Many of the world’s problems seem intractable. The concentration of power in the hands of an untrustworthy few; corruption in government and industry; the lack of trust and the decline of moral values: it seems as if nothing short of revolution can bring about change to these systemic ills.
In the meantime, as several articles in this issue of Trends Monthly suggest, it is possible to better our situation by raising our voices and applying pressure to the points where government and industry are vulnerable.
In the case of industry that point is the bottom line. Our governmental institutions have been unable to protect us from exposure to formaldehyde, known to be a human carcinogen, in cosmetics and baby hygiene formulations. But a concentrated application of pressure by consumer groups has moved Johnson & Johnson to reformulate their products to be formaldehyde-free, and it’s likely that many of their competitors will follow suit.
Though the FDA has declined to make a firm ruling against the use of antibiotics in animal feed, the voice of consumers (and the sound of their wallets snapping shut) have been enough to convince restaurants, fast food purveyors, and even Costco, to buy and sell antibiotic-free meats.
For years, the city of Ferguson, Missouri, has run a mini police state designed to extract onerous fines from its poorest citizens in order to shore up the local budget. When these practices, clearly unfair and patently illegal, were exposed to the light of day in the wake of protests against the police shooting of teenager Michael Brown, changes were made.
As Gerald Celente has often told us, we have a responsibility to think for ourselves and to make the product of that thinking known. Yes, the forces of control and oppression are well organized and powerful, but the power of the people, when successfully gathered, is great.