American Schemes, American Dreams

Iba_y_Vuelta

November 15, 2007 by Iba_y_Vuelta

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The other night I went to the Jewish Community Center and heard author Judith Levine speak about her book, "Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping."

She spoke eloquently, was sincere and forthright in the question and answer session, and embodied all the positive traits you associate with writers and none of the negative. And, the audience seemed genuinely interested and concerned about what she had spent a year of her life doing and the issues involved therein.

But, the whole time, I was perpetually nagged by the notion that this discussion, about living in the United States and going one year without some many of the basic comforts that we, over time, come to believe are needs, was almost surreal. This book, this wonderful, thoughtful, well written book, if translated into Creole, would go from a social critique in English to a fantasy book - imagine having the "problems" they have in the United States! And I do not mean to disparage Haiti in any way.

It's a serious question I think the vast majority of Americans have to address - how to bridge the gap between the real world, the one that affects billions of our fellow human beings on this earth, and our surreal world, our incredible blessings.

Any thoughts?

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