My social/ ethical/ environmental/ humanitarian conscience is growing

Warning: It's late and I am sick (yep I have tonsillitis and ear ache - thanks Griffin) so too tired to go into too much detail now.

Quick digression. I have been both too busy at work and in general. And also frustrated by the lack of Internet browsing speed on the friendly proxy, and blocked from just about everything on the faster but very restricted proxy to blog from work recently, hence the reduction of posts from me. I am still here though. Digression over.

Anyhoo, I have recently developed a huge conscience. I'd like to think it's a good thing - and honestly I do, but when I am lying awake in bed at night worrying about things and trying to think of way to fix and improve things, I am not so sure. Sometimes ignorance can be bliss. At least in the short term.

I have been worrying about Global Warming and general environmental issues much more since seeing An Inconvenient Truth (once again I urge you GO SEE IT! It has been nominated for 2 Academy Awards). I have been getting frustrated by the apathy and general lack of concern in the world at large. Then people have the gall to go 'Gee it's F'ing hot today, I wonder why..?'. Even the Sunday Times - which is generally just crap, scandal and fluff had a full 3-page spread on the imminent and possibly drastic and dramatic problems we are likely to be facing due to global warming right here in the next 2-10 years, and yet everyone just goes about their wasteful, couldn't-be-bothered days as usual.

What is it going to take for people to wake up and FUCKING start doing something!? Do babies need to start dying on the streets from over heating? Or is it dogs people care about the most? Must we wait until areas start flooding? I just don't get it. It's no longer a problem that's 50-100 years away so 'I don't have to worry myself with it'. It's here and it's now.

Thankfully the people who do have influence over the man-in-the-street - celebrities; singers and actors, are starting to take notice and are starting to work at getting the messages out and heard and more importantly acted on. One can only hope that this will finally help to get the message into people's minds and get each and every individual person to realize that the problems ARE theirs and they can do something to help, no matter how small. Hopefully they will not just watch blindly with their "it's only a movie" filters on.

I have watched many movies in the past few years which have made me feel uncomfortable and made me realize that being complacent is not an option, you have to stand up for yourself, and what you believe in. These movies include (but are not limited to): Farenheit 9/11, Bowling For Columbine, Super Size Me, Hotel Rwanda, City of God, Yesterday, An Inconvenient Truth, Blood Diamonds etc.

Last night I saw Blood Diamond, and seeing how much blood- shed, violence and futile suffering went (goes) into what is in effect a piece of fancy glass is just ridiculous, and frankly repulsive actually. The most shocking is seeing how small children are wrenched from their homes and families, and brainwashed and made drug dependent and turned into soulless murders with no human conscience at all. I doubt anyone can ever recover fully from that, and there are reportedly still 200 000 child soldiers in Africa. Yes, I own a few paltry diamonds, but nothing worth much at all, and I am glad.

What can we do, besides lying in bed and worrying? I don't really know, but I do know that it starts with being more aware. Make responsible choices whenever and wherever you can, don't willingly participate in anything unethical which you don't believe in (even if it's cheaper that way!), don't waste, and spread the word.

If everyone does something, all the little bits will add up. You don't need to wait for Leonardo Di Caprio or Angelina Jolie to tell you what to do, make the choice for yourself, for your children and for your continued existence on the planet.

** Disclaimer** I may sound like I am on a soap box, and maybe I am, but I am getting the hell-in with people moaning about all and everything, but never being prepared to DO anything about it. We have it pretty good, take care of that, things could be a lot worse. Plus, the person I went to the movie with's response to me saying, 'Wow, gone are the days of just watching a movie for brainless entertainment' was 'Oh no that's what I go for. I just act like an ostrich if there's anything I don't like'. She'll also not watch Hotel Rwanda, because it would upset her. Like I said I have crossed a line somewhere and just don't feel an attitude like that is justified.

This ended up being quite a long rant anyway... and I just want to mention that this post is not meant to be a self-righteous rant, so please don't take me on. Rather spend the time thinking and researching some of the issues I have mentioned, and then act as your heart and head tell you to.

Sigh. Over and out.