Haven’t written here in the past week. There’s a reason for that. So meanwhile, I’ll post a video I watched a couple of weeks ago.
Produced by the CBC 4 years ago, Big Sugar explores the sugar industry in all of its obese greed.
What little sugar I get in my diet comes from the occasional bit of cake or chocolate. I certainly avoid sugar products, and after watching this video, I’m shirking them even more. After all, the big question is: Did the person who cut the sugar cane to get the sugar to put in that product have breakfast? Did they get lunch? Did they get supper? Did they get a break? Do they have a proper bed to sleep on? Do their children have books for school? Do they have a school?
The video is 4 years old. I don’t know if the situation has changed. I’m not an investigative journalist, I’m an artist and a poet. I feel. I create intuitively.
I feel for the sugar cane workers in this story. I am appalled by the blind greed that has placed them in this situation.
In conversation with a friend recently, I said most greedy people are blind to the effects of their greed.
My friend said: “No Alison, they just don’t care.”
I believe in the innate goodness of all people. My friend doesn’t. How about you? Do you think greedy people just don’t care, or are they blinded by their greed?
I leave you to the video. You have here parts 1 and 2. If you’re short on time, make sure you watch Part 2.
After watching it, I hope you think differently about the sugar in your food. It is in everything – believe you me – and that’s one of the main reasons, many years ago, I started shirking prepared foods and making my meals from scratch. Yes, to escape the constant flow of sugar in prepared foods.
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=8046348031279865399&hl=en&fs=true
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=8139449806431868725&hl=en&fs=true
I’ve read Matt’s link on how to embed Google vids on WordPress.com but can’t find the long url he is talking about and I haven’t got all day to sit here and fiddle, so you’ll just have to click on the links and go to the Google site for now.
Related articles
- Guatemala Sugar Cane Vacation Adventure (socialmediasnews.wordpress.com)
- Brussels is slowly beeting the life out of our sugar industry (telegraph.co.uk)
- Sugar Consumption (childrenshealthnaturally.wordpress.com)
Alison Amazed 
I’ll watch these, but I have to agree with your friend. I think they don’t care. They’ve become numb, disconnected, a little less human in my eyes. I’m fighting sugar right now. I’ve been trying to detox for 2 months so far—meaning of course, I have to make everything. I’m not doing as well as I’d hoped. This might take a while…but I ate marinara two weeks ago that I didn’t make and the first thing that came to mind as I swallowed it—-“This has sugar in it. I can taste it.” So maybe I’m becoming more sensitive already.
Thank you for believing in the goodness of people no matter what Alison. You truly are amazing, you know that, don’t you?
Hi Jenn,
Yes sugar is everywhere and in everything. It definitely sets up a craving for itself in our bodies. I avoid it – but I also crave it from time to time. Saturday night – answering a craving, from where, I don’t know – I made fudge! (Well, tried to make fudge!!! Ha ha ha! I so seldom make it which is why I can’t!)
I got my belief in basic human goodness from my dad. We are not a bad race Jenn, but we have been blinded. And we have to take the blinders off.
Watching the 2nd video. Good stuff. (Not the sugar, the info.)
Yes! I thought the meal the plantation owner was having was a decadent and stark contrast to the living conditions of his workers. That kind of gross inequity has no place in modern, civilized society. It would be nice to think we had evolved beyond that kind of blind selfishness.
Thanks for the great article and the link!
You’re very welcome!