Ah, Warm and Fuzzy Money
The New Left: Corporate America
The new left, according to Gil Friend, is the corporations that may or may not have been (ahem) perpetrating crimes against the environment and humanity. Take Shell, for example. They have partnered with lots of environmental orgs in order to help these groups manage their campaigns and buy land in order to protect it. They have done a good job, too, and have been reconstructing their identity as a company that concerns itself with the environment.
The fact that they have made their name off of oil drilling can easily be forgotten.
On one hand, I agree with Gil that it will take $ to raise $ for the earth (among other causes). Your granola neighbor who quit his day job to plant trees in Northern Ontario is not making an impact on the scale that Bill Gates can, sinking millions into philanthropic endeavors every year.
I like to call this trend the Ebenezer Christmas - that aha moment - when suddenly the pile of money stops providing the satisfaction needed and the soul is of great importance. Bill had his Ebenezer Christmas and the guy's throwing money around for all.
After pursuing Bruce Mau's Massive Change exhibit, it's obvious there's a shift happening in the spirit of the fabulously wealthy - companies and entrepreneurs alike. The environmental movement isn't dying. It's quite alive in the hands of the companies and the multimillionaires eco-activists used to curse.
The new left, according to Gil Friend, is the corporations that may or may not have been (ahem) perpetrating crimes against the environment and humanity. Take Shell, for example. They have partnered with lots of environmental orgs in order to help these groups manage their campaigns and buy land in order to protect it. They have done a good job, too, and have been reconstructing their identity as a company that concerns itself with the environment.
The fact that they have made their name off of oil drilling can easily be forgotten.
On one hand, I agree with Gil that it will take $ to raise $ for the earth (among other causes). Your granola neighbor who quit his day job to plant trees in Northern Ontario is not making an impact on the scale that Bill Gates can, sinking millions into philanthropic endeavors every year.
I like to call this trend the Ebenezer Christmas - that aha moment - when suddenly the pile of money stops providing the satisfaction needed and the soul is of great importance. Bill had his Ebenezer Christmas and the guy's throwing money around for all.
After pursuing Bruce Mau's Massive Change exhibit, it's obvious there's a shift happening in the spirit of the fabulously wealthy - companies and entrepreneurs alike. The environmental movement isn't dying. It's quite alive in the hands of the companies and the multimillionaires eco-activists used to curse.
