NUISANCE

Reading “Rich Christian” has been both enlightening and convicting. It is a great collection of stats regarding those that are marginalized by current (global) economic structures. Mostly, the information seems to paint a picture of big, evil creature that is robbing people of their ability to live a dignified life. So, how is it possible for someone as useless as I to slay this monster…

It is interesting how something I came across in b-school is revisited in the current chapter I’m reading. In Ethics (ironically, one of the very first classes I took in MBA), we did a case study on Nestle and how they pushed their baby formula to mothers in developing countries. Aside from the fact that this batch of formula failed to meet FDA regulations in the States and was sent to “lesser regulated” markets, this company preyed on the naivety of these new mothers, often giving out “free” samples, disguising themselves as medical professionals to add credibility to their product. This example showed what lengths multinational companies will go to, with the obvious intent to deceive, to capture more market share. And, ironically, the course after Ethics was Marketing (the first few case studies were on companies who are praised for their successes in carving out unique niches that gave them a competitive advantage). Now I revisit this example. This time, the horrific impacts of Nestle’s actions are described. The result of their marketing technique resulted in mothers that became reliant on formula to feed their babies. Even if they wanted to switch back to breast feeding, they couldn’t, for all their milk dried up. Formula is an inadequate substitute for mom’s milk because it lacks the immunity-building components and these mothers, who could barely afford the formula after the free sample, would dilute the formula to make it last longer. This resulted in many of their babies becoming malnourished. I guess there’s one thing to unknowingly cause harm to another human but it is truly disgusting when profits are placed in higher priority than people.

I can’t, in good conscious, just leave my thoughts at that. It would be way too easy for me to dismiss my guilt just by reading the book or writing some appeasing words which I think others might stumble across. I live in a society which, frankly, has been built on the backs of others. Good fortune has somehow allowed me to be born in such a wealthy environment and it’s so easy, when my tummy is full everyday, for me to sit back and ponder these inequalities. Yet, I’ve had my share of shrimp (how many tropical mangroves were destroyed for that pleasure?) and I’ve certainly eaten and written so passionately about beef (how many rainforests were taken down for that pleasure?) – I’m as guilty as the ones at Nestle who made those decisions just by being a member of this society. I’m not trying to come across as someone who is on a radical mission or even who has it all figured out.

I lean back, rub my temples and pull back another swig of this oh-so-soothing Timmy's double double from my mug. I'm not a big fan of the current Roll-Up-The-Rim campaign, although I think it is marketing genius as proven by the lady who was in front of me that quickly upsized her small coffee for a medium one when she found out that the small cups don't have the roll up tabs. However, in my meager attempt at conservation, I forgo the game cup and ask them to fill up the mug that I've brought with me. Then a question comes to mind. Where does Tim Horton’s coffee from? (Link to their FAQ). It doesn’t really answer the question (the real question, as in was it obtained in a fair manner) but it is well spun (almost too well spun) to deflect any doubts that a semi-conscious naysayer might have.

So maybe it's not as much about slaying the monster, but doing my part to help beat it back.

I’m not trying to be a nuisance.
I just think we can do better than this.
That was simply my two cents.
You can, you can, take it or leave it.

Nuisance - John Rueben