This Thanksgiving I ate a wonderful meal with family and
friends. Platters of food kept coming
around the table, wafting up delicious smells.
With such abundance at my fingertips it was hard for me to say I’d had
enough. In a similar way, when I mediate
I notice some people struggling to say a certain solution gives them enough
when they see the possibility for getting more. How best to divide physical resources
contributes to many conflicts and being content with enough proves to be difficult.
There are
many theories about what causes conflict, two of which address the division of
resources. 1. Needs Theory suggests that conflict stems from unmet need be it
physical, psychological, or social. Therefore,
one thing that can stimulate conflict is lack of resources to fill physical
need. 2. Conflict Transformation Theory proposes that conflict stems from
social, cultural, or economic structures that create inequality or injustice. There
are many forms of inequality and injustice, but one conflict around unjust division
of resources could be an outcome of an unequal structure rather than an
isolated incident.
So what about when we’ve gotten
enough to fill our needs, but if we pushed a little we’d get more? It seems difficult to let that bit of excess
slip through our fingers when it’s right in front of us. Especially since no one else can really tell
us when we’ve had enough. It would be
convenient if this idea of being content with what we really need just applied
to negotiations when we’re trying to decide about money, but I think it also
applies to our everyday decisions about resources. Often resources are finite, and while we may
or may not see direct effects right in front of us, it hardly seems possible
that excess does not affect someone.
If unjust or unequal distribution
of resources can cause conflict, whether large or small, choosing to be content
with less can be a conscious choice to build peace. This
seems especially relevant during the holiday season in which the predominant North
American culture tells us that it takes a great many things to celebrate.
Perhaps learning to live with less
could even make the holidays seem more celebratory. Doris Longacre writes in
the introduction to the More with Less Cookbook,
“Undoubtedly… celebrations bring enjoyment in proportion to how much they vary
from the daily routine… the fact that in North America we tend to feast nonstop
can dull our festive joy.”
In a world where resources are
limited, and conflict around the distribution of those resources thrives, what
are ways that you can celebrate this holiday season using less?
Sources:
More With Less Cookbook by Doris Longacre
Working with Conflict: Skills and Strategies for Action by Fisher et al
