Catalyst: A Collection of Commentaries to Get Us Talking

by Alex Sangha

Overview

"Alex Sangha has an impressively broad range of knowledge on issues that affect the world, and challenges problems that most people have come to accept. Sangha doesn't just point out the troubles in this world, but thinks of bold solutions for them."

- Jenny Uechi, Managing Editor, Vancouver Observer

Alex Sangha has produced a critical, yet positive, book that covers a range of topics, from environmental conservation to reconciling religion and sexuality to depression and arranged marriage. He believes every person should be informed and should have their say on subjects that matter.

Catalyst is a collection of 40 short commentaries about problems facing Canada and the world in the 21st century. It is filled with topics for social discussion for the informed citizen, as well as for parents and teachers who want to get young adults thinking critically about the world around them.

Catalyst is an excellent conversation starter. Each article includes questions for the reader, which can be a great springboard for critical discussion.

"Alex writes clearly, concisely and with a non-judgmental view point. Alex is clearly a world citizen who disseminates on a wide variety of issues with amazing clarity. His refreshing views on a wide range of subjects are written with elegance and a light touch that does not cloud the issues."

- Veeno Dewan, Former Editor, Voice Newspaper

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481754880
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	05/22/2013
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.42(d)

Read an Excerpt

CATALYST

A Collection of Commentaries to Get Us Talking

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By ALEX SANGHA

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2013 Alex Sangha
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4817-5488-0

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CHAPTER 1

The Occupy Movement

"It's the 24th day of the Occupy Wall Street protests, also known as the largest homeless slumber party in the world."

~ Jimmy Kimmel

In the past, North American and European economies depended on a thriving automobile sector, decent wages, and population growth for stability. They relied on consumers who kept spending to keep the economy going. This is no longer the case. The gap between the rich and the poor is growing, the population is aging, and there are fewer working people to fund government programs. Wealthy countries are tightening immigration rules, and new opportunities for economic growth are just not happening.

Corporations are outsourcing jobs to countries like China and India. 'No strings attached' free trade agreements don't address sustainable labor, social, cultural, and environmental issues. Long hours and low pay and the dumping of toxic chemicals and pollutants – all in the name of cheap goods – reduce the quality of life in both the developed and developing worlds.

People are no longer earning $30 an hour (except those with government jobs). This means reduced consumer spending, little or no savings, and increased debt. We're scrambling for minimum wage jobs with minimal hours and no benefits. Buying a house or paying off a mortgage is the impossible dream these days.

The Occupy movement is a reflection of this anxiety. It is demanding change and gaining support. People are tired of seeing 1% of the population suck up 99% of the wealth. If governments fail to respond there's a good chance that protests, revolutions, and crime will be the order of the day for basic survival. The rich will hide behind big walls and hire private security to protect themselves from the growing masses of the hungry and desperate poor. It's happening in a lot of countries already.

How do you think the Occupy movement could be more effective?

CHAPTER 2

The Peaceful Protest

"I mean, there's a hell of a lot of grounds for protest, but you don't do it through music."

~ Chico Hamilton

The US and Europe are facing huge financial problems. In the Middle East, the uprisings now known as the Arab Spring started when a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire to protest mistreatment by a police officer. Since then, bloody revolts across the Middle East have railed against dictatorships, corruption, economic decline and extreme poverty. They want the basic rights that we take for granted: democracy, free speech, a fair trial.

But what about a peaceful protest? What could that possibly achieve? I think peaceful protests here could help Canada become a country where:

• Profitable corporations redistribute a portion of profits to their front-line employees as productivity incentives and bonuses.

• All levels of government adopt a living wage policy to boost consumer spending and saving, and reduce debt and poverty.

• The government introduces a national pharmacare, vision, and dental program as an investment in preventative healthcare.

• The government flies Canadians in need of urgent medical treatment to hospitals in the US to eliminate waiting lists.

• Student loans are replaced with student grants and students who earn good marks and complete their courses enjoy a loan forgiveness program. This would be an incentive for students to study and innovate without the big financial barriers.

