A wise friend of mine pointed out that whenever we become passionate about an issue, we can usually count on, in the same moment, becoming a hypocrite. Most issues have layers of complexity and shades of gray, and the people examining them have their own biases, temperaments, priorities, backgrounds, and even ignorances. Nothing is simple, and we all have equal right to our views and resulting choices. I'll defend anyone's right to that even when I emphatically disagree with them. We're all on our own journey.
Usually when I rant about something, I eventually remember of all that and my rant fizzles out before I ever get around to typing it. I can count on one hand the issues that, for me, would get out of my own head, past that filter, and wind up here as a rant. But all winter I've been seeing students (on the campus where I work) with Canada Goose jackets. Are all these kids really going off to polar expeditions or climbing Everest over their holidays, which is about the level of cold these coats were designed for? Can they really justify the need for a fur ruff to keep their faces from freezing in southern Ontario? No, they are walking to and from class draped in coyote in the name of nothing more than having a trendy, expensive status symbol. An unnecessary, wasteful, insulting, offensive and disrespectful status symbol. And call me a hypocrite in my own down jacket if you like - I'll be the first to agree that I have blood on my hands just like we all do - but it still really pisses me off.
3 comments:
Word.
This is interesting to me because I see attitudes shifting on this issue(maybe stemming from the McCartney's dissing Canada's seal hunt?). I especially have noticed a different attitude here in Sudbury. Lots of hunters and the requisite down coats (and I admit to secretly coveting them) and fur to distinguish social class. But I am a hypocrite as well. I criticize and yet I have a vest, duvet, pillows, sleeping bag all made with down. But I still completely can understand your angst at the wasteful bourgeoisie (if I can use such a pretentious term). But it's important to get those feelings out there, otherwise people just get picked up in the current of the status quo. (Did I just have a mini rant myself? Sorry!).
I completely agree with you.
Hell Yeah!, I rant all the time! Why I think figure skating isn't a sport (or golf, or NASCAR) Why my job is more important than your job, why the person that came up with the name Labradoodle should be stoned to death! These things are what makes life worth living. Lets face it the things that we hate seem to bring us togther more than a mutual love of something anyway. Look at the middle east!
So I say bring on the rants and lets all hate stuff together
hahahaha
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