By: M. Kaufman
"Attitudes that are deeply rooted are difficult to change, even though critical thinking may tell you something else."
A few weeks ago, I found myself following an "All-American" pick-up truck: American flag and eagle reflective decal blocking the entire rear window, a real flag flying from a pennant holder, "Support Our Troops" decals covering the tailgate. It was only when the driver turned off the road into the Wal-Mart parking lot that I did a double-take. How could someone so proud to be an American shop where the majority of products are imported from China or some other country where manufacturers can shut down operations in the U.S. to take advantage of paying next to nothing in wages there or have no regard for environmental concerns?
There are some cases, like the American Wal-Mart shopper, that are tempting to argue because they can be supported by facts. For example, the Andersonville Study of Retail Economics in the Chicago area, www.AndersonvilleStudy.com, found that for every $100 spent locally, $68 remained in the community - compared to only $43 spent in national chain stores. The study also revealed for every square foot occupied by a local firm, the local economic impact is $179, compared to only $105 for a chain store. A similar study conducted in Austin, Texas, produced an even more dramatic difference.
Still having to work for a living (not to mention being able to afford paying taxes and insurance to live in Fernandina Beach), I can be just as price-sensitive as the next guy. But what’s the point of saving a few dollars from my own wallet when it could cost the jobs and livelihood of some of my friends and family?
Fortunately, more and more people are realizing other things are more important than price: a sense of connectedness and concern from another human being; the feeling that washes over you when you’re in a fresh and innovative environment; the convenience of not having to walk through acres of aisles to find what you’re looking for; and most important of all, the knowledge that the money you spend locally in the community stays in the community to support programs and services for local residents.
In general, beliefs that are deeply rooted and firmly entrenched are just about impossible to change without that ability to think critically. It was wonderfully refreshing and uplifting to read a poem that eighth-grader Laura Delori of St. Joseph, Mich. submitted to win her local poetry contest, which she titled Free Thinking: "You live life carefully and with a closed mind. But, you let yourself go and soon you’ll find, things aren’t as they seem. Anything is possible, if only you’ll learn to think outside the box. And then in turn, the world will make sense in its own strange way. So in conclusion I tell you this: You can close yourself up, and be sure to miss, or you can think for yourself, and find total bliss."
Maybe it’s high time we respect the wisdom of our youth as much as we do the wisdom of our elders - especially when that "wisdom" is nothing more than beliefs that have never been given a second thought.
source: My Nassau Sun
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