Fairtrade

To me, the Fairtrade concept seems like a really good thing. Why is that? Well, there’s all that making the world a better place crap. Yeah, you can see how enthusiastic I am about that. No, the  genius of Fairtrade is that it tries, or at least appears to try, as far as I can see, to let me make the world a better place without doing anything out of the ordinary. Well, except dropping by the Union instead of a vending machine for drinks. But they have cookies there too, so that’s fine.

The thing is, to most people, making the world a better place is at best an intellectual excercise. Yes, equality, food and water for all is a nice concept and surely something worth working towards. But it takes time. Time I can use on important stuff, like writing a story worth publishing, clearing DragonAge a second time or ensuring that there’s enough bacon and tea around for me to survive. Because that’s what’s important to me. The conditions of farmers in the ass end of nowhere does at best interest me at a passing intellectual level, and at worst, it won’t concern me at all.

I’ve got no experience with true bad conditions. I have no interest in experiencing said conditions, except maybe as research. And even then, contact will be brief and controlled. Like many people, and unlike a few, I do not have the passion to run around to try and help out. And that is why Fairtrade is a good thing. As far as I know, they ensure farmers and whatever gets a bigger slice of the pie they help make. And all I need to do to help this process… is to drop by the student shop and pick up a few cans of coke. No need to run around with pamphlets. No need to sign my name anywhere. No bitching at politicians. Just buying coke that comes in a pretty white can with Ubuntu on it. And I’ll happily buy those cans, secure in the knowledge that I’m making the world a better place without lifting a finger. Besides, Ubuntu tastes good. And so does the Fairtrade cookies.

~Grammer