Profit, Pollution And Poor

Profit, Pollution And Poor

By Farooque Chowdhury
04 June, 2011
Countercurrents.org


Profit is the biggest polluter. The economy that goes to any length for profit, the politics that stands for profit-thirsty economy, the conspicuous consumption-lifestyle that finds life in profit and considers nothing but self, and that is profit at any cost, pollute most. Ecology, environment, pollution, sustaining life on the earth, and all other issues between heaven and earth turns non-issues to profit-hunting.

Profit generates poverty. Profit pushes the multitude to a poverty-laden life, where the poor find nothing but the only way to scour and forage the dirt, the dust, the mud, the municipal garbage dumping grounds, the last portion of tree felled by the powerful, and all these are simply for survival in a world conquered by monster-profit. In their thirst for life, the poor save every drop of water, every piece of paper thrown away by the paper-rich, every piece of cans and plastic bottles, thrown away foods by the food-rich. They consume these, they use these, they recycle these, they earn by selling these to recyclers. Thus they contribute to the survival journey of this resource-poor planet. Thus they stand opposed to profit, to the rich, to the squandering life style of an irresponsible minority in society. Thus an antagonistic relation is established between profit and poor, between rich and ecology.

Excesses of the filthy rich are unsustainable. They live with $1,350 wedge-heel sandals, $18,400 leather tote bags, $80,000 BMW 750, $130,000 Maserati Quattroporte, $8,600 custom-tailored suit, day shirts in 350 colors, 35 fabrics, 10 different collars and 2 cuff styles, 127 million euro yacht, $35,000 intricately detailed canine palace with “recessed and interior lighting, air conditioning, dry-walled interiors and custom furnishing”, “Mughal-inspired kebabs topped with shaved pearls and plates trimmed with 24-karat gold leaf”, $1,200 a plate meal. (Newsweek, May 26/June 2, 2008) This is a miniscule, fractional-fraction of squandering by the energy-rich. The majestic mansions, the private jets and islands, the luscious parties, the blazing ornaments, the protected neighborhoods, the delicately designed detail arrangement for vacations of the rich exist as an obstacle to the changes the world needs immediately. Their vulgar lifestyle, ab ovo usque ad mala, from the beginning to the end, lives in a system. The shrewd system, economic and political, needed to feed and fuel this idiotic lifestyle is inefficient, energy-hungry, nature-gulping. The system devours environment and ecology. In this economy, it is profit, not necessities of life that determines allocation of resources. This market-driven allocation, as Professor Robin Hahnel explained, is inefficient. (“Against the Market Economy”) No doubt, it is an inefficient compulsion. This allocation, determined by compulsion for profit, all most all the time, contradicts with environment. Should not blame for the environmental crisis be laid on this inefficient, but profit-sensitive economy and the state and the society that this hungry economy creates? ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.countercurrents.org/chowdhury040611.htm