What Issue or Cause Are You Most Passionate About?
There’s a psych term—”compassion fatigue”—that I’m going to borrow for the purposes of this post. What it typically refers to is the burnout experienced by caregivers: people who spend their lives making other people’s lives more manageable, and I’m not sure there’s more honorable work out there. For our purposes, though, we’re going to give it a new meaning. Something like:
“The world is so messed up, in so many ways, that sometimes I feel like there’s nothing I can actually do about any of it.”
Except you can! You totally can. If there’s one thing the last year and a half has shown us, it’s that the little guy isn’t taking it sitting down anymore. As everyone knows, there have been massive uprisings all over the world—many of them inspiring, a few downright baffling, and some of them tragic, too. It’s no wonder people feel a little hopeless sometimes, or if not hopeless than maybe helpless. But Pollyanna over here is a big believer in the idea that change starts with one person, and while you might not be able to move mountains alone—or, at the very least, stop people from blowing them up to extract coal from them—it doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. It’s true we can’t control the political and economic forces that create most of these situations in the first place, and I’m not suggesting we flatten the truth in order to make ourselves feel better about what awesome do-gooder citizens we are for taking small actions—but I do think small actions, when noticed by other people, beget other small actions. Sometimes, momentum builds. Sometimes, good things come of this.
And so we want to know: What in the world at large—and remember that includes your own backyard as well as your own medicine cabinet or makeup bag—are you the most fired up about? If you can also share what you do, or would like to do, about it, be our guest.
I’ll go first.
I can be a little promiscuous when it comes to my passions. I don’t love ’em and leave ’em—the issues that get me the most engaged have been with me for a very long time—it’s just that there are several of them. Plus, I’m admittedly pretty emotional by nature (this can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the circumstances), so I often encounter news things I care about (and maybe cry about) but don’t know what to do about. But I’m always looking for more effective ways to be proactive about the things I care about most. For me, so far anyway, that has come down to writing about stuff and sharing information.
Here are my two big ones right now:
The ingredients in cosmetics. What I do about that is…well, it’s what we do here every day. Education, and education done in a fun way, is what we’ve decided is the best way to spread the word and help people out. Women and men sharing information about making healthy, safe and environmentally responsible choices—what could be better? And our beloved readers are a huge part of that, since we’re stealing your tips all the time.
What’s happening in Tibet. Off topic for a beauty blog! If you aren’t hip to it, you can read more about it here, here, here and many other places. Or you might just set up a Google alert, if it’s of interest to you. Because this is such a hugely underreported story, all I can think to do about it at this point is tweet about it and mention it here. I’m working on what else I could do about it. In the meantime, I was happy when I got an email the other day from an old friend telling me he’d never given much thought to Tibet but was now obsessively following what’s going on simply because he saw a few mentions of it on Twitter. Twitter is annoying! Also useful, though.
The truth is, there are many others, and they run the gamut from what’s going on right now with reproductive rights, to the sorry state of public housing, to the fact that fancy restaurants still have bluefin tuna on their menus—but I’m not doing much about those issues right now so I’ll bite my tongue.
What about you? What issue or cause are you the most fired up about right now?
Hi Siobhan. Tibet!! Yes, I remember.
As for me: I’m a lawyer and I work with Native Americans helping them reform their court systems. I like it. I’m also a stepmom, so I know quite a bit about making other people’s lives more manageable, and also for the rewards of just being there for someone, without expectations that they owe you or belong to you in anyway. It’s actually quite a liberated “giving”, and teaches me a lot about how and why we connect with people. I won’t belabor the part where he peed on me on Saturday.
As for my causes and goals, here they are:
1- I want to fight the omnibus crime legislation that is currently being proposed in the Canadian Senate and will no doubt bring more crime and poverty to the great white north.
2- I would like to end segregation and racism in Israel/Palestine.
3- The environment. No more garbage. Become vegetarian.
All in a day’s work?
