Unbridled Consumption

“Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.” That phrase seems to be made up of simple words with a simple meaning. The phrase does hold several assumptions to be true. The first assumption is assuming that violence is not an option. The second assumption is as important; it holds that the ego or individual’s self-worth has not usurped the rational thought process. Yong Huang, in his essay, points out that the Golden Rule does not differentiate between an individual’s idea of proper actions (395). For the sake of argument, the term “rational thought process” will be defined as thoughts where in the needs of others come first. If we were to all do onto others, as we would have them do onto us, this world would be a better place.

Putting the needs of others first would cause a great many of the world’s problems to go away. Sadly, idealistic thinking of that nature seems to run in the opposite direction to capitalistic values. Capitalism, for all of its faults, is providing a good way of life for many Americans and citizens of the other first world countries. Unfortunately, we are living in a global world; therefore, our consumption habits do have an effect on other cultures. Unbridled American capitalism is not without its relative faults. Writer Wendell Berry in his work In the Presence of Fear: Three Essays for a Changed World, is correct as he argues, “We cannot spend and consume endlessly” (9). He goes on to claim, “An economy based on waste is inherently and hopelessly violent, and war is its inevitable by product” (9). Perhaps war would not be the inevitable by product of an economy based on waste if humans managed their resources and showed concern for each other. John Ikerd, author of Sustainable Ca...

... middle of paper ...

...could all live and die nicely. Doing unto others as you would have someone reasonably do onto you is a pleasant future, given the possible alternative: a barren war torn alternative--with all of mankind fighting for the last tree and parcel of untainted land.

Works Cited

Emanuel, Ezekiel, and Battin, Margaret. “What are the Potential Cost Savings from Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide?” N Engl J Med 339 (1998): 167-172. Print

“Jack Kevorkian.” A New Zealand Resource for Life Related Issues. The Life Resources

Charitable Trust. 2011. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.

Jennett, Bryan. Euthanasia Examined. Ed. John Keown. Cambridge: Cambridge UP,1996.

Print

“Physician-Assisted Suicide Debate.” Endlink: Resource for End of Life Care Education.

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. 25 March

2004. Web. 26 Sept 2011.