Facebook in the crowd

Almost everybody "is on Facebook" or at least, heard about it.

I feel very interested in this topic because it shows new sociological issues about our generation.

The role of Facebook, which was only a social network, has taken huge proportion today.

I read about a story of a young intern in a bank in London, asking to his boss if he can miss friday because one of his relatives died. His boss, suscpicious, check on facebook, finding some pictures showing his young intern, drunk and dress like a girl, when he was supposed to be in a mourning.

Facebook is fantastic because you can easily keep in touch with all your friends (even if a huge part can't be considered as friends) but it can also be dangerous.

It is a kind of spying and you can become crazy, for example, if you have a guy that you like on your friends and check his profile every 2 hours.

However, most of them like that. Me, I hate when people update every 3 hours their comment profile, telling their life. That's just too much.

I use facebook to share pictures with my friends in France, it is easy.

But I am always very interested to know story about facebook, then I found this article.

The certainly very common story about a guy who has almost 700 friends on Facebook and try to create an "event" and only one person came.

Pathetic but so true because it shows that facebook is only a facade, and there is nothing else than real contact with friends.

Story of stuff

I watched a very interested video on line that you can see here 

It is about all the system of production and consumption of goods, from the scratch (the ressources of our planet) until the end (the consumption, recycling or incineration).

At the first look, it sounds pretty much true but when I saw it again I though that everything she said describes only pessimistics facts.

She is right, the current system destroyed our planet but how about all these jobs and the economy which allow people to live and eat.

The debate is a huge one and we have to rethink the all system. And not only in the US but all over the world. Hoe can we use our ressources in a better way, allowing renewable ressources, with provide jobs and happiness? Big deal uh!

I don't have the answer but she proposes some issues at the end like substainability and equity but in my opinion it is not enough.

I mean that people won't be ok to live their job to save the planet and starving just because people consume less and then we don't need to produce more goods.

We will have to start from the scratch, the basis : EDUCATION.

Teach people how to consume and how to respect what the planet offers to us.

That is what we forgot to do before creating the materials economy.

France is not very different from the USA. We consume less but we still consume a lot. However, a recent study show that 25% of the consumers goods are faire trade adn ecologic, that means that there is a demand for this king of product.

This video won't influence my consumption habits because sometimes, you have no choices to shop in a store which provide cheap goods from the other side of the planet. It is still a question of income. Lots of people can't afford to pay for better goods because they still are more expensive.

The connection with the global warming is clear. Because we have more access to products, we consume a lot, then industry creates dioxin and when we finish to consume, we put them on the trash which also create carbone dioxyde (non recycling products are incinerate and!). then, we have pollution on the both side : production and consumption.

The financial crisis in Dubai?

I choose to read this article because the title was significant. We all have heard about the power of this little country with its strong economy and finance. 

For me, the actual financial worl crisis is not very clear or maybe not very real. I have heard about a "crash" for a long time. Maybe one year ago, or more, in France, every medias liked to write about it, warning the politicians, economists, consumers and companies. but no one moved or try to make something helpful to solve this potential crisis.

Today, it sounds more close, because even Dubai, the "untouchable" is touched.

Big building projects of hotel complex or skycrapers are cancelled. Everybody is afraid about the crisis even the richest people in the world.

But what will happen next if even one of the most powerful place is touched?

Food for Thought

Before reading this article, I have never thought about that but actually, after thinking a little more about this, I agree.

The way we eat can tell us a lot about what we are and how we behave, and it is true personnaly but also for a society.

The food is one of the factor in integration. When you are in a foreign country, for vacation, for studying or business, the food will be a factor that we determine of you enjoy or not the country.

That is true and I made the experience. When I came in the US, at the beginning, I couldn't support eating americain food, and obviously I didn't want to stay there. After few months, I found my marks and I feel great in my "new country".

Each culture has a different gastronomy and it can tell a lot about the believes and behaviors.

In Northe Africa, all dishes are only one. It means that everybody share in the same plate during the dinner. In France, Meal is synonymous of pleasure, we don't eat to survive, we eat to have pleasure and usually with all the family. It is a great ocassion to spend time with the family. In the US, there are no rules. Everyone eat when he wants, where and what he wants. 

This three types of way of eating is really significant. 

North Africain are more close, sharing all they have, French are more individualists but like being together, with friends and family. Americans are different, free to do what they want.

It is difficult toi juggle with different culture but it teach you to be more tolerant, respectful and that's maybe the way that we will all live in peace.

A kind of utopian?

 

Introduction

Hi you,

I am glad that you are here!

Welcome on my blog, hope you will have a great reading!

Mel