What a great topic. I can’t wait to read what everyone writes; I know it will inspire me to learn more about important issues that people feel so passionately about.
The issue that I’ve become very passionate about is our oceans. I’ve been vacationing at different places along the Pacific Coast since I was a kid. I took it’s beauty/tranquility for granted until I read an article about Mary Crowley. She’s trying to clean up the North Pacific Trash Gyre. It’s an area where several currents converge and is filling up with trash (mostly plastic). It’s like a landfill at sea and was shocking to see pictures of and read about. After reading the article, I bought Ted Danson’s book “Oceana: Our endangered oceans and what we can do to save them.” I had seen his book before and disregarded it as just another celebrity cause. But the book is filled with soooooo much information, I highly recommend it.
Wooo great post! I’m excited to read everybody’s responses!
-All things to do with gender equality. Currently I’m pretty fired up about “retro-sexism”, which is when film, television and ads are blatant about their sexism, reference their sexism, so it’s a sort of “I know that you know that I know that I’m being sexist, so it’s funny, self referential, and not offensive”. It’s firing me up because it’s still exactly as sexist and offensive. It’s not critiquing or subverting sexism at all like how people who defend it say, it’s continuing sexist stereotypes.
-People’s reactions to the “Attawapiskat crisis”. This is in Canada and I’m not sure how much attention it’s getting internationally. Attawapiskat is a reserve that has called a state of emergency due to severe lack of housing, contamination and health issues. Most of the federal government continues to blame the band council, the chief and the residents of the reserve for supposed “mismanagement of money”. The news and even government representatives keep saying how much money goes into the community and even puts how many dollars are “spent on” (quoted, because many of the financial figures are misunderstood, stretched or just untrue) each individual person, which they would NEVER do if it were white people in southern cities like Toronto or Ottawa. And the amount of people saying “well who cares, treaties happened hundred years ago, who cares” when we celebrate white Canadian history all the time, or “why don’t they move” or “why don’t they build their own houses”, it’s just disappointing and shameful for a “1st world” country like Canada to allow these conditions. There’s so much more to rant about but I won’t.
-The environment! Contamination from huge companies in tiny communities that is just swept under the carpet! Horrible food being cheaper than whole food!
I’m a pretty fire-y person.
My first one is always the same: Protection for women AND for the unborn
and currently, upholding the constitution.
But really I’m pretty politically motivated and try to have my fingers in as many pies as possible. I’d love a world that wasn’t overfished, where poison isn’t used in beauty products (or anything!) where people raise their kids to be considerate to other people and conscientious citizens who make good decisions to protect the environment.
I’ve got several that I have personally been touched by & I care about each topic deeply.
My dad both smoked cigarettes and was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, so I am very interested in legislation and campaigns against the tobacco industry & chemical companies.
My daughters had Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome [ http://www.tttsfoundation.org/ ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TTTS ]in the womb. I was told they would both die, yet a breakthrough surgery saved their lives. Lexi does have mild Cerebral Palsy, so that is yet another cause we try to work for. I find I am most helpful with those last two by spreading information so others can be aware. TTTS can strike ANY identical-twin pregnancy at any moment. & some parents need help navigating all the systems that provide help for their children with disabilities. I try to do what I can when I can!
My English professor in college was extremely passionate about Tibet. The way he talked about the country was astounding. He had taken several trips there and just became completely enamored with the people and culture. It was really inspiring to hear him talk about it. But it was also really heartbreaking to hear about what goes on there, how those people are treated. It’s just horrible.
There are so many human rights issues out there that get me fired up. Sweatshop labor, genocide, slavery… it can really get me down sometimes. But I try my best to spread the word and make these things known to at least my friends.
Great post, as always.
Wow, there’s a lot I get fired up about – the environment, LGBTQI (lmnop) issues, progressive politics, food justice – but the stuff I actually do the most about is health related. I’m very interested in how our exercise and nutrition affects our health and ultimately our economy and then again our health! I can include in that how products we use affect our health.
