Life is full of shades of grey isn’t it? Just when you think you’ve formed an opinion on a topic and start to act accordingly, someone or something comes along to challenge its validity. Take home brand groceries for instance. I’ve finally come to recognise the acceptable quality of various private label brands, and in the name of better economy taken the plunge of actually purchasing some of these items. It is compelling as in some cases they’re up to half the price of branded items. So I’m feeling good about myself – choosing where to spend my hard earned cash etc etc.
Next thing I’m reading about Woolworths’ CEO undertaking to double its sale of home brand items. This is followed by an investigation by the Consumer Commission into potential mis-use of power by the giant retailer, talk of anti-competitive behaviour, of small suppliers being “shut-out” of the market, and us consumers being robbed of choice. So now what? I’m left in a quandary – do I continue my virtuous choice of white labels, or express my displeasure at Woolworths’ bullying tactics by eschewing them, and rather purchasing the more expensive brands?
This predicament of inherent contradiction and mixed messages pertains to many major issues and debates we see in the headlines. From mining tax to carbon tax. From upping our refugee intake to saving old growth forests. Discussion on the pros and cons of different policies is guaranteed to turn up the heat at any dinner party…if you have the guts to raise the subject, that is.
In my opinion all’s good as long as we keep talking, arguing and hashing through these hair raising modern dilemmas. The real enemy is one common to all of these problems – apathy. When questions of morality don’t fire up reasonable citizens we’re really in the dwang.
It’s probably the issues which for each of us individually are pure black and white that really get us galvanised into action, to beat our personal drums for a greater good. Starving kids, abused or endangered animals, environmental degradation – no grey there.
A friend of mine has a child with a disability and is incessantly lobbying the government (and all her friends) to move forward with the National Disability Scheme. The 1 million women campaign is set on enlisting a million women to take action on climate change and to reduce carbon emissions in their homes. Jill and I are passionate about increasing financial literacy in young women. There are so many people slogging tirelessly in their own realms, striving to make a small difference in the world around them.
As long as we’re thinking, and acting and discussing issues around us we can live in hope that the world will keep moving to a better place. So, although we may reserve the right to vacillate our views on what to place in our supermarket trolleys, we need to stick fast on those things that really raise our ire.