What are the true costs of my decisions?

Here I stand, a 21st century, bipedal hominid, in a pose developed to see approaching danger over the tall savannah grass. But there is no tall grass. Only blocks of clipped monoculture kept neat by an array of machines fueled by the remains of those that threatened my ancestors and by exotic chemicals which have become the new threat.

My ancestors left faint footprints on the land with their bare feet supporting slight bodies designed to both hunt and to escape hunters. What kind of footprints do my designer shoes leave on the Earth?

Every decision I make through the day incurs costs and results in benefits, has both risks and consequences. Too often the only costs being weighed are financial and the only benefits considered are those which satisfy the wants of the individual making the decision. But there are more, many more which can range very wide and very deep.

In the business world, those who come up with and institute ideas which increase a company's profit are usually rewarded with promotion. Very often, profits are increased by ignoring the complete costs of the product and focusing only on the financial components of the cost/benefit ratio. This often results in a company's operations becoming increasingly ruthless, uncaring and in some cases criminal.

How about investing, is there really such a thing as an ethical investment? While some investment instruments are certainly more just than others, the accumulation of wealth and the concept of money 'growing' without the input of human labour or energy both run counter to Kingdom building. Money is, after all, a token representation of our work, holding a place until in-kind reimbursement takes place. It is the accumulation of wealth through non-labour which is at the root of injustice and the dichotomy between the rich and the poor.

In our efforts at Building the Kingdom, we should try to minimize the extent to which we allow the 'Business Model' to influence our decisions. In the 21st century industrialized world, it is necessary to recognize and accomodate this model and its attendant thought processes in order to work within the society we have created for ourselves. However, we should always remember that an economics-above-all-else mindset is the foundation of empire and anethema to the Kingdom of God.

JfD

Information about how big a footprint you are leaving is available at:
Global Footprint Network.

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