I talk about these issues whenever I can, and I have a bit of a captive audience in my students. They are mainly going into health care fields, such as nursing, and every little bit I pass on to them will eventually get to more and more people. I encourage them to see health care as so much more than surgeries and pharmaceuticals. I encourage them to talk about the health related issues important to them and provide a safe space for them to do so. I feel so inspired by my students, I know these people are going to go out and change the world for the better.
Er, this post seems a bit out of left-field. More product reviews, please!
Militant yoga
Human trafficking pissed me off to no end!
I am really into organic cosmetics. I just can’t stop talking about it.
Lately I’m getting into a healthy lifestyle in general, like what to eat, yoga and meditation. How about another meditation challenge? Or maybe a yoga challenge with sun salutations everyday?
I am also really passionate about German history, trying to deal with all the guilt and stereotypes. And I really care abot German and European politics.
So the job I do every day formulating cosmetic and personal care products is comparable to invading a peaceful country and imposing a communist dictatorship on it. In fact slightly worse since it gets listed first. I had no idea just I evil I was.
What a great question!
I would have to agree with number one. I can’t believe we don’t have tighter regulations on products that are absorbed by our largest and precious organ, our glorious skin! The downfall with that is people really do think the FDA is looking out for our best interests. Think again!! We must stay educated and be a step ahead. I’m trying my best!!
The rampant and downright willful ignorance of the majority of society. The dumbing down of our children. The diet of lies we’re made to subsist upon. The poison we’re forced to call food and medicine.
My biggest one: Child abuse. It is nightmarish when someone abuses the trust of being an adult.
Think about the way that sentence is framed, and you’ll get the true scope of what I mean.
LGBT issues and food safety/GMOs/Industrialized farming (GROSS!)/supporting local agriculture.
Oh and by the way? The picture for this post is EPIC! Bravo!
Homeless/unwanted animals. Our 2 dogs are rescues who are fantastic and loving. I can’t stand to see animals mistreated or abandoned. I help a rescue with their social media as a volunteer, but I’d love to find something full-time helping animals.
Marine debris marine debris marine debris! I organize cleanups for a lagoon in Florida. It’s.. exhausting. I regularly experience compassion fatigue.
In related areas, depending on the season, I get fired up about protecting sea turtle nests, people feeding marine wildlife like dolphins and manatees, and ship strikes that kill endangered Northern right whales off the Florida coast.
Natural beauty!! And all things related to unnecessary chemical exposure in the body. :)
Gender equality and cruelty to animals. I desperately want to live in a world where live is celebrated in all its forms and women have the right to make their own decisions about everything their lives with the exact same opportunity as men.
Great post!
For me, it is all about gender equality! Although lately, my idea of feminism has become much broader and means things like vegetarianism, clean cosmetics, etc.
Yeah @Shannon! Intersectionality all the way! I’m with you
So many! Here’s my top three though…
-Animal rights/welfare- HUGE issue (and factory farms); very close to home
- Environment (including food/ag issues, factory farms again, and especially land use and SPRAWL)
- Racism- coming from eastern Europe and seeing how the Roma are treated and talked about is sickening- segregation is truly disgusting, and Roma rights are really downplayed- they’ve barely started desegregating the schools!
Conservation at large.
I was one who thought I could not do much than donate a few bucks here and there to non-profits who dedicate their sole existance to help BigCats stay away from the IUCN “endangered” status (and, of course, erase the threatened as well). I’m all kinds of sore about Tiger population in the wild, and how the overly-populated human world keeps on shrinking BigCat’s habitat more and more every day.
What am I doing? Besides donating, informal education helps. I currently volunteer for the San Diego Zoo Global (@ their Safari Park in Escondido, CA -San Diego area-) by their Lion Camp connecting people to wildlife and consrrvation. It is the small steps that count, the changes we make in our overall lifestyle to make it a more sustainable one that will help a great deal. I’m in love with it! We can stop ignorance by continuing educating those around us.
veganism and animal rights, feminism, reproductive/abortion rights.
