4. New Clothes
Via now.tufts.edu
We can’t help wanting to reward ourselves. With the amount of malls in the Metro alone, it’s impossible not to want to go out for some retail therapy after a hard week at work or school. Materialism and capitalism aside, most people aren’t aware of the high cost of giving us access to affordable clothing. Child labor, sweat shops and poor pay aside, more used clothes are dumped rather than upcycled. The fact is that we don’t need racks upon racks of clothing for daily use. As a society, we would do well to invest in pieces that will last us decades rather than spending less on clothes that will give out after a year or even just months of use.
3. Bigotry
Coming from a society that has been influenced by so many different cultures, it’s easy to fall into patterns and behavior that make us guilty of bigotry. Throw in social media and a sense of entitlement, and you have thousands of different people on your feed inadvertently trying to shove their beliefs down your throat. More so with the elections coming up, avoid being one of them. Focus on educating yourself on the topics you’re passionate about to make informed decisions rather than falling prey to the hype and getting swept up in mob mentality.
2. Buying or Downloading Pirated Material
Via my_sarisari_store.typepad.com
We don’t even need to remind you of the amount of work, time and talent that people put into their projects just to provide us with entertainment. Support the arts, especially local artists and performers. After all, you wouldn’t want someone ripping off your work and taking your earnings, would you?
1. Double Standards
It’s small things like clapping your bro on the back for hooking up with a new girl but telling your sister off for a short skirt that make society a dangerous place. For the next few weeks, try not to hold anyone else up to standards that you can’t hold yourself to. Not only will you give yourself the satisfaction of being politically correct and morally just, but you’ll also be leading others by example. More than making a sacrifice for your beliefs, Lent can be spent trying to make the world, or at least your immediate surroundings, a better place for everyone involved.
What other things do you think we would do well to give up for Lent? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
