance of acting against this oppression. So, our task as privileged individuals is to EDUCATE OURSELVES about social, political, and economical circumstances surrounding production—and not just blindly consume.
5. SD, when seen in the context of community service, requires that the human component be realized and respected. Meaning, service should only be done in a way which completely involves the community being served and community members’ particular needs (as defined by community members). If service is not done in this way, and is instead the projection of what some people (namely, outsiders) think a community needs, it risks being viewed as paternalistic and may not be sustainable. Why not sustainable? Because the objective of social change in a community is to have the PEOPLE in a community have the power to execute the change. If change is performed entirely with thoughts and resources (material and otherwise) from the outside, the locus of power does not exist within the community itself. This creates dependencies that are counter-intuitive to any change being able to be ethically sustained for a long period of time.
6. Our society’s need for instant gratification is fatal to social change. We discussed this on our trip, and it is true: when you think of all of the roadblocks (structural and otherwise) that inhibit social change, it is very easy to get overwhelmed by the impossibility of it all. It is easy to ask, how can I make a difference when the majority of American’s balk at the suggestion of raised taxes? But, no matter how powerful structural forces may be, individuals (and organized groups) DO HAVE THE POWER TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL CHANGE. Think of Gandhi’s paradox: Nothing you do matters; yet, everything you do matters. When we think of social change as something that has to take place within our lifetime, it becomes very easy to think of all the obstacles to it and get disillusioned. So instead, perhaps we must consider it as an on-going process; and if oppression still exists as we are on our deathbeds, it is still possible for our actions to make a difference after we die. Maybe we have to have faith in gradual change. Maybe we have to believe in the power of changing just one mind, and that mind changing another, and so on. And as Elizabeth eloquently put it, we must certainly have faith in the power of grassroots organizing. It is possible for change to be achieved from the bottom-up.
So…POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Here are just a few things that we can do.
-Pick an issue you care about, and devote you r life to that issue. Change takes work (just think of the work that Olga and Jaime have had to do), and work takes caring. Believe in the seemingly small strides you make as having a place in a larger, long-term shift towards progress. Think of all the progress that has already been made, and how impossible it must have seemed at one point (e.g. the abolishment of slavery, desegregation, voting rights, women’s rights). Progress is possible—it just takes time!
-Contact your representatives. If they receive a certain number of letters (10?) on just one issue, they are required to give a certain amount of attention to that issue. Though our representatives may seem removed from us, WE HAVE THE POWER to reduce this remove IF we choose CARING over apathy. Let’s believe that we have power to care--and let’s not choose the powerlessness of apathy. Just think of all the immoral things that are allowed to happen when people get apathetic!
-Educate yourself. Learn how our lives are inextricably connected to the lives of others, and how one person’s oppression is the oppression of us all. That exploited garment industry worker who lives 5,000 miles away? She is the reason we have the privilege to buy our $10 Old Navy t-shirts. That underpaid field worker who is deducted pay for taking a day off of work for a relative’s funeral? He is the reason we have the privilege of buying a $2 cup of coffee. The oppression of others is inextricably linked to our privilege. Though we have strayed from the transparent household economy, we ARE connected!
-Reach out to others. Reduce us-and-themism. See the humanity in other people, and other cultures; and see their experiences as having to do with your own. Fight the overt individualism and isolation of American culture.
These words are not coming from my mouth—they came from all of us over the course of 10 days as we were coming up with ways to fight injustice in our communities and the world. As someone eloquently put it during our discussions, we were able to remove ourselves from our culture enough to gain some perspective on things—and this defamiliarization, combined with reaching out to another culture, combined with the power of 13 active minds, allowed us to arrive at many great thoughts and ideas. There IS power in each of us!
In the morning, we had our last breakfast of beans, eggs, and tortillas. We then split up, some of us heading up a trail to go zip-lining, and others of us heading into Panajachel to do some shopping. Both options allowed for us to take in the breathtaking beauty of the environment in and around Panajachel. By noon-ish, we met back up at the Reserve and had a quick lunch before deciding to do more shopping. After shopping was over, we hopped onto the bus with Fidel and settled in for a 3-hour drive back to Antigua, where we are spending the night. Fortunately, the relaxed events of the day allowed us time to reflect on our experiences here, and the knowledge that we have been empowered with.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the more we have learned about the issue of sustainable development, the more questions we have about it. But in the interests of imparting knowledge, here is what we have learned:
1. As a term, Sustainable Development can be viewed as an oxymoron. Development itself requires environmental resources and human labor, and therefore requires that a footprint be made on the environmental and social state of our world. It cannot be sustained indefinitely, because resources are finite. Perhaps a more accurate term for SD would be ‘green development’ or ‘ethical development.’ But perhaps also, we shouldn’t get hung up on the term—maybe we should just focus on what it means, which is, presumably, development which is 1) economically viable, 2) socially just, and 3) environmentally aware.
2. Development occurs contextually. There are always people involved, and people themselves are steeped in their own cultures and histories. To be conscious of the needs of people as it ties into SD, it is necessary to understand how these people have been shaped by their social and political climates. For example, when Carlos, Los Andes’ resident medical practitioner, sought to introduce family planning practices to the community of workers at the reserve to lessen the economic burdens of individual families, he had to be understanding of the cultural resistance his efforts were to be met with. Though acceptance of FP practices was slow-going because of religious and cultural norms, Carlos’ sensitivity only strengthened the bonds he had with community members; and after some time, many community members began to adopt FP practices.
