so i dont really know what earth day even means. and ill likely become less popular for some of my ideas. but that doesnt matter. first of all. i dont really like hippies. they usually smell bad. as for earth day, i definitely think myself, as well as society in general (at least in the 'western world'), and especially old mr. harper need to change something about how we live and consume. we are not doing ourselves a favor and if i ever have kids, they are gonna be feeling it a lot more than we are today.
at the same time, i also think that a lot of it is a fear campaign. we are so good at falling for those. "oh no, a few people died of bird flu, watch out, or else", "y2k is coming soon, buy as much stuff as you can so you dont die when the computers all quit", "west nile is taking over the world, cover your body with our chemicals and you will be okay", and the list could go on. i think you all know what im talking about..we are constantly living in some sort of 'fear' because of the way we buy into mainstream media. now im starting to sound all political like blair, so i better wrap things up...all of these are problems and likely need to be dealt with on some level, and climate change and the overall condition of 'our' globe is somewhat troubling, but lets all use some common sense, lets try and be conscious of our decisions but lets also learn to think for ourselves. thats all.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
studying in saskatoon
7 comments:
i agree about the role the media plays in issues of fear.
i also think it should be said, though, that there's an equally active role that the media plays on the other side of the spectrum. i've just read 3 blogs in a row that all refer to tree-hugging, smelly hippies--the ones who care about the earth.
pardon my french, but how in HELL did we let 'the man' sell us on this stereotype--that its only some weird extremists that care about stuff like the earth, and not normal people? does that make sense? tree-hugging hippies is about as smart a line as "peace-loving hippies". none of us would want to be told that its only some weird, eccentric, quirky sub-culture that is trying to push for peace.
make any sense?
jerms, i'm trying to figure out whether that's an insult or not...i'll take it as a compliment.
It is amazing how the media does have an effect your thought. Even being in Calgary, oil headquaters, is probably a skewed a little more. I do think there is a grain of truth in alot of what is out there, but your right common sense must prevail. If the media is using fear tactic's for the benifit of the enviroment now, and there are positive changes as a result, in the end that is not a bad thing from my view. Making people aware of there role in enviromental damage is a good awareness to have, and better than living clueless of your impact.
Canada is so far behind in all renewable energy growth, compared on a global scale, it is pathetic.
If some on the money that currently flows RD of what to do with our waste and new ways to 'rape our earth', to developing and implementing technologies that reduce waste initailly, I would smile. We need to change our way of life at some point, and the sooner the better media fabricated or not.
dave,
Tree-huggin hippies is just a common cultural reference, no one actually thinks that these are the enviromnetal crusaders of the millenium, just a phrase. I do think that it is the norm to say you care about the earth, and not the norm to put extra effort in how we live. Again these are thought's from oil town where companies envirmonetal initiatives are a popular marketing tool and diversion from the excessive earth destruction.
Happy earth day,
Kori
I do think that a part of thinking for yourself is educating yourself, and some of that info will come from the media. They aren't completely out to lunch, especially if they have over 90% of the world's top scientists backing them up.
As for Dave's comment on the stereotyping, I think that's exactly why we use the hippie references. We have people on the other end of the spectrum that like to point at environmentalists and shout hippie. Like Kori mentioned, it's not uncommon to hear that sort of thing in Calgary. Lots of eye rolling at the recyclers over here. Maybe we're just trying to say it doesn't have to be one extreme or the other.
Anyway, I don't know Jeremy and I'm writing on his blog. I think that makes me weird or presumptuous or hippyish or something.
Angie
You stink.....hippie.
what? you hate hippies because they smell bad? i thought you prided yourself on smelling bad - no showers, no deoderant, and no 'going outside' if you need to fart! hypocrite.
canucks rule. bring on Anaheim.
Love Karl
Post a Comment