If You Have To Shop, Shop With Thought.

The things we buy create jobs, where is up to us.

Jobs, jobs and jobs are on everyone's lips these days. The lack of them. But how about paying lip-service to what we say and complain about?

These last two weeks the Bobster and I have twice ordered from an Internet giant and the only mitigating factor for my guilt is that English books are difficult if not impossible to find in Oberwart. Why should I feel guilty you might ask? Well, every time we shop online, we don't support our local community, city or country.

A lot of what is bought online can be bought off line too. In your local shops, those shops that provide the much needed work opportunities in any community. And yet, how many of us merely swipe a finger and wait for the delivery?

Online is here to stay, but at least we shouldn't forget the backbone of any community, town or city. Let's at least spend some of our money there and perhaps even go one step further and buy products made locally or even nationally. Not because of some nefarious political plot, but because buying locally produced products ensures that someone else has a job. A job to support a family, a job to have money to spend...

By the way, when you buy locally produced items, you know that there won't be any poisonous chemicals in them. Those cheap shoes / clothes we are all so fond of, are next to our skin and skin absorbs...

In this modern world that we've invented, created and are so proud of, sadly every worker has to and will have to compete for his job not with another worker, but with a machine, robot or computer. By shopping with thought, we can at least hold on to some jobs, traditions and comfort.

Applaud technology all you want, but I have a sneaking suspicion that we've gone too far and have started to pull the economical support rug out from under us.

You decide, and please, when you shop this Christmas, shop with care and thought...

Biggi