Your Money Is Your Vote

My brother, Onkardeep Singh Khalsa, wrote about the idea of money being a vote in 2009. Money is a more powerful vote than the votes we give to elect governments and local councillors. Business and the private sector is arguably a more powerful force than the public sector.

It is easy for us to forget as individuals the power we wield in our hands. It is possible for society to transform very quickly if we all act consciously.

For example...

Instead of buying non-fairtrade chocolate just because it may be a few pennies cheaper, you can choose to buy fairtrade chocolate and help the third world countries get a fair bargain at the same time.

Instead of buying clothes manufactured in sweat shops to reduce their cost, we can choose to buy clothes which are certified to have been made ethically.

Instead of buying washing up liquid which harms the Earth, we can buy one which is kinder to the Earth.

Instead of leaving our lights on all the time, we can switch them off when not needed so the Earth is less polluted by our coal-fired power stations, or we can even switch to an electricity provider which generates electricity more sustainably and consciously.

Instead of buying chips (fries) which are poor quality from the chippie on the corner, go the extra mile to buy  from a quality chip shop so that all chippies must raise their standards.

Instead of buying milk which has come from sources where cows have been potentially harmed, we should buy milk where cows are treated respectfully or switch to another alternative like rice milk or almond milk.

Instead of buying meat which involves the harm of animals, and which exposes our barbaric human nature, we should err to become vegetarians or vegans. Or if that is too impossible, then at least to become vegetarian one day of the week.

Our money acts as a vote as to what we want in our society to continue and what we want to end. If a service or a product is cheap, poor quality, environmentally destructive, destructive to any species on Earth, or unethical in ANY way, THEN WE SHOULD NOT BUY IT! It's OK if there are no other alternatives, but in the developed world, there are ONLY alternatives. Choice is our basic freedom. So we should decide as a society what we want to continue and what we want to end.

Each person, and every pound or dollar they spend, makes a difference and acts as a vote as to what products or services we want in our society!

If we want animal suffering to continue, then we should continue to buy non-free range eggs. If we want plant suffering to continue, then we should continue to buy inorganic food. If we want human suffering to continue, then we should continue to buy non-fair trade goods. Money is a vote, choose wisely my beloveds.