all life is holy.

I have recently been troubled by many things as I learn of more consequences of the culture of capitalism in which all of us, as Americans, have been socialized. I have come to recognize that my high quality of life comes at an even higher price. America's high standards of living are causing devastation across the globe. I would gladly trade in all my material items if every living thing could have a decent quality of life.

The other day I wandered into Forever 21 after walking quickly through the disgustingly crowded mall. After already feeling as though the crowds were excessive, the great amounts of clothing and accessories strewn about the store I entered made my stomach turn ill. Reading labels on the clothes one can discern that none of the clothing was made in America. The labels read, "Made in Indonesia," "Made in Guatemala," and I am quite certain that the factories in which these are made contain no luxury. Rather, they contain children, working unbearable hours in inhumane circumstances with incredibly low pay. The excess stacks and stacks of clothing sit on our shelves waiting to be purchased by people who already have more clothes than they know what to do with, while the people who work to make the items barely have anything at all. We live in a society of excess, as we Americans, the wealthy people, people who somehow find themselves to be superior, purchase item after item.

This perpetual consumption is NOT natural! If it were, there would be absolutely NO reason to put millions of dollars into advertising. We need to be persuaded and taught to purchase the items. We were taught, so let's change what we are teaching.

It just makes no sense whatsoever. Do people not understand that all this "happiness" they are getting from these material items are destroying someone else's world? Materialism and capitalism, which needs perpetual growth and increased profits to survive, are making us forget what truly is important. Suddenly, all our material items have a greater value than our friendships and family. In this world that capitalism has devoured, everything is given a price, and if the price that a life has been given is not worth much, then it is unimportant. What happened to every man is created in G-d's image? Shouldn't everything have great importance? Be holy and loved? The answer, my friends, is yes.

Other than wondering where the heck I am going to purchase my clothing and necessities from now on, I also decided that I want my diet to reflect my respect for the sanctity of all life. Agribusinesses definitely do not agree that all life is holy. This can be seen by their completely inhumane treatment of animals. It is disgusting that any life should be treating and used in the way that all of America is using it. I have been conflicted recently because from what I know in the Torah, G-d gave us guidelines on the meat which we can eat. I wondered, "If He didn't want us to eat meat at all, wouldn't he have said so?" After looking around online and such I found many interesting articles. Here is an excerpt that contains many of the thoughts I have been struggling with, and I found particularly interesting:


"The Torah is full of commandments demanding humane treatment of animals, yet the modern factory farms that produce over 90% of the animal products we consume today raise their animals in unconscionable conditions of abject misery. The Torah reflects great concern for the land, yet as the primary cause of water pollution, water use, topsoil erosion, destruction of the world's rainforest, and other environmental harms, animal agriculture takes a devastating toll on the planet. Jewish teachings emphasize the grave importance of protecting human health, yet the consumption of animal products in the United States is responsible for numerous diseases including heart disease, America's number one killer. Judaism places great concern on providing for the poor and the hungry, yet while 800 million people do not have enough food to sustain themselves, our carnivorous diets are at least ten times as wasteful of food resources as a vegetarian one."



Rabbi Hillel stated that, "What is hateful to you do not do unto others. That is the entire law. The rest is commentary."

I am going to strive to treat the rest of the beings in this world in a way that I would like to be treated as well. As of today, we are completely backwards from this, and I think we need to wake up and realize what is important. It's not the money.

It is life.

It is love.