(Ruta Writes...) sustainable business: being human

...sustainable business: being human

These days, form the books I have read, the work I have done, the businesses I have seen, it seems that emotional branding, giving experiences, is what works today and that consumers appreciate it more when they are treated as people instead of mere subjects of targeted advertisements. This idea led me to think that even in a world where everything is mechanized and where the value of being human is rapidly diminishing, thanks to the fast moving, labor saving technologies, people still want to feel cared about. In a place where affluence is respected and having a lot of 'stuff' is considered as a symbol of success, where we have come far from being cave-men, we still crave more for being human.

At times, I really wonder what it means to have all the “luxuries” as we call them – a big car, a hefty salary, an air-conditioned house – where in all the drapes and windows are always closed, where one has everything he wants but does not relate to the nature cycles – when it rained, when it snowed, when was the last time I really looked at the moon, when was the last time I felt the breeze on my cheeks, when does it dawn and how long is the day? It has been scientifically proven that being affluent does not make one content. It just gives a surge of excitement for a while which is temporary, by nature. Once you posses a thing, the graph of excitement rapidly goes down and one starts looking for other things to satisfy his urge to posses. Thus it is a paradox that having more stuff will not make one satisfied, but hungry to look for more stuff, in turn making him unsatisfied and hence, unhappy. What we really 'need' is to be loved and not just keep on having more stuff. Have you ever thought that being with our parents, friends, partners and giving them everything – emotionally, is more satisfying than watching T.V or giving out a big and expensive gift. As I like to say, emotions are best expressed through emotions!

Yes, I was talking about being an aware customer, a responsible person and a sustainable citizen. I always relate the notion of being 'human' to being 'sustainable'. Being sustainable is not just using 'green' products, using public transport or using less paper. It is also about being responsible for what we do, respecting ourselves, others and the planet. Sustainability is about being satisfied with what we have, what we are and being happy. Even though we keep on producing, consuming and trashing 'stuff', even though we demean nature's best resources, even though we have invented the fastest ways of globe trotting and in turn polluting the planet, even though we have become loners, we still feel the need to socialize, the need to be cared for, the need to be loved, as we did in any era. The fact that we realize that our world has limited resources and that we all live in one single home, we tend to get even closer and our world shirks to become one big human family. After all, sustainability is all about being what we are – humans!

A business that makes people feel cared about, one that promises being light on the earth (e.g: is durable, is non-toxic) and has a purpose that people connect with, is likely to be sustainable.