I’m never the type of person who thinks that one group of people’s problems are miniscule just because others are suffering on a much larger scale. However, there comes a time where the world needs the banding of humankind more than ever. There are numerous current events I can draw this statement to, all occurring in our world today.
I’m sure not everyone’s algorithm is the same, but mine has shown me videos of grown people waking up at 3 in the morning and standing in line for a cup that looks just like the bottles of honey shaped as bears, except it has a logo and straw slapped on it. It is also worth mentioning that the cup stands at $30 and I’m not sure if this is true, but each store only gets 2 or 3. I’m not sure what exactly the appeal of this cup is. It doesn’t even fit in a cupholder, and it isn’t even convenient to clean or use overall. Maybe it is the exclusivity? I have no idea. Additionally, the people on the ‘quest’ for this cup are borderline harassing minimum wage workers in the early hours of the morning.
All the while, food stamps are getting cut all over the nation, and thousands of Americans are struggling to eat just in time for the holiday season. If you look into our neighboring continents, you’ll see the famines happening in AT LEAST 5 regions Sudan, 5 potential genocides occurring throughout the world (Gaza, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, and Uyghurs).
It all just reminds me of our discussions of forms of protests in class – especially hunger strikes. In the article we read for class describing the hunger strikes in California prisons, they stated that the hunger strikes weren’t rooted in defiance necessarily, but for change. This whole notion serves as a reminder that hunger isn’t an option for everyone and for certain people hunger is a reality, and sometimes it’s a norm. All in all, I just can’t help but wonder what the world would look like if we put the same energy that we put into over-consuming and self-pleasing into helping those around us. At the end of the day, the only difference between ALL of us are our existing geopolitical barriers.
Unruly Bodies 
I knew that a lot of people were losing their minds over this little bear cup, but I had no idea people were waking up in the middle of the night and driving so far just to find one. My algorithm has shown me more Starbucks employees who have been harassed over the cup than people actually interested in purchasing it. I do think it’s cute but I don’t know why anyone would put such an effort into finding one just to pay $30 for it.
Your post got me thinking about how hunger striking could be a method for the American people to protest the SNAP benefit cut off. I could see the strategy being particularly effective in unifying the country and also fitting given the subject (i.e. if they can’t eat, I won’t eat). However, and this saddens me greatly, I’m not incredibly confident that the current administration would care much if people started dying off in the name of protest and progress.
Mmm. I liked when you said that it was an a privilege to do a hunger strike, and to refuse food. So true.
Overconsumption makes me sick!!! Did yall see that Mariah Carey ad?
Watch it and think about the messaging there. The elf (average working class american) is being like hey we are striking, and not buying stuff for Christmas because of terrible conditions (holiday hell). And then Mariah goes, “you can’t cancel christmas!” and goes into a musical number.
Literally telling to our faces. Hey we don’t give a FUCK that yall are suffering and do not have money to spend on gifts, we know that people will buy our shit anyways. It’s sick!! And to diminish it as ‘cancel culture’?
My mantra for the last two years has been “You don’t need more stuff. You don’t need more stuff. You don’t need more stuff.” I really don’t need more stuff. My clothes are all secondhand and I just don’t buy stuff often. I don’t buy new makeup, or collectibles. I borrow, return, make, and craft. And you should too. Buy less this holiday season, and even better, don’t buy from these shit ass companies at all. Don’t give them your money. Support holiday markets, crafters, bakers. Feed your community, volunteer. We take care of us.
I have also seen the the bear cup on multiple feeds of social media and the craze over them is ridiculous! I also don’t see the appeal in them. I thought you brought up a really good point of overconsuming in your text, In one of my classes I am learning about limitarianism and the idea of being against extreme wealth. I think the world would look much better if we directed all this energy away from these meaningless materialistic products such as cheap looking bear cups and into some of the real world problems that you listed!
I really appreciate your input on this, especially since it is so telling of our times. Your development of how you bring in The Strike actually conceptualizes how we prioritize the things in our life and how we completely forget what is a literal privilege for others. I like how you keep the focus on the humanity of the people inside the system without drifting into sympathy-for-everyone territory. It doesn’t excuse the behavior of those incarcerated but it doesn’t subject them to less-than-humane treatment either.
I think I heard about someone getting offered 500 dollars for one of those bears?? Overconsumption is absolutely a massive problem in the US and I completely agree that it is a privilege to hunger strike. It is such a shame that corporate greed has taken over many aspects of how we live and the fact that we’re supposed to be the “greatest country in the world” is just laughable. I wish the world could learn empathy and give to those who truly need.
Also, the fact that Starbucks is on the top of the boycott list truly just adds fuel to the fire. Why are we able to dismiss atrocities so easily when the effects don’t personally impact us? How have become so detached from humanity that a non-functional cup is more important than defunding a horrific company that indirectly supports mass genocide.