@Colin, I don’t know exactly what you do, so I wouldn’t judge you as evil. If you are mixing parabens and cinnamates, calling it spf 50 and labeling the product with words like “organic” or “natural,” and telling me I can safely put this on myself and my child and go out in the sun – well, I might go so far as to call you evil. ; )
I’m sure you realize this is a place where most of us come because we’ve experienced problems with commonly used products/ingredients. Most of us are disillusioned with the way many companies make billions of dollars by putting out products that not only don’t perform but include potentially toxic ingredients while calling them safe. Also, many companies mislead people in the marketing of products (greenwashing). Many things that cosmetic chemists call “safe” are things to which I and others have bad reactions. In a scientific study, there is a decision about where the line between safe and unsafe lies – and I don’t always agree with where the industry draws those lines. And I’m not even as hard-core as many are about what they will and will not use. I believe there is justifiable anger among some consumers about the safety standards, labeling, etc. in the cosmetics and personal care products industries. That doesn’t necessarily mean that all employees of those industries are bad people.
I would hope that if I walked into where you work or hang out with like-minded people that I would be respected (I admit I kind of doubt it, though). I definitely wouldn’t expect to be embraced. You are in a place where most of come because we have similar gripes with the cosmetics industry are looking for alternatives. Hopefully we all try to behave respectfully to each other, including to employees of the cosmetics industry. You might not get snuggled, though.
Ron Paul!
We have the Right to know and be safe in all aspects: Cosmetics, Food/Farming (GMOs), Airports (TSA creeps), Internet (Privacy! Google what are you doing??), The Air we Breathe (Chem-Trails), Water (Fracking!), Helping the World without Policing it, Creating a Sustainable Future that We can ALL Afford!….
Fantastic question!
I am definitely getting a bit evangelical about natural beauty, organic cosmetics and the pressures that society puts on women to look a certain way, every day. I think once you start caring about organic cosmetics, you become more mindful in general about what products you really “need”, and why it is that you think you “need” those products in the first place.
The other issue I’m really passionate about is LGBT rights, particularly same-sex marriage, which is really a human rights issue.
Can I add that I adore your blog and book? I’m a long time reader but this is the first time I’ve commented. I love the spectrum of topics you raise – please don’t stop any time soon! :D
Wow, nothing abt Syria on here? The biggest massacres going on in the world right now, and you would think they werent even humans. Hows that for a humans rights issue?
@Bella – certainly agree about Syria, it’s really devastating to see what’s going on there and it makes me feel so powerless because the majority of us can’t do anything about it…. I feel like the only thing I can do about it is pray but I know not everyone is into that!
My burning issue is climate change – there’s so much we could do about it if governments would only put the needs of the poor and vulnerable ahead of the demands of large corporations. But there is plenty that we can do as individuals to reduce our consumption and environmental impact so that is positive! For Lent I’m following Tearfund’s Carbon Fast which I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to do something proactive.
Being a youth crisis and domestic violence counselor.
So many important causes that need support – it’s great to see us all doing our little piece. I’m inspired by all the commenters!
LGBT rights.
Ethical investing. Seems strange, but for me and my friends, we simply haven’t paid enough attention to our money and where it goes because there is not enough easily understood info out there. So it affects a lot of things, in that you may be invested in Halliburton when you despise them in real life; and that you may not be investing and taking care of your financial future because you just don’t know what to do. And often it is the lower income people that asks these questions, and needs the answers most.
So many causes. One of my biggest ones is literacy for blind children; so many kids are forced to struggle with print at 10 words per minute or less, when they could learn to read and use braille to be successful academically, personally, and professionally. Others: reforming the education system, LGBT rights, child and animal abuse, fewer physical and attitudinal barriers to participating in society, clean water in Africa, more reuseable products, and on and on.