What would it be like to walk in another's shoes for 30 days? Would your judgments change? Your core beliefs? This is the premise for the show 30 Days, which I recently stumbled upon through Hulu. The concept for the show came from Morgan Spurlock, of Super Size Me fame. His 30 day journey of eating only McDonald's was eye opening - showing the negative impact on both his physical, emotional, and mental health.
The show's stories are hot topics, ranging from city folks living off the grid at an eco village to a hunter staying with an animal rights activist to an anti gay adoption mormon living with a gay couple and their four adopted kids. Last night, I watched the very first episode of the series where Morgan and his fiance left a cushy New York apartment to live on minimum wage in Ohio for a month.
This episode deeply affected me. We are living in a time where there is tremendous opportunity to swing the pendulum of our lives, our communities, and our culture in a new direction. While the option to do so has always been there, never before in my lifetime, has it felt that the masses and the systems are so ripe for change. I am a big believer (and practitioner) of taking action to change your life in the direction you want it to go AND the bridge to that new life is also built on compassion and empathy.
I hope this show inspires that in you - to have compassion for yourself when you feel stuck, serving as a replacement for judgment against others, and to help you play your part in healing these broken systems so the opportunities can flourish.
You can watch the show I'm referring to below. Be forewarned, it has a very very cheesy 3.5 minute commercial that I can't get off. Set your timer, and come back. It's worth the watch without the commercial. Or go back to Hulu and check it out there.
Hey Vanessa,
I'm totally with you when you say I'm "a big believer (and practitioner) of taking action to change your life in the direction you want it to go." So very true!
I wish we could get the series here in Australia, the video won't stream for those outside the US.
Anyway, thank you for provoking thought!
Posted by: Mel | December 01, 2008 at 11:35 PM
SAME - not happy we can't get it here in oz but definitely going to try find it somewhere : ) x
Posted by: shiny | December 25, 2008 at 10:55 AM