Getting a new issue of Dense Discovery is always a treat and stimulates the mind. The latest issue, #316, really got me thinking. It mentioned an essay by Vincent Sanchez-Gomez about “guilt-offsetting” in corporate philanthropy. His words hit home:

“Adding a charitable initiative to a business model that relies on extractive and harmful practices is a bit like frosting a rotten cake – it might taste a little sweeter, but the cake is still going to make you sick.”

This idea of guilt-offsetting stuck with me. It made me wonder about two things:

1. How do we use guilt-offsetting in our personal lives?

I started thinking about all the little things we do to feel better about our not-so-great habits. Like buying organic to make up for an unhealthy diet, or recycling while still consuming too much. Why do we do this? Is it just to feel less guilty, or is there more to it?

2. What about eco-friendly products?

Are they really helping, or are they just another way to offset guilt? Do they actually benefit the environment, or are they creating new problems we’re not seeing?

I don’t have answers yet, but I’m excited to dig deeper into these ideas. Once things slow down at work (after NYE), I plan to explore this further. It feels like there’s a lot to unpack here about how we think about our impact on the world.