Awareness.
Recently, while with a friend of mine, I spotted another Hummer zooming by. As I have mentioned to him before, I said how utterly disgusted I was with people who drive hummers. I always want to see who’s driving, expecting to see a face who can give me an answer as to to why....WHY, in the midst of the current crisis we have going on in the world with the unending war, global warming and in general, our environmental crisis, you would purchase such a vehicle that contributes even more to our dependence.
Well, my friend said something to me that sounds rather simple. But it’s true. They have not connected the dots.
Then, I began to feel both understanding and frustration at the same time. It is true. The hummers are those beside us every day...our neighbors, even some friends who in our own personal opinions, do not uphold our standard of what should be done to make this world a better place. I felt a sense of compassion for a second, but not a whole lot of understanding.
I’m guilty. I admit. I drive a vehicle that emits carbon dioxide, although it’s under the current standard therefore passes the smog test. I buy gasoline...thus perpetuating dependence on petroleum oil for me to get to work, get to wherever I need to. I even drive by myself without carpooling.
So, why....WHY should I be frustrated and angry with people who drive hummers?
I was in Grass Valley, California a little over a year ago. I was in Grass Valley at a motel while helping in a facilitation in an open adoption between my daughter, her newborn and a wonderful family whom we are grateful for. Needless to say, this was an emotional weekend. Evidently, I hit a hummer convention weekend. As I walked outside my motel room door there were 20, no probably up to 30 hummers driving up, people in the parking lot, as if they had no care in the world except to acknowledge and praise each other for the golden achievement of driving a hummer.
This morning, I hurried into the market to grab something before heading to work in my little pick-up. In drove a hummer with a personalized license plate. For some reason, TODAY...I was going to say something to the driver of the hummer. I was going to say something like, do you realize the energy you are expending with that vehicle? Do you realize you could purchase a vehicle that uses less gas and thus less energy which would help in some small way toward not having so much dependence on foreign oil? Do you realize by having your particular vehicle, you are representing an interest, you are buying into an interest that perpetuates our dependence on foreign oil, hence, keeping our boys and girls in Iraq. Do you realize your purchase is contributing to continued dependence and death.
Oh, I understand...the vehicle itself is what, 50k? Yes, I understand. For some reason it makes you look better, feel better...be better. Do you really connect the dots? Do you really understand how with your action, there is always a reaction? Do you really think?
Do you really care?
Mind you, I always check out who is driving them. From what I have observed, it crosses all boundaries.
I want to say something to each individual. I want to know what is going on in the heads of people who for all sake and purpose, on the outside, do not seem to care at all. I’m sure they do, but it’s just frustrating folks.
At what point can I ask this question and not appear rude? Maybe there’s a point where we can politely point out things to others and hope that maybe somehow, someway, they will start to connect the dots because they may not have even thought about it before.
What’s scarier to me though is that they are aware of what they are doing to contribute to a meltdown, but choose to do it anyway.
Thoughts from all of you would be appreciated.
Thanks =)