• Low-income families and single parents receive a direct cash transfer from the government to help them out of poverty.

• First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people set up an Aboriginal parliament within Canada to more effectively manage and govern their lands, waters, resources, and people.

• Local governments adopt a mixed at-large and ward system to gain the benefits of both citywide and neighborhood political representation.

• Provincial and federal governments adopt some form of a proportional representation system so the government is actually representative of how the electorate voted.

• All high school students are required to take a course in media literacy so they can critically evaluate the messages they get from various sources, whether through the press or social media. This will enhance our democracy with an enlightened electorate.

What are your top ten reasons for a peaceful protest?

CHAPTER 3

A Kinder Capitalism

"The basic law of capitalism is you or I, not both you and I."

~ Karl Liebknecht

Countries all over the world, including Western governments, are being forced to cut spending and balance budgets at a time when a fiscal stimulus would really help. Social programs, the glue that keeps people content with the status quo, are usually the first to go. Starved of basic necessities, people find a way to get back what they've lost, one way or another. We saw what happened in England when riots erupted due, in part, to that government's economic policy and social program cutbacks. So what is our government to do?

I think it's time for a kinder way to do business: compassionate capitalism. Compassionate capitalism refers to a mixed economy with private and public ownership but where the capitalist mode of production remains intact. Unlike traditional capitalism, compassionate capitalism includes the promotion of human rights and ethical decision-making. It supports the creation of clean, green industry and encourages continued investment in social programs, protection of workers and the creation of new jobs. Compassionate capitalism helps to moderate the booms and busts of the free market through government intervention and via the development of new government departments to provide security in key sectors of the economy. This approach would help all Canadians enjoy a better quality of life and preserve the socio-economic base of our country.

The government should encourage the wealthy and the corporate elite to wipe out the debt and deficit and help stabilize the economy. This is in everyone's best interests, especially the rich who have a lot to lose if Canada defaults on its debt and the Canadian dollar becomes worthless.

What are some of your ideas for a kinder "compassionate" capitalism? How would you help people to help themselves?

CHAPTER 4

A Bunch of Fat Greedy Cows

"To prevent famine, one plow is worth a million sermons, and even patent medicines will cure more diseases than all the prayers uttered since the beginning of the world."

~ Robert Green Ingersoll

It's hard to imagine, comfortable as we are, that people are starving to death in many parts of the world. It's even harder to imagine when you think about how many North Americans and Europeans die of diabetes, cholesterol, and obesity each year. Western countries are consuming too much food at the expense of the rest of the planet. Just to satisfy our appetite for meat requires vast swaths of agricultural land to fatten livestock animals. If we are what we eat, we are fast becoming fat cows and pigs.

Too many children suffer every day from hunger and malnutrition and die from a long list of preventable diseases. Children are still abused: They are used as slaves, as cheap labour, as sex trade workers, even as soldiers. The end result is potential lifelong trauma and damage to the development of our next generation. Humanity is destroying humanity.

Food isn't the only thing that's unevenly distributed: money and other resources remain in the hands of a few while millions still live on a few dollars a day in primitive conditions and without basic necessities. It's fair to say that unfettered capitalism, consumerism, multi-national corporations, and power-hungry egotists have caused this global social disaster. We are on a downward spiral. Our pet rocks, gardens, and dogs receive better care than many people in developing nations.

And yet western powers rush to intervene in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, all in the name of democracy, freedom, and human rights. If this is really why we're there, why has the west not intervened in Zimbabwe and sent Mugabe packing? From where I sit, it seems pretty clear that decisions at this level come down to money, power, and privilege or, more accurately, the control of oil and resources.

This approach is so short-sighted. World leaders need to work together to build a better planet and make a positive difference. Social development and concern for humanity need to become top global priorities. We need to ensure that every child has a chance to live up to their potential, to thrive, and to enjoy a childhood unmarred by the greed of others.

