Sanctimonious bullshit
K, people all have personal codes of ethics and morality. I don't care what your religion is, your moral code is personal to you. We all have strong beliefs about something.
There are a shitload of great causes to support out there. How does one choose one and say that it is the only cause worth supporting, then insist that everyone follow that cause with equal fervor or even in the same way? Do not sit there and insist that I should follow your code, it ain't happening and I'll tell you why.
I may believe in your code whole heartedly, say your cause is living cruelty free, for example. You do your homework about animal cruelty and find PETA's secret list of bad guys to avoid. Good for you, but you've only scratched the surface of the problem. Even if you never buy anything from anyone on PETA's list, you're still not living cruelty free.
Ever wear leather, wool, silk? Got anything filled with down or feathers? Eat eggs or dairy products? Buy anything from China or Taiwan? Do you own a diamond? Do you eat marshmallows, meat, poultry, fish, gelatin, brown sugar or foods containing such? Ever use medications, household cleaners, make-up, personal hygiene products, fertilizers, pesticides or anything man-made? What do you feed your pets? Ever squash an insect? Did you know that plants actually feel pain? Did you know that animals die to bring you wood (yeah, animals live in trees and forests, believe it of not)? Did you know that germs are living creatures and most diseases are caused by living organisms? Where do you draw the line? Do you decide that animals are more important than people? People are more important than animals? Do you draw the line at saying that mammals deserve rights, and nothing else or only animals we keep as pets? Seriously, where do you draw the fucking line? And what gives you the fucking right to insist that everyone else must follow suit?
At some point everything we touch has caused suffering in some way to some creature. The very house you live in is saturated with the blood of horribly murdered animals who died when the land was developed and the trees were killed. Honestly, cruelty-free is a catchword for a political agenda. It is a beautiful dream, but a dream nonetheless. Get over yourself, you are an animal and nothing will ever change that. You will cause other beings to suffer and die for your entire life and you cannot change that. It is up to you how you choose to deal with that. You can choose to minimize the damage to the best of your ability, but don't expect it of anyone else.
People pick and choose the way they assuage their guilt for being human. I, for one, choose to avoid diamonds for the pain and suffering they bring to Africans. I never use Iams pet food because they torture animals and Nutro is a far superior brand anyway. I don't eat at McDonalds because of their use of beef raised on deforested rainforest land. I don't go to circuses (circii?) that use animal acts. I avoid a shitload of other things because I choose to do so. No-one convinced me to do this, I chose it. I don't intend to convince you, I'm just making a point.
Save the environment is another big one that people love to shove down your throat. Newsflash: The environment will be here long after the plague that is mankind has ceased to exist. Yeah, I said it, we ain't saving shit except ourselves. Don't make it some grandiose fucking thing as though it were more than self preservation. Do you honestly think it will matter to this fucking rock if we're not here? Get over yourself, you ain't important to the Earth, just another ant.
Now I'm not saying you shouldn't try, that's what makes us feel all superior to the other species with whom we share this rock. By all means do your best to make a difference, but don't shove it down someone else's throat and get pissed when they regurgitate it in your face. Don't delude yourself that you are serving some great, higher purpose. Feel free to share your point of view with others who are willing to listen, WILLING being the operative word there. I mean if you don't share your causes with other people and explain why you are so fervent about them, how will you express what an awesome do-gooder you really are? Hey, you may even win someone over to your cause.
People seem to have replaced religion with such causes. I suppose it is just another symptom that mankind is moving out of adolescence and into maturity. We no longer look to the parent/deity to guide us, but to ourselves. As we move away from the deity/parent we, like all children leaving the nest, are filled with high ideals and grandiose dreams. This is a natural part of growing up as a person or as a race. We are not yet willing to accept our failings and flaws.
As a society we are becoming more aware of the suffering we cause and more willing to try to make the world a better place for all creatures great and small. We're not all there yet, but we are getting there. In the meantime just accept that some people, countries and cultures are riding the short bus and some just don't believe in your cause at all. You will never change any of these people, but fighting with them over your beliefs can give you a feeling of smug superiority. Hey, if that's what you're after far be it from me to really give a shit. Just don't start any sanctimonious bullshit with me 'cause I'll stick my carbon footprint in your ass, clear? I know who I am and I know how much I can reasonably accomplish. Better still, I know exactly what I'm willing to accomplish and that is the key.
I leave you with this video link, which my gorgeous daughter, thea_bea posted as a response to a comment on her brother's LJ. Gods, I love that girl.
It's Not Easy Being Green
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