FAQ: Why are you attacking me for my way of life?
MZ: That's easy: Our way of life is really a "way of death" and is directly responsible for the current global crises I write about. We also might want to agree to save the word "attack" for, say, those living under the US taxpayer-funded predator drones, cruise missiles, and depleted uranium shells. Let's save it for countless victims of child abuse. Let's save "attack" to describe the reality of one rape every 46 seconds in America. Okay?
FAQ: Why don't offer any step-by-step solutions?
MZ: Way too many people imply that unless a critic expounds a specific strategy for change, his/her opinion is worthless. This remarkably unsophisticated reaction misses the essential role critical analysis plays in a society where problems--and their causes--are so cleverly disguised. When discussing the future, the first step is often an identification and demystification of the past and presen t.
Besides, what value would my "solutions" hold while we are still in the midst of myriad global crises? I like to imagine that if we began detaching ourselves from a system designed to destroy us (and all life) and began dismantling that system, we'd create a space in which we could recognize paths and options currently invisible to us.
FAQ: Why do you always focus on the negative?
MZ: Becoming an activist can be an incredibly positive experience: creating community, inspiring change, feeling empowered. While most humans choose instead to use their meager time chasing money, collecting possessions, and obsessing over pop culture, the activist sees a bigger picture, a longer view, a deeper connection. However, being an effective activist also requires us to tear off the blinders and become acutely aware of how our way of life has devastated the planet.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2
1
1