The world can be a better place. Humans are supposed to be the most intelligent species on the planet. Political leaders just need to apply common sense and look toward a longer-term vision. This means sacrificing self-serving, narrow interests for the greater good, but it's an investment that would pay huge rewards for everyone over the long-term.

Can you suggest reasons why children are used as cheap labour, sex workers and soldiers? What are some ways we could stop this?

CHAPTER 5

A Better Balance

"The major trend is globalization. A new world order is rapidly emerging."

~ Peter Pollak

A spiritual leader once said that the purpose of life is to be happy, help others, and be kind. I believe if you incorporate these values into your life you can reach a higher level of inner peace and find purpose in life. I think if this happened on a global scale we'd end hunger and maybe even experience world peace.

A spiritual connection – whether through meditation, prayer or belief in a higher power – can give you hope for the future. It is an excellent antidote to anxiety, depression, insecurity, and loneliness. Even the famous Mayo Clinic recommends spirituality as a route to stress relief.

Sadly, the world today is ruled by individualism and suffers from a spiritual void. Well-known physicist Stephen Hawking argues there is no Creator. I disagree. If you believe in a higher power you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Today, people are focused on making money and accumulating material goods. The world has become a very selfish place. Rich countries have failed to respond to the needs of the suffering around them and see no point in helping others to the extent that help is needed. I believe we all pay a price for our lack of compassion towards those in need. We are all connected and part of the same Earth. If one part of the world is suffering, it impacts another, whether through the outbreak of disease, mass migrations, or pollution to name just a few.

Each and every person has the potential to be a productive member of society, but they can't do it without access to the opportunities and resources that we in the West take for granted. Too many people never get a chance to live out their dreams. Their daily existence is built on doing whatever it takes to survive. Millions of people spend their days looking for clean water and food. Why is this? It is a product of our global economic system, which has led to extremes in wealth between the rich and the poor and the creation of huge corporate oligopolies and monopolies. The system is kept in place through military dictatorships, torture, and human rights abuses. Democracy is little more than a façade in many parts of the world.

The world needs a kinder, gentler form of capitalism to help moderate the extremes and suffering imposed on people through free markets and globalization. It takes a lot of effort and will, but it can be done. It took many years to develop adequate social programs and redistribute wealth in Britain, for example, and while it's still not a perfect system it has gone a long way to ensuring the distribution of wealth and providing equal opportunities for its citizens.

Technology can be used to complete routine, repetitive work. Governments can improve wages, benefits, and working conditions of our most marginalized workers. Even in Canada, right here in our own backyard, we are taking advantage of thousands. Have you ever seen how farm workers are treated here? Competition in the marketplace is putting downward pressure on farm workers' rights.

Life is short. Most of us have to work hard to make life enjoyable. It's unfair that some children are born with a silver spoon in their mouth while others are dying of starvation. We need more fairness and equality. We need resources and global wealth to be distributed fairly. We need to invest in people, including our most vulnerable, in Canada and abroad.

Did you know that if Wal-Mart were a country its revenue would put it on par with the gross domestic product of Norway, which is the 25th largest economy in the world?

What measures would you put in place to even things up between the rich and the poor?

CHAPTER 6

The Law of Mother Earth

"Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites."

~ William Ruckelshaus

In October 2012 the government of Bolivia passed the world's first legislation that grants nature equal rights to humans. They call it the "Law of Mother Earth".

This law contradicts a long-held belief that man has dominion over the land. Our old ways caused the degradation of our planet and the exploitation of our plants, animals, and resources. Nature is part of creation. We are all connected and dependent on nature for our existence. The earth, water, wind, flowers, trees, animals, and birds help us find balance within ourselves as well as peace of mind, health and wellness.

The Aboriginal and indigenous people of this world have always embraced nature as an essential part of their spiritual beliefs. For centuries, they lived in harmony with the environment, making use of plants for medicines and respecting their fellow creatures. They built a culture around respect for elders and people who are different. They introduced talking circles, drumming circles, and sweat lodges into their community to facilitate relationships, understanding, healing, and a connection with their Great Spirit. We could learn a thing or two from our Aboriginal ancestors.

