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It's Time to Say: Enough

Illustration of a cornucopia spilling miniature houses, cars, and goods across a world map, symbolizing abundance and resources available to all.
We have enough to go around.

Open the news (any news) on any morning and it feels like we’re extras in Apocalypse: The Sequel. Missiles, crime waves, political meltdowns, climate collapse . . . cue ominous soundtrack.


It’s not that these crises aren’t real. They are very real. But notice what’s missing: the reminder that humanity isn’t running on empty.


Here’s a fact that never makes the front page: we have enough.


Enough food to feed the world. Enough shelter, if we stop treating housing like a slot machine. Enough compassion, if we quit acting like kindness is a rare mineral.


We have enough. And it’s time we spread that truth louder than the prophets of doom.


The Cult of Not-Enough (and Their Agenda)


Of course, enough doesn’t trend. “World Mostly Okay” is not a headline. Scarcity sells. But let’s not be naïve—this isn’t just about clicks.


The Cult of Not-Enough has leaders, and they have an agenda. If we’re busy fighting each other over scraps, they can quietly take the whole feast. They never gamble—they hoard, they stockpile, they put themselves first. And they’ll tell you there’s not enough so you won’t notice they’re already overflowing.


Here’s the kicker: it’s not even necessary. There is enough. Always has been. But “enough” doesn’t centralize power. Fear does. So they bury it under a mountain of panic.


Why? Imagine you hold power over a captive workforce. If your goal is to keep that power and hoard resources for yourself, it makes sense to discredit experts, pit people against each other, and lie. "They're trying to take your [jobs, homes, safety, freedom], and you need me to protect you!"


Ironically, the Cult leaders of Not-Enough reveal their own ignorance and cowardice. We already know teams thrive when members' basic needs are met. You imagined being Scrooge. Now imagine being Scrooge at the end of the book—still comfortable, still free, but also part of a thriving community. In other words, everyone does better when everyone is supported. There is truly no need for us to live this way.


To the Reader Who’s Barely Hanging On


If you’re reading this while wondering how to cover the oil bill, or the phone bill, or rent—pause here. I see you. That’s me, too. I’m not writing this from some cushy perch with all the bills on autopay. I’m staring down the same numbers you are, trying to stretch them across the month. It’s exhausting.


And no, I’m not an ostrich with my head in the sand. I’m working hard every day to figure it out. Just like you.


Here’s what I know: it doesn’t have to be this way. The fact that you and I are carrying this strain doesn’t mean we’re failures, freeloaders, or “on the take.” We work. We contribute to our communities. We own our mistakes. We do our best. And that is enough.


The lie is that we are the problem.

The truth is that the system is tilted, and the cult leaders of Not-Enough benefit from keeping us scrambling.


Living (and Spreading) the Word of Enough


So how do we resist Scarcity Theater without pretending the world is perfect? We practice and preach the Word of Enough:


  1. Cut the Doom Diet. Scarcity screams through your screens. You don’t have to binge it. One or two news checks a day is portion control for your sanity.


  2. Name Your Enough. A meal, a roof, a text from someone who cares—that’s enough. Not everything, not perfection, but enough.


  3. Boost the Quiet Wins. Talk about the stories that prove abundance is real: neighbors helping neighbors, communities thriving, gardens in abandoned lots.


  4. Give Like You Mean It (when and how you can). Volunteer an hour, donate what you can, offer a kind word. Each act says out loud: there is enough, and I’m choosing to share it.


  5. Preach the Word. Scarcity has a megaphone, so enough needs a choir. Say it at the dinner table, in the office, online: we have enough, you are enough. Spread it until the lie of not-enough cracks and the hoarders can’t fool us anymore


Enough Said


Yes, the world is messy. Always has been. But we don’t have to live trapped in Scarcity Theater or manipulated by its cult leaders.


We can flip the script. We can live like there’s enough, act like there’s enough, and remind each other of it until the message drowns out the fearmongers.


Will it take time? Yes.

Will it be easy? No.

Will it be worth it? Absolutely.


Because the most radical rumor you can start right now is this: There is enough. You are enough. And together, we can make enough visible.


Media Literacy Matters


Cartoon of a muscular green superhero labeled “The Credible Hulk” with the slogan “Always cites sources!” emphasizing the importance of media literacy and fact-checking.
Media literacy matters.

If you've been around for a minute, you know I'm a middle and high school teacher with a passion for media literacy. I've done my homework, and I encourage you to do yours. Below is an annotated bibliography of my sources for this post. Please don't take me at my word; check and evaluate the links yourself. Unlike Cult Leaders of Scarcity, I want you to fact check me. In fact, I dare you to do it.


And if I may offer further encouragement, please hold your favorite pundits, politicians, and influencers to the same standard.



Annotated Bibliography of Enough


Food


We already produce more than enough food to feed the entire world. The problem isn’t production—it’s waste, inequality, and poor distribution.


Energy (Fuel & Power)


We have abundant fuel and rapidly growing renewable energy capacity. The issue isn’t availability but how fast we transition to smarter, cleaner systems.


Shelter


The world doesn’t lack houses—it suffers from mismatches: affordability gaps, location problems, and inequitable access.



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