The percentage of moisturizers sold in the United States as “fragrance free” that contain a fragrance is 45. Of moisturizers sold as “hypoallergenic” that contain a common allergen it’s 83. But the misrepresentation of a lotion or cream used to prevent dryness in the skin, though wrong and deserving of consequences, is nothing when it comes to disingenuous organic food standards. “Organic” is supposed to mean healthier, and what’s required for food to receive that label is being watered down daily. Standards are being lowered on a regular basis, and there are less and less inspectors attempting to enforce whatever regulations are on the books.
This is not a problem only in the two areas cited above, of course. Worldwide organic is coming to mean nothing, as the small numbers of low-profile folks who — previously — were authentically involved in guaranteeing that organic meant organic are disappearing daily in great numbers, being pushed out by huge corporate operations. They’re being pushed out of business by unscrupulous business people obsessed with a bottom line which has nothing to do with serving up healthy fare.
This is all true — the thrust of this commentary — in the realm of medical practice too. To cite one recent extreme example, an accomplished British surgeon has admitted branding two of his patients’ livers with his initials. When initially questioned about the unethical and illegal behavior, he said — without a trace of remorse or irony — “It’s what I do.”
It’s what they do, some folks who think they have a right to violate others, think of themselves as gods, perhaps, or unanswerable to any higher power. It’s what they often do, folks who are not regulated as per the wishes of libertarians wanting to rid us of governmental control on all scores.
It’s what they do these days… ordinary people crossing paths with you daily… if they can get away with something that’s self-serving.
The question should be what are we going to do about the decline in morality worldwide. And if anyone’s interested in discussing what our viable options are, I invite you to contact me.
I don’t do this — write articles — to simply regurgitate facts and document disgusting practices.
Valleria Ruselli is a member of the Oxman Collective. She can be reached at [email protected].