3. Development involves power and privilege. The goods and services that are made available to the privileged in and outside of our society are inextricably linked to the less privileged members of our national and global communities. Every material thing we touch, has been touched by someone else—its maker--who most likely does not have the same rights and privileges as the average consumer. This concept has been most powerfully illustrated by our experiences at Los Andes, where we have been exposed to the human component of the soon-to-be coffee in our cups. Being culturally immersed in a community that makes a product which is shipped around the world and consumed en masse has made us think about the human politics and circumstances behind not just coffee, but every product that we consume. Where do we arrive to from this thinking? To the knowledge that WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED, regardless of how isolated from one another we may seem. There is a person behind the words “Made in China,” even if they are invisible to us. Acknowledging this interconnectedness seems to be the first step on the path of promoting justice for workers, and thus SD, because it requires us to view the oppression and hardships of others in terms of our own privilege. It requires us to leave our individualism on the shelf.
4. Privilege brings with it certain ethical responsibilities. Alberto explained that with privilege comes the duty to understand the social, economic, and political circumstances surrounding every object that we own. Once we gain an understanding of these, it is our duty to act against oppressive circumstances, because we are the ones with the power. Alberto gave the example of relative cost in terms of the retailer/consumer dynamic. While a consumer (say, in the Antigua market) can buy whatever he or she wants, he explained, for a poor retailer, there is much less choice involved. If he or she does not sell his or her products, he or she must suffer the result. Same thing with coffee: while we as consumers get to choose whether or not to buy coffee, the person working in the fields depends on the coffee he or she picks to support his or her livelihood. Sometimes, this lack of choice results in exploitation and oppression that is invisible to us on the consumer end. But just because it is invisible, does not mean that we are not inextricably linked to the circumstances that surround the production of what we buy. Only when we begin to see other’s oppression in the light of our own lives (and our own material possessions), does it become much easier to see the importance of acting against this oppression. So, our task as privileged individuals is to EDUCATE OURSELVES about social, political, and economical circumstances surrounding production—and not just blindly consume.
5. SD, when seen in the context of community service, requires that the human component be realized and respected. Meaning, service should only be done in a way which completely involves the community being served and community members’ particular needs (as defined by community members). If service is not done in this way, and is instead the projection of what some people (namely, outsiders) think a community needs, it risks being viewed as paternalistic and may not be sustainable. Why not sustainable? Because the objective of social change in a community is to have the PEOPLE in a community have the power to execute the change. If change is performed entirely with thoughts and resources (material and otherwise) from the outside, the locus of power does not exist within the community itself. This creates dependencies that are counter-intuitive to any change being able to be ethically sustained for a long period of time.
6. Our society’s need for instant gratification is fatal to social change. We discussed this on our trip, and it is true: when you think of all of the roadblocks (structural and otherwise) that inhibit social change, it is very easy to get overwhelmed by the impossibility of it all. It is easy to ask, how can I make a difference when the majority of American’s balk at the suggestion of raised taxes? But, no matter how powerful structural forces may be, individuals (and organized groups) DO HAVE THE POWER TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL CHANGE. Think of Gandhi’s paradox: Nothing you do matters; yet, everything you do matters. When we think of social change as something that has to take place within our lifetime, it becomes very easy to think of all the obstacles to it and get disillusioned. So instead, perhaps we must consider it as an on-going process; and if oppression still exists as we are on our deathbeds, it is still possible for our actions to make a difference after we die. Maybe we have to have faith in gradual change. Maybe we have to believe in the power of changing just one mind, and that mind changing another, and so on. And as Elizabeth eloquently put it, we must certainly have faith in the power of grassroots organizing. It is possible for change to be achieved from the bottom-up.
So…POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Here are just a few things that we can do.
-Pick an issue you care about, and devote you r life to that issue. Change takes work (just think of the work that Olga and Jaime have had to do), and work takes caring. Believe in the seemingly small strides you make as having a place in a larger, long-term shift towards progress. Think of all the progress that has already been made, and how impossible it must have seemed at one point (e.g. the abolishment of slavery, desegregation, voting rights, women’s rights). Progress is possible—it just takes time!
-Contact your representatives. If they receive a certain number of letters (10?) on just one issue, they are required to give a certain amount of attention to that issue. Though our representatives may seem removed from us, WE HAVE THE POWER to reduce this remove IF we choose CARING over apathy. Let’s believe that we have power to care--and let’s not choose the powerlessness of apathy. Just think of all the immoral things that are allowed to happen when people get apathetic!
-Educate yourself. Learn how our lives are inextricably connected to the lives of others, and how one person’s oppression is the oppression of us all. That exploited garment industry worker who lives 5,000 miles away? She is the reason we have the privilege to buy our $10 Old Navy t-shirts. That underpaid field worker who is deducted pay for taking a day off of work for a relative’s funeral? He is the reason we have the privilege of buying a $2 cup of coffee. The oppression of others is inextricably linked to our privilege. Though we have strayed from the transparent household economy, we ARE connected!
-Reach out to others. Reduce us-and-themism. See the humanity in other people, and other cultures; and see their experiences as having to do with your own. Fight the overt individualism and isolation of American culture.
These words are not coming from my mouth—they came from all of us over the course of 10 days as we were coming up with ways to fight injustice in our communities and the world. As someone eloquently put it during our discussions, we were able to remove ourselves from our culture enough to gain some perspective on things—and this defamiliarization, combined with reaching out to another culture, combined with the power of 13 active minds, allowed us to arrive at many great thoughts and ideas. There IS power in each of us!
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