Direct Action

Curb Consumerism, Save the World

- Adam Clare 2 Comments

A good article from The Observer covers a new movement that is apparently gaining popularity – the ‘compact’ to not buy anything new. This is great to read, because it validates me, anyone who knows me knows that I hardly make any new purchases unless I have too. I have more leisure time as a result 🙂

Perry believes that by refraining from buying, he saves ‘a few hundred dollars a month on unnecessary and impulse purchases’ and thousands every year on larger buys like furniture and kitchen appliances: ‘The extra money means we now overpay on the mortgage and contribute more to the kids’ college funds.’

Thanks, Janet!

Dignitas Race for Dignity

- Adam Clare

I’m biking for charity and I need your help! Dignitas is an organization that aims to help those who are affected by HIV and they are having a fundraising event and it would be great if you could show your support.

On June 23, Dignitas International is holding the Race for Dignity Challenge – a fundraising spinathon on stationary bikes for people affected by AIDS in Africa.

Teams of participants will spin for 12 hours at Toronto’s Dundas Square to support Dignitas International’s innovative community-based care model.

Each month Dignitas tests thousands of people for HIV and starts hundreds on life-saving HIV medications in Africa.

Please help me fundraise for Dignitas!

Noah’s Ark Version 2.0

- Adam Clare

On Mount Ararat, Greenpeace volunteers are working feverishly to make Noah’s Ark to raise awareness about global warming. This is a neat and creative idea. The message about climate change is targeted at politicians.

Volunteers are racing to complete the wooden vessel under bright sunshine by end-May, to coincide with a summit of leading countries next month in Germany where climate change will be high on the agenda.

Humans hard-wired to be generous

- Adam Clare

This is genuinely good news! According to a new study we want to help others!

The two say altruism is something that makes people feel good, lighting up a primitive part of the human brain that usually responds to food or sex.

Grafman and Moll have been scanning the brains of volunteers who were asked to think about a scenario involving either donating a sum of money to charity or keeping it for themselves.

Why You Are Wrong

- Adam Clare

Without consciously thinking we, as humans, will find ourselves engaged in a way of thinking that has inadvertently been altered by our surroundings. This could be good, or it may not be, I have no idea. Either way, what is good is that we can become aware of the ways that our thinking may be affected – there are at least 26 reasons what you think is right is wrong.

11. Hyperbolic discounting – the tendency for people to have a stronger preference for more immediate payoffs relative to later payoffs, the closer to the present both payoffs are.
12. Illusion of control – the tendency for human beings to believe they can control or at least influence outcomes which they clearly cannot.
13. Impact bias – the tendency for people to overestimate the length or the intensity of the impact of future feeling states.

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