What is the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Your Standard of Living?
by Nile McClain
”Ujamaa” and “Umoja” in KiSwahili mean “Cooperative Economics” and “Unity” respectively. They are Kwanzaa principles I feel this capitalist system needs to use; especially in these economic times. If indeed we did use them, we could probably lessen the impact of this economic crisis.
Being sixteen I’m looking into finding a job and I’ve become more aware of what the economic crisis is really about. I’ve come to realize that jobs that are usually available for people my age are sparse. More adults out of work are seeking jobs at places like fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and other places where teenagers usually work. This forces teens like me to compete more for jobs or to seek work in other places. Ujamaa or cooperative economics means basically local people coming together to control the economics of their community. For example, if there were more locally owned stores and markets the community would be more sustainable. We would have to rely less on big corporations to distribute jobs and income to our communities. Instead our communities would be creating its own jobs.
Umoja, meaning unity has had positive effects in the crisis where families have been brought together and this is a small but very (in my eyes) significant and needed change. Recently my brother and I moved in with our god mother in order to go to better schools. Our home schools were located in the inner city where the economic crisis has devastated the schools. Schools have closed, bus routes have been cut and teacher cut backs have lead to schools were class sizes are enormous and students have to be at bus stops before sunrise in order for fewer buses to make more stops
Not only have I become more aware of my own personal finances, I’ve become aware of the finances of my household and the issues caused by this crisis. We’ve made numerous changes to our lifestyle including limiting the number of times we eat out each week. As a household we have to pay more attention to the amount of electricity, gas and water we use. This means shorter showers and lower temperatures inside therefore we are forced to put on more clothes while in the house. In my experience people have become more mindful of others, less wasteful, more “green” and in my case, more insightful. This is beneficial to our community! Along with these positive effects, there have been negative effects such as the job search has become more “dog eat dog”.
Instead of depending on those outside of ourselves and embattling in fierce competition with each other we need to embrace the Kwanzaa principles of “Ujamaa” and “Umoja”. We can be innovative and united to help each other out of this crisis caused by corporate greed that has left our homes and communities devastated.
