The Living Earth Ethical Principles: shifting perspective and active political engagement.

• Author: Assadourian, Erik
• Position: ESSAY - Essay

This is the seventh in a series of essays on a system of ecological ethics for living sustainably. This, and the previous and remaining essays, describe the 10 Living Earth Ethical Principles in detail. For references and additional discussion, visit www.livingearthethics.org.

Shifting Perspective. A satisfying life comes not through affluence, but through leading a life of meaning, being healthy, being economically secure, and sharing one's life with a supportive community. Far from helping in the pursuit of these goods, the consumer culture often hinders their attainment as well as leading to the exploitation of both the Earth and its people. Letting go of the consumer value system and shifting our focus to these more essential elements of human life will improve our own wellbeing, as well as that of the broader society and the Earth itself.

According to a growing body of psychological research, we derive much of our "subjective wellbeing," or happiness, from good health, robust social networks, basic economic security, and a purposeful life. But the consumer dream often cuts us off from these roots of happiness.

For example, suburban living, through its design, promotes a sedentary lifestyle, longer commutes, car dependency, and separation from neighbors; it thereby also increases obesity, ill-health, and social isolation, and disrupts civic engagement. Or consider our diets: they consist more of processed foods than fresh, more meat than vegetables, and more calories than necessary (choices stimulated by advertisers). This promotes obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. And these all interact: after an hour's commute through frustrating traffic, who has the time or patience to make a home-cooked meal?

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Ultimately, these and other choices are shaped by a cultural system in which the acquisition and use of goods and services has become "the surest perceived route to personal happiness, social status, and national success," as ecological economist Paul Ekins has put it.

But of course, this is not sustainable. Moreover, because the consumer dream is actually an impediment to our present and future wellbeing, we'll need to work intentionally to tune out the cultural pressures that encourage us to consume and instead orient ourselves toward the roots of wellbeing: purpose, security, community, health.

If you are religious, perhaps that is as simple as allowing your religious values to bubble up through...