The Story of Stuff at Becomers

Last Sunday, May 17, representatives from 1st EcoTeam visited with the Becomers class to watch and discuss what is perhaps one the most famous viral videos making the rounds on the Internet these days. The 20 minute, free screencast can be viewed on individual computers at the Story of Stuff web site which also has a wealth of resource materials on the global materials economy.

Interestingly, The Story of Stuff had been mentioned the previous Friday night on the weekly television show, The Bill Moyer's Journal. Moyers pointed out that among other things the video has been banned in Missoula, Montana schools after having been accused of being "anti-capitalist."

Moyers' guest for the program was Daniel Goleman, New York Times journalist and well known proponent of emotional intelligence and . The Goleman interview is also well worth watching. He outlines some of the concepts from his new book Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of Everything We Buy Can Change Everything. He named the goodguide.com site as an example of the "radical transparency" that is needed to negotiate the transition we must be embarking on.

Annie Leonard who produced and hosted the video has been criticized widely both by those who disagree with her politics (She's a former Greenpeace activist) and by those who are annoyed by her style (She pulls no punches).

But her basic proposition – that the global materials economy we have inherited and helped build – has not been successfully answered.

It [the current global materials economy] is a linear system

and we live on a finite planet ... and you cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely.

Perhaps the most interesting thing in the video for Christians is when Leonard provides perspective on the historical development of the current system.

Quoting from Victor Lebow, noted economist writing in 1955, she explains how the consumption model came to dominate in the U.S.

Our enormously productive economy ... demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption ... we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate. (Victor Lebow, Journal of Retailing, 1955)

In any case, the visit with the Becomers was lively and engaging. Wouldn't it be great if that class could be the beginning of a real dialogue about these important issues facing our church (as well as our country and the world)?

Nothing wrong with dreaming...