Divergent perspectives

A thought experiment

Hello fellow travelers; friends, family, interested parties, fellow writers.  My hope for you tonight is that you have peace in your life, and someone to share it with who sees the true you.

Lately I’ve been thinking about divergent perspectives within my own circle of thoughts, judgments, justifications, likes, and dislikes. I’d like to share some with you but it comes with a warning.  Some of the content may offend or disturb some readers.  TBH, I find much of it disturbing and probably that’s why getting it out there – raw and fully disclosed – is a personal effort to process and find peace with my internal discourse. Regardless of my reasons for writing this down, consider yourself warned and, as always, feel free to provide honest feedback in a comment – all are welcome.

Practicing the “three Rs” of waste management

Over the last five years, I have made many incremental changes in my personal consumer and waste management behavior.  While I was raised to be a conscious consumer and active participant in recycling efforts, my awareness of the impact today’s consumer culture has on the environment and earth sustainability has opened my eyes to the need to do so much more than sorting my waste for curb pickup. It started with a commitment to bring my own cup for to-go coffee and grew from there with a plethora of minor changes to stop adding garbage to the landfill.  There are many zero waste lists available on the Internet, but leave me a comment if you want to see mine.  I believe it is absolutely essential for every person in developed countries to adopt as many zero waste and conservation efforts as they can stand in order to have any hope of changing the trajectory of the climate disaster we find ourselves in.  AND YET… I see so many people going about their day seemingly without a thought of what they are buying, consuming, using, and discarding.  Excessive consumerism and waste is deeply engrained in our culture despite the warnings, educational efforts, and constant reminders in the form of newsworthy disasters “caused by climate change.”  I wonder to myself, what is the point of turning myself inside out to keep from adding another plastic item to the landfill or ocean? On a good day, I remind delude myself that my actions will spur others to make changes and maybe that’s true – I rarely see evidence of it.  On a bad day, I lose hope in humanity and decide we’re getting what we deserve. In the end, it doesn’t change anything for me.  Unless I do everything I can to be a part of the solution instead of the problem, I won’t be able to sleep at night or be ok with who I am.

Having a pet

I have had pets all my life.  Currently, we have an old Siamese cat who brings us a lot of joy despite the nightly howling session Siamese are known for.  I don’t know the statistics for pet ownership in the US, but I’m guessing more than half of us have one or more pet in the home.  Our relationship with animals is another deeply engrained aspect of culture in this country and I believe the same is true for all developed countries of the world.  Also, while I’m not a historian, I bet evidence of domesticating and using animals to aid humans goes back to when we first started farming – if not further. Animals provide people with companionship, protection, and assistance in many ways, and on the outside, it seems animals benefit equally in large part.  Domesticated animals would not survive without their human in most cases and there is no doubt that many pets develop a deep emotional bond with their owners.  AND YET… When I think about our practice of animal farming and domestication, I can’t help but think about Planet of the Apes.  What would it look and feel like, if the tables were turned and we humans were the ones being farmed or domesticated?  Am I the only person who thinks about this?  Farming, domesticating, hunting, and eating animals are accepted practices questioned by few, and I ask why?  I love my cat, she has a good life, but she is 100% dependant on my husband and me.  Aside for the ones I afford her, she has zero choices in life.  I question how this is ok. Hunting and eating animals for survival – yeah sure – we need to eat and this is a natural part of the ecosystem.  However, this is not what we practice.  In large part, what we do to other animals is unconscionable.

The look good

Growing up, no one told me I had to measure-up to my fellows, but no one had to.  To fit in, to be accepted, one has to adopt the cultural norms of their community.  It’s an intuitive lesson we learn well before gaining an in depth understanding through social education.  As a young women I loved the way it felt when my hair, make up, and clothing were just right, up to par, on fleek (learned the last term from my daughter’s 7^th grade class).  For a long time, until just recently, I tanned my skin in a tanning booth despite the known risks.  Also, at various stages of my life, I colored and premed my hair, wore fake nails, and have seriously considered minor cosmetic surgery.  I have measured my self-worth by how I compare to others in my community, which at times spilled over to my husband and children – extensions of me.  AND YET… I understand this is biology.  We are a social species, and our social norms are wrapped up in mating customs to assure survival.  On the other hand, is it really logical or necessary to distort and mask our appearance?  We’ve all seen the extreme examples - leaving people disfigured in their attempts at measuring-up and looking their best, to fit in with a community.  Does self-worth need to be tied so tightly with appearance?  What does this say about us as a society, as a community, as a culture, as a race, as a species?

Procreation

So, this last one may get some of you very riled up.  Please forgive me in advance if you find my view offensive. I am pro-choice AND I am pro-life.  I take issue with the ease in which we can make an unwanted pregnancy go away.  I don’t know that we can know exactly where or when the line is defining the moment an embryo becomes a life, and ending that life does not feel “right” – for lack of a better word.  However, I do not believe or trust our political system, or any group, to be involved in that decision – for the most part.  It’s a complicated and messy issue for me. Ultimately, on a case-by-case basis, the choice should primarily belong to the person(s) faced with consequences of the decision.  AND YET… Our culture, our society, our communities have, at times, done a piss poor job at providing protection, nurture, and love for many of the children born to it. Thank God, or whatever you pray to, that this is the exception and not the rule, and I hope that is true. Nevertheless, some people should simply not have children and I wish there were more effective methods or options to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Or, dare I say, prevent people not capable of protecting, nurturing and loving a child from being able to conceive.  Who should have the power to make that judgment? Well there’s the rub.  How does the saying go? – The road to hell is paved with good intentions. That’s all I have to say about that.

What about you?  What do you find conflicting in society, in culture, in your own actions or thoughts?

Peace,

Deanna