When we accept that we are not above creation and the diversity of life that surrounds us, we can start to take steps to rebuild and respect our world. To bring more caring, sharing, and environmental guardianship and stewardship to this planet we need to reconnect with nature. We can focus on what we have in common and learn to protect our shared environment. A concern for nature can help us reach a higher level of respect for people and our planet.

We would all benefit from more connection, community, relationships, and respect. We could start by filling ourselves with an appreciation for nature and all its generous gifts to us.

Do you think its okay to take resources (like gold or oil) out of the earth regardless of the consequences?

What law would you put in place to protect the planet?

CHAPTER 7

A Toxic Gooey Mess

"There is an average of over 500 oil spills a year on Alaskan North Slope, and over 4,000 spills in the last 10 years. Let's not pollute one of the great last refuges of America."

~ Maria Cantwell

Oil and the tankers and pipelines that move it are environmental disasters waiting to happen. Millions of birds and marine life are put at risk when oil spills occur. Their bodies become coated in oil, which affects their temperature levels and many die of hypothermia. Others sink and drown because oiled feathers weigh more. Still others ingest the oil and die a slow and painful death as their organs shut down one by one.

Oil spills around the world should be a wake-up call for all of us. We are all quick to point blame at oil companies, and they are partly to blame of course, but so are we: Our demand for oil drives oil tankers into harbour cities and keeps full pipelines criss-crossing the continent. Oil companies are just responding to our thirst for oil.

As long as oil companies continue to profit through our use of oil, why would they turn to cleaner burning fuels? It would be a costly, time-consuming expense for them. If we want to protect our waters and marine life, we need to turn to alternative energy sources. Solar, wind, and water-based energy needs to be developed and put into mass usage. The technology is available, but the market has yet to respond to the needs of our fragile ecosystem.

Most of us tend to be reactive and not proactive. This means that until the oil has run out, or the planet has turned black, we're not likely to make any meaningful change to our consumption and production habits. This is why it's important for governments to play an active role and create incentives for the energy sector to produce clean, safe, and toxic-free alternatives.
(Continues...)

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Excerpted from CATALYST by ALEX SANGHA. Copyright © 2013 Alex Sangha. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction....................          

We Are One....................     1     

Our World....................          

The Occupy Movement....................     5     

The Peaceful Protest....................     9     

A Kinder Capitalism....................     13     

A Bunch of Fat Greedy Cows....................     17     

A Better Balance....................     21     

The Law of Mother Earth....................     25     

A Toxic Gooey Mess....................     29     

Eating to Save the Planet....................     33     

Our Country....................          

Social Finance....................     37     

Reducing Canada's Debt....................     39     

Creating Jobs....................     43     

Welfare Reform....................     47     

More Meaningful Support....................     51     

Student Loan Forgiveness....................     55     

More Doctors Please....................     57     

Sustainable Immigration....................     61     

The Seven Wards of Surrey....................     65     

The End of Big Money in Politics....................     69     

Canada Minus Quebec isn't Canada....................     73     

Respect our Elders....................     77     

An Aboriginal Parliament....................     81     

The Red Chamber....................     85     

Employment Equity....................     89     

Girl Power....................     93     

Everybody Deserves a Chance....................     97     

Our Flawed Prison System....................     101     

The Death Penalty....................     105     

[Lifting Seniors out of Poverty....................     109     

Dignity House....................     113     

Diversity Versus the Church....................     117     

Our Life....................          

When Sadness Never Fades....................     121     

What About the Sex Trade?....................     125     

Gay and Brown in the Burbs....................     129     

Living a Double Life....................     133     

Sexual Attraction: Nature or Nurture?....................     137     

The Arranged Marriage....................     141     

A Primer on Sikh Philosophy....................     145     

Free Will or Fate....................     149     

Afterlife....................     153     

Seeing the Light....................     157     

Conclusion....................          

And Finally....................     163     

About the Author....................     165     

Endnotes....................     167