Humane Foundation
A Global Community fo a more sustainable and humane world.
The Humane Foundation is a non profit organization mainly dedicated to advance humane education and community participation.The Humane Foundation is interested in Global Issues grouped in four main areas of concern:1- Social Justice and Humane Rights.2- The Influence of Culture in our daily choices.3- Environmental Ethics.4- Animal Protection, Walfare and R ...learn more
GROUP DETAILS
Created: Apr 06, 2008
Updated: Nov 18, 2009
Membership: Open
Semi-Private
Topic: Influence of Culture, Media and Consumerism Education
Posts (1 - 3 of 3)
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Flag comment for removal mestopinan about 1 year ago
Let's contribute with ideas and resources to bring Influence of Culture, Media and Consumerism to the classroom and the community.
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According to the Institute of Humane Education Culture refers to all aspects of society that influence beliefs, opinions, and choices, such as advertising, media, public relations, economic globalization, religion, and politics.
In order to understand the forces that perpetuate systems of destruction and exploitation, it is critical to examine the ways in which culture plays a role. For example, advertising influences our desires for certain products. Our demand for these products then increases. As the company producing the products becomes more financially successful, its lobbyists have greater clout in politics: increasing subsidies, decreasing competition, and gaining other perks, which further boosts sales and influence.
Media outlets, beholden to advertising from large companies, may fail to report on problems associated with the company or its products. Yet advertising is simply a manifestation of our freedom of speech – a precious right – complicating our response to the challenges advertising creates for the health and well-being of individuals and society.
Whether the product is fast food, pharmaceuticals, cheap clothes and furniture, electronics, or flowers and chocolates, there is a complex and interwoven web that can have serious repercussions on humans, the environment, and animals. By exploring cultural issues, we are able to unravel this complexity and make wiser decisions that are healthier and more humane for all.
Cultural issues are not solely about products. There are complex issues that face every country regarding education, healthcare, security, government, etc. The ability to explore the cultural influences that impact decisions affecting citizens in any given nation is critical to solving pervasive problems and conflicts. |
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Again, the issue is the control of economic resources.
We need to start in all neighborhoods/local communities and build, or acquire and renovate, community centers that would serve to facilitate public meetings, intra and inter-community communications (internet-access, inter and intra-community radio and tele-conferencing, community television (associated with educational programming to be discussed later) and distribution space to facilitate the distribution of essential goods and services to walkable neighborhoods (whenever possible - meaning that rural communities would be very difficult to impossible to make "walkable" - although clustering of farmsteads would consitute a walkable neighborhood) as a very important focus of all our plans and further economic activity.
As the master of understatement, I assert that there is almost unlimited growth potential for the improvement in educational, and secondarily entertainment, media. A Communications Committee, working in concert with other economic sectors within the context of a highly principled ecological economic plan could request and receive non or not-for-profit "investments" from the Peoples' Equity Union. Neighborhood/Community allocations would be controlled by associated "branches", metropolitan and regional decisions controlled by appropriate administrative units, and matters of world-wide scope be decided by an appropriate Committee.
By the way, that is how I would propose all Peoples' Equity Union funds be allocated to all sectors of the economy. The decision-making process has to be primarily from the bottom to top. By that I mean, control of resources within a community and to a community begins with the community. Of course there will be transition issues as the current competitive advantage in the Capitalist economy is held by an inter-regional elite. All decisions of fund allocations will be subject to adherance to the mission, principles, strategies, and tactics of the Plan.
Classroom education needs to be reformed accordingly, as well. I'd like to discuss this in more detail at a later time or date.
I most certainly welcome and look forward to discussion on this and all related matters.
With much love and care,
Mike Morin www.peoplesequityunion.blogspot.com mlarosamorin@earthlink.net">mlarosamorin@earthlink.net (541) 343-3808
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