I’ve been away from home this week, in the company of an older relative with very different world-views than myself. This has led to a number of spirited debates on everything from career goals to the environment to religion to more general life issues. It seems that no matter how clearly I point out the flaws in a specific way of thinking, this person has no inclination to change their ways. Even if they do theoretically realize that I am right and they are wrong, they are still going to continue living the way they do because that’s just the way they live. This causes me to ask myself – can people change? Are younger people more apt to change than older people who are ‘set in their ways’. I’m not saying that someone should change the way they live because I don’t agree with it. But what bothers me is when someone lives in a way that even they will admit damages the environment we live in and impacts the health of society, because they don’t feel like inconveniencing themselves enough to change. In their own words, ‘they will be dead before it becomes their problem’. I just don’t know how to live in a world where someone can be that selfish, and it really bothers me that people think and act that way. What frustrates me even more is that this person has had and survived cancer, a cancer that they admit is more than likely caused by the polluted and toxic environment they live in. And so in reality, they will not be dead before it becomes their problem – because it in itself will kill them. But they don’t get this! And though I am talking about one person in particular, there are many, many in society who share similar views. And at the end of the day, as a ‘young’ member of society, I am the one that will suffer from their destruction of the environment in the long run.
Last week’s post, Are We an Impatient Society? (it seems I have a lot of beefs with society), was included in a number of blog carnivals this week, including:
- Financial Carnival for Young Adults, hosted by 20′s Finances
- Yakezie Carnival, hosted by Daily Money Shot
- Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by Good Financial Cents
- Financial Round-Up, hosted by Wealth Artisan
- Totally Money Carnival, hosted by Thirty Six Months
Many older people can be pretty damn stubborn to change.
As for choosing convenience over the environment, unfortunately 99% of the population does this. Simply by jumping in your car when you can take public transportation, walk, bike, etc, they are making that choice. There are probably hundreds of other little decisions that people make where convenience comes first. I’m all for being good to the environment, but I’m sure there are many things I could be doing better. Even the biggest environmentalist probably isn’t unplugging all of their appliances when not in use or thinking about the environment with every single purchase they make.
As for that pollution giving your older relative cancer, I think that’s a bit extreme. There have been so many products that have been pushed on us dishonestly that are usually the cause of stuff like that. The effects of pollution on a single person are far less unless you happen to live in a very industrial area.
Modest Money recently posted..Beginning of June 2012 Blog Update
Its difficult to change but agree that its frustrating to listen to someone as selfish as you describe.
All you can do is choose to live the way you do and know its the right thing to do!