Privileged Litterbugs
I was talking with someone the other day about the challenges of the being homeless and those who choose to live homeless.
Years ago a clergy friend was sharing with him about how some of his homeless parishioners choose to live that way because they are free to live how they want to. They don’t have to worry about following rules, paying bills or stuff like that. It opened my eyes to stop feeling sorry for them but ask them what they might need or want. To see them on a more level playing field. Honestly, I feel a pang of jealousy when I think about living my life not caring what everyone else thought and not feeling tied down to a location, mortgage, job, etc but to be “free”.
As the conversation went on the person mentioned how it wouldn’t bother them so much if the homeless would not leave their trash laying around or be so messy. I came back rather sharply with “our privilege causes a lot of trash and mess as well, but we don’t always see it.” They looked at me like I was crazy. I went on “our cars emit fumes, we order stuff and have it delivered creating more pollution, we have the luxury of traveling thousands of miles creating more and more pollution, and packaging waste for all the things we order or can buy.”
They responded “well that doesn’t affect them” and I was dumb founded. “Really? Pollution doesn’t affect everyone? Waste from packages or over purchasing of things we just throw away doesn’t affect others?”
Sigh…. oh it is amazing how our privilege can make us blind to our own faults and give us “permission” to judge others.
I wonder what I believe and practice in my privileged life that I could do better to lessen my impact on others? One thing I’m trying is to give things away instead of throwing them away. I also try to find things for free before I mindlessly order something I “need”.