Why Folks Like Me Aren’t As Popular As Career Coaches (Excerpt from the upcoming book The Musings Of A 21st Century Homo sapien)
Come on now — admit it — we’re just no fun. We’re fad-like sometimes, in that being a “green” promoter can be seen as cool. But when it comes right down to it, we seem to be viewed as a pain in the ass. We aren’t too interested in telling you how to optimize your morning routine and productivity. We aren’t interested in telling you how to make more money and keep yourself seeming valuable to a certain company. The things we say sometimes may seem rather doomsday-ish. The things we point out aren’t always terribly pleasant, because when we talk about overpopulation, over-consumption, stopping poaching, protecting rhinos and elephants, and tigers, and bugs, and glaciers, we’re also usually mentioning some ways in which this impacts your routines. We’re creatures of habit, aren’t we — we human apes?
Intuitively, I think a lot of us understand the concept of limited resources. But we are kinda stuck on our little rat wheels, aren’t we? Most of us are born into one socio-economic-political-religious system or another, and breaking past barriers just isn’t something that “groups” often do.
But it is something that individuals do…
I’m someone who really does believe that one person can make a difference. And I believe that through positive influence and good example, one person becomes two, and three…
Don’t you think it matters to that one animal in the present moment? That one polar bear momma trying to feed her cubs? And don’t you think it will matter to your grandchildren, or any other individual in the future for whom you might have reason to care? It adds up. Everything little modification we make, adds up to make a collective, potentially large impact, and in the long run, as a group, our species can promote even its own survival.
Now here I go, being that pesky environmentalist. We can do more in our personal lives to make positive changes. Let’s not get ourselves into a forced situation where we have to fight over resources. Let’s take a clue from what is going on around us in the natural world. Let’s begin to understand our absolute dependence on the survival of other species.
I know when it boils right down to it, that I’m not going to be the popular one on blogging platforms and bookshelves. I’m not throwing out click bait and telling you how to get rich or to have more self-esteem.
I’m asking you to make changes. I’m asking you to consider what you eat, the packaging on what you purchase. I’m asking you to watch which companies receive your dollars, and to take note of what you wear. Sure, I’m being a royal pain in your ass because I’m not telling you that everything we do for our convenience is “okay.” It’s not okay. So much of it is unethical. That’s not popular because it is not immediately self-serving to the human species.
But consider it — in the long run, it does positively impact our species. Sure, the earth won’t always survive. Our sun and solar system won’t always be in current state. But in the meantime — which happens to be a long time — why can’t we be an ethical, life-promoting, earth-nurturing species? Why can’t we make our Eden for all rather than consume it all to dust?
Is it going to be easy and convenient? Well maybe not at first. But we can establish new routines.
I’m very concerned about the state of things. I’m extremely concerned about other animals. But I still have hope. And I really pray that you will too, and that you’ll consider things that can be done in your own life, to decrease your carbon footprint. And I beg you to consider your food choices, how modern agribusiness runs, and how negatively it impacts our earth. I beg you to consider the pain we cause other species before they make it to our forks. It’s all so unnecessary.
So, we’re cool on the surface — we conservationists — but we start asking you to do things that don’t seem to immediately benefit you, so we don’t garner as much attention as self-help folks.
But that won’t stop me. I’ll keep plugging away.
Please continue to join me on my conservation journey!
