The Affluenza Vaccine

"We have too much stuff,"  says environmental heavyweight James Gustave ("Gus") Speth.  Speth's simple words belie his sparkling CV (current Yale Forestry dean, co-founder of the NRDC and World Resources Institute, top Carter adviser, Dad's college buddy and colleague).  "We have to get over this epidemic of affluenza."

Speth uttered these insights as a panelist during yesterday's Spring Environmental Lecture and Luncheon at the American Museum of Natural History.   Apparently the term affluenza (per Professor Wiki, a portmanteau of affluence and influenza) has been kicked around by anti-consumerism advocates for quite some time.  But this is the first I heard of affluenza (and the groovy word portmanteau).

After consuming a lean and green meal of free-range chicken and acai sorbet under the big Blue Whale (where Husband and I celebrated our wedding 4+ years ago!), I went home and looked up affluenza and found the following definition:

Af-flu-en-za n. 1. The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the American Dream. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth. 4. A television program that could change your life.

Now I'm not quite sure about the life-changing television part, so feel free to ignore it.  But the rest sounds a tad familiar, doesn't it?  We are buying bigger and bigger houses and buying more and more stuff.  Stuff that Speth contends isn't making us any happier.  What makes us happier?  Other people.  Warm interpersonal contact.  Having someone to talk to.

I sit here typing away in my living room amid the day's Toddler Tornado, a scattered storm of stuff, wishing there were in fact an affluenza vaccine.  And if there was,  it wouldn't just be administered to the old and the young and the pregnant.  It would be offered to all of us.

For now, we should perhaps all check out Speth's latest book The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability (Yale University Press) wherein he urges us to conceive of a non-socialist alternative to our capitalist system.  No, it doesn't sound like a fluff-fest, or a candy beach read.  But if we don't listen to Speth and his conservationist cohorts, we might just end up with a lot of meaningless stuff and no beaches left to read on.  (Okay, on which to read.)  

Gummy Bears and Gumption

I survived my high-heeled walk on the wild side, but it's back to flats today. Last night, I attended the Dalton School's big 90th birthday bash/benefit at Chelsea Piers. It was a wonderful event and, frankly, reminded me exactly why I loved the school. During cocktail hour, I said hello to a few of my favorite teachers. During dinner, my beloved orchestra conductor of latter day (I played the trumpet) led the orchestra in their performance of a lovely Ode to Dalton (composed by one very talented Dalton student).

The event was sold out and Pier 60 was packed to the gills with loyal faculty and parents and alumni.  Blue and white balloons floated from the center of each table, tables blanketed in paper decorated with Daltonian doodles.  

For me, the biggest treat was Anderson Cooper.  Cooper, both a Dalton and Yale grad, spoke affectionately about his time at Dalton.  His words were self-deprecating and inspiring.  He talked about how Dalton was, and continues to be, a unique place that nurtures individuality and creativity.  He talked candidly about his foray into the world of war reporting, how his friend cooked him up a fake press pass and he just started going to wars.  He knew what he wanted to do and he did it. He had the courage, the gumption, to dream.  To dream big. And then to live that dream.  Not bad.

At the end of the evening, we were sent home with delectable bags of gummy bears and big swirly lollipops from Dylan's Candy Bar (Dylan Lauren is also fellow Dalton alum). And, on the way home, that melodic Ode echoed in my head and I chewed on a bear and thought: a school that spits out a candy maven and a CNN sweetheart is some school.  

And if last night was any indication, Dalton continues to produce dreamers and doers.  And great doodlers too.

Happy Birthday, Dalton!

Living On The Edge

My little sister and a number of my very good friends are pregnant with their first babies.  And each of them has asked me the same question: How is your life different now that you have kids?  As any parent knows, this is a ridiculous question because quite frankly the whole world changes when you have a baby.  But, that aside, two very practical things occurred to me.  Since I gave birth to my first child, (1) I never sleep past 7:30am; and (2) I never wear heels.  And these aren't minor things.  I used to sleep until 11am on weekends and less than four years ago, that very nice lady from California Closets built me a whole bunch of little cubby-like shelves for all of my heels.  Heels which I never ever wear.

Until tonight.  Tonight, I am attending the big Dalton benefit.  My beloved alma mater is turning ninety-years-old and I figured why not live on the edge and channel my High School heel-wearing self? I will let you know how it goes. And, no, sadly I will not be able to sleep past 7:30 (who are we kidding? 6:30).