Think About It

Lately, perhaps for an obvious reason, the path has been leading me to learn more about more about the issues that this famous Canadian doctor discusses.  The links between childhood and the trajectories of our lives and between our minds and our healthy or unhealthy bodies. Check out the video and take care of yourself and others.  

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Incidentally I wanted to write something about the importance of independent journalism.  I guess I'm older now and I actually do like many middle class people and give to charity at Christmas.  How far we've come!  Most people give to food banks and the like but I want to propose that you, dear reader consider another, I would argue, more valuable investment.  

I think that's how we need to look at it, as an investment, not as charity.  

Independent journalism is a rare thing these days, newspaper chains and media conglomerates decide, really when it comes down to it, what people think.  We don't have a lot of time to think for ourselves these days.  So the messages benefit a particular system, specially the wealthy and powerful who own these media outlets.

But if we owned our own media or supported media that matched our values then new discourses would arise to challenge the powerful.  So this year, as every year, I donated $100 to Democracy Now (who interviewed Gabor Mate above).  It's a small amount and what I can afford.  But I support a successful model that at the minimum is an outlet for other voices.  

I also became a sustainer in the Media Coop, a Canadian network of local independent journalists.  I give $20 a month to this organization.  I often imagine that I could convince 100 friends to do the same.  You know writing this is good but I should really ask people to do so.  But anyway, we all want independent journalism, and if we want it we have to pay for it.

It's a good investment.  Think about it.