Updated: January 2024, C. S. Sherin
Well, let's start right away with the plot. When you seek to change your habits or lifestyle for the better, there are many obstacles to face along the way. One of them is a force of sabotage in the dysfunctional systems that want to keep upholding their dysfunction.
Look at this excerpt from Recipe For A Green Life by CS Sherin (me), "Facing Issues Of Sabotage":
I have it on good authority that we are all, unfortunately, hypocrites. Everyone. All of us. In this human-spun world, it has made us so.
In Recipe For A Green Life, I talk about the favorite contentious accusation often hurled at those aiming to live a life that is more sustainable, more kind, and more conscious or compassionate...."hypocrisy!"
Another favorite is portraying the change or commitment as elite, or backwards and strange.
In general, these are tactics used to disable, neutralize, and otherwise sabotage an urgently needed, healthy and adaptable grassroots movement.
The reality is: any aiming for a counter-cultural, actually sustainable lifestyle contains both forward and backward movement, because the culture is set up against us in countless ways.
We are set up, like salmon who must move upstream in order to fulfill their purpose, but without it being natural for us to continually have to do so. We aren't salmon. But, we have to tap into that kind of energy for it. To put it plainly, corruption is the real problem. Corruption in our systems.
Captain Paul Watson, formerly of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society posted commentary on this glaring issue as well, and as usual, his commentary is some of the most straightforward and honest that I have read.
In the commentary, titled, "We Be Hypocrites Because We Are All Hypocrites," he announces that everyone is a hypocrite because we are set up to be, from the time we get a birth certificate and onward. Captain Watson also indicates that the accusations of hypocrite are meant to sabotage our movements and changing lifestyles. Agreed. And it is so important to realize this, and look it straight in the face as we keep on.
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| Screenshot from FB, 2018 |
Captain Watson was commenting on a scientific article (Sarah Knapton, Science Editor for The Telegraph, Oct. 10 2017, "Conservationists Take Nine Flights A Year, Despite Knowing Danger To Environment, Study Says.") shaming conservationists for flying in airplanes.
Along with Captain Watson's entire commentary, I would add that there is most definitely an active concerted effort to shut down those who stand to protect the Earth and her resources, habitats, biodiversity; as well as the birthrights of every living being to clean safe water, air, and soil.
Globally this, year after year, takes the shape of unanswered murders of active conservationists, mainly Indigenous peoples around the world, who risk their lives to protect habitats, species, livelihood, and resources, like water.
We have all been made hypocrites from the start.
I address this in many ways in Recipe For A Green Life.
If sabotage is the starting point for everyone, and the mire we exist in, everything we do to correct the distortion and destruction is important, yes, vital. Not only that, as we wake up to the dire crises and needs before us, and find we are entrapped in some ways, it can feel hopeless.
That is until we realize that there are countless choices and actions we can take every day, which have far-reaching and positive influences on life, on the future, and upone one's own self-worth.
Whenever someone starts pointing the hypocrite finger rather than actually doing something, it is simply a game of power, control, distraction, and dominance. Shrug it off, or call foul, and keep going.
Don't stop. Keep going.
I would say that the obvious and continuous aims for sabotage upon movements of environmentalists, social justice, and movements related (minimalism, plastic-free, cruelty-free, toxin-free, zero-waste, permaculture, organic, Fair Trade, sustainable diets, civil rights, an end to cruelty, conservation, ethical standards and rights like equality and equity, and issues related to race and discrimination, etc), indicate that we have real power to change some things, and we definitely do best to keep going with it, no matter what!
This reminder to "not back down" is in warm memory of recently deceased and beloved musician, Tom Petty:
I got just one life
In a world that keeps on
pushin' me around,
But I'll stand my ground
I won't back down, No, I won't back down."
~ Tom Petty
CS Sherin, Recipe For A Green Life 2018© Please feel free to share this article--in its entirety with author, source credit, and this copyright notice--on social media and for non-commercial educational purposes only.
