Open Letter to the Choir Preachers
The last while I have had a few friends that have jumped onto the eco-political/activism band wagon, and as much as I know that these things are good and that these movements need supporters, there are a few of them out of this group of newcomers I want to tell to go fuck themselves.
All through the entire time I was at school in Langara I was a practicing vegetarian. I rode my bike almost every day to school, I didn't spend recklessly, I didn't drive, I chose a job that helped promote this and when it became to monetarily driven I sought out a new job that supported my ideals, I spatially located myself to be more sustainable, I joined a community garden, I talked to people and heard their issues, I helped by volunteering and I was very conscious about my carbon footprint and made a lot of daily decisions based on these feelings and values. My opinions on these issues were also discussed openly through class discussions and conversations that happened within our close knit program group and at work. I endured many conversations involving dumbass comments such as 'if you can't put gas in it, I ain't going to ride it', 'if there isn't meat in it, then what's the point of eating it' and 'you can't really change anything, so why bother?'.
Subsequently now, some of these same people have recently began to revoke their unsustainable practices and have become vegetarian, and are finding ways to become generally more sustainable and to be more politically and environmentally active. And in doing so, they are spreading their influence to the people they know in an effort to educate and to change poor habits and spread awareness to causes they find important.
As much as I am glad to see that finally some of these people have changed their ways, they are at the same time really beginning to piss me off, and mostly it pisses me off because they have turned around and started preaching to me about the state of the world as if for some reason I have been completely oblivious all along. I have been preached to regarding environmental this and political that and all I really want to do during these conversations is to punch whoever is talking in the face and tell them to shut the fuck up because for all the years that they have known me, going on three now, not only had I been one of the voices that were trying to educate them, but I was also one of the people that had to endure frustrating years of them ribbing me about my 'fanatical hippie' position and had to go home and try to prevail and remain true to my beliefs over their general de-motivation and negativity; it is much easier to give in and not fight back, but I stayed true.
So to those of you that have just acquired your soapbox and have recently dislocated your shoulder while making that sudden jump onto the bandwagon, quit fucking preaching at me. As much as I respect and applaud the fact that your blinders have been removed and you are now suddenly aware of the things that are really happening all around you, I have a hard time respecting you and your opinions and your motives for doing so considering all the shit you have put me through.
I will close by saying that if you want to collaborate on something and work forward, let me know because I am all ears, but if you want to preach at me and dazzle me with your new found knowledge, turn your fucking soapbox around and see who really needs to hear it.
All through the entire time I was at school in Langara I was a practicing vegetarian. I rode my bike almost every day to school, I didn't spend recklessly, I didn't drive, I chose a job that helped promote this and when it became to monetarily driven I sought out a new job that supported my ideals, I spatially located myself to be more sustainable, I joined a community garden, I talked to people and heard their issues, I helped by volunteering and I was very conscious about my carbon footprint and made a lot of daily decisions based on these feelings and values. My opinions on these issues were also discussed openly through class discussions and conversations that happened within our close knit program group and at work. I endured many conversations involving dumbass comments such as 'if you can't put gas in it, I ain't going to ride it', 'if there isn't meat in it, then what's the point of eating it' and 'you can't really change anything, so why bother?'.
Subsequently now, some of these same people have recently began to revoke their unsustainable practices and have become vegetarian, and are finding ways to become generally more sustainable and to be more politically and environmentally active. And in doing so, they are spreading their influence to the people they know in an effort to educate and to change poor habits and spread awareness to causes they find important.
As much as I am glad to see that finally some of these people have changed their ways, they are at the same time really beginning to piss me off, and mostly it pisses me off because they have turned around and started preaching to me about the state of the world as if for some reason I have been completely oblivious all along. I have been preached to regarding environmental this and political that and all I really want to do during these conversations is to punch whoever is talking in the face and tell them to shut the fuck up because for all the years that they have known me, going on three now, not only had I been one of the voices that were trying to educate them, but I was also one of the people that had to endure frustrating years of them ribbing me about my 'fanatical hippie' position and had to go home and try to prevail and remain true to my beliefs over their general de-motivation and negativity; it is much easier to give in and not fight back, but I stayed true.
So to those of you that have just acquired your soapbox and have recently dislocated your shoulder while making that sudden jump onto the bandwagon, quit fucking preaching at me. As much as I respect and applaud the fact that your blinders have been removed and you are now suddenly aware of the things that are really happening all around you, I have a hard time respecting you and your opinions and your motives for doing so considering all the shit you have put me through.
I will close by saying that if you want to collaborate on something and work forward, let me know because I am all ears, but if you want to preach at me and dazzle me with your new found knowledge, turn your fucking soapbox around and see who really needs to hear it.