Let me start out by saying this blog is about me and a reflection on my emotions. This is not about me passing judgement on anyone else. It may not seem like that at first, but just keep reading, it will make sense.
I happen to know this lady (no, it's not my wife). She is an Obama supporter and pretty bold about it. Which is fine. We have the freedom of speech in this country. That is why I can type this blog. She is a nice lady but for some reason her pulling out a tupperware container really grinded on me. I thought to myself, "how unbelievably pretentious". Then I heard someone at the table compliment her on bringing the tupperware and I wanted to pipe in and tell them how dumb it was. Someone also said they they were going to recycle the styrofoam container to this lady. I guess the tupperware made everyone feel guilty and somehow it made the lady a better person than the rest of us. I, on the other hand, wanted to grab more styrofoam, stand on a chair and announce that "I was not going to use it and I was not going to recycle it". I wanted to make this a fair and balanced conversation since everyone else was going out of their way to say how wonderful it was that she brought a tupperware container.
But I did not say a word. I know when and where to speak my mind. I grinned through my teeth and just went about my meal. I knew that even if I said something, that it wouldn't matter. This person is so stuck in their beliefs that I would have just been a gnat that was buzzing in their ear. Kind of like myself, if she would have tried to convince me to recycle. I feel that recycling is like trying to empty the ocean with a thimble during a torrential downpour.
Then I began to, dare I say, admire her. There are so many people in this world that are posers. They talk about saving the environment and then they change their light bulbs to the coil bulbs and think they saved the world. There are people who say they want to make a difference and never do anything to make that difference. So, I began to admire this lady. She believes in something and she lives her life that way. I am a big believer in leading by example. She is doing just that, even if I don't agree with it, she is taking a stand and living her life that way.
Now, on the flip side, I don't agree with her and that frustrates me. So I began to ask myself this question, What bothers me more...people who are so engrained in their beliefs that they are nazi like or people who preach about doing something and never do it? The obsessed or the posers? I honestly don't have the answer. I am still reflecting on this.
After all was said and done, she wasn't bothering me. She didn't ask me why I didn't bring a tupperware container and she didn't try to get me to vote for Obama. She was just living her life and trying to make the world a better place, in her eyes. So why does that bother me? Some would say because it makes me feel guilty that I am not doing the same. I disagree. I have given this much thought. I think it's because I am afraid of these people being in charge and forcing their beliefs on me. I don't want the government or anyone forcing me to recycle.
If they want to force recycling on people, I have a great idea that will create jobs and encourage recycling. How about we all throw our trash away in one bin. Then it goes to the "sorting plant" where we have "sorters" who will decide what can be recycled and what cannot. That way, I don't have to worry if this bottle is a 3 or a 2 and if it can be recycled. Leave it up to someone else and it will create jobs. I'm still not 100% on board with this idea but I feel it would be a bi-partisan compromise.
So, I applaud this lady and her audacity to create more work for herself and try to change the world. I however will not be entertaining this idea. That is what makes this country such a great place, freedom. She can do what she wants and I have the freedom to blog about it.
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