I was one of eight invited to comment on Ode magazine. We were a well-bonded eight with nature and reading our major interests. I learned from one man that in 1957, the term for Americans switched from citizen to consumer. Consumer. I don't like it and it became very clear that we were not exactly a consuming group, or at least, that each of us considers ourselves a "conscious consumer."
And there we were gathered, eight people, because we were not happy and wanted a chance to say why, and I thank Ode for giving us the opportunity do do so. The print version of Ode magazine has changed in the last few years. The articles are shorter and, in my opinion, less in-depth. There are a preponderance of ads, and there is even an ad for cigarettes which was very unsettling to those who once smoked. That will clearly be missing from future issues.
The intention of the magazine is positive change and yet many of the ads are by corporations. Of course, they need advertising to stay in business, so one person gave a good argument for them becoming a non-profit. There is also the question of the environmental costs to have a print version of a magazine appear in our mailbox.
To prepare for this discussion, I checked out Ode on-line and realized it reads just fine and saves paper, print and delivery costs. All of us admitted we never click on ads, so would we be willing to subscribe to an on-line version. Checking today I see there is one, though it hasn't been "pushed" as far as I know. You can check it out here, and yes, Ode is worth supporting which is why I wanted to be part of the discussion. http://www.odemagazine.com/
We were a selected group, but I was gratified to see how we aligned though we were male and female, ranging in age from 30's to 80's. It was a lovely way to spend a part of Earth Day and it is lovely to feel "heard," and also to realize how rapidly times are changing, and yet, even with that, the greatest grace is a walk in nature, a ride on the ferry, a gathering of well-intentioned and concerned people, and the energy and vitality of a vibrant city.