Contradictions in belief systems

Is this a Vancouver phenomenon or is the problem more widespread? Has anyone else run into the contradiction amongst your peers that believe their lifestyle (usually vegan) and habits (bike riding) cause fewer environmental issues and profess to respect all peoples etc. Except that their lifestyle betrays their disrespect, for example I know an artist who claims to be environmentally sensitive, yet freely use hair color with damaging chemicals, never hesitate to get rides in other people's cars, and create their art so that it can be transferred to a PVC format. PVC is the most dangerous kind of plastic on the planet and yet the same person who claims to be respectful of all environmental issues is basically making a living polluting the planet with no explanation as to this inherent contradiction so go figure why no one is calling them out on it. Do people just have their heads in the sand or do they just not care? I confess, I am at a loss to explain nail polish and cosmetics and hair color being used as if they were harmless, by vegan bike riding small footprint types. Why is everyone pretending they are "woke" when their personal habits reflect thoughtlessness?

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Shhhhh... You're not allowed to say the baddest word of all

Nov 19, 2022 at 10:06pm

"woke". Your friends will now reject you from your peer group because they're really open-minded.

1 5Rating: -4

Mr. Woke

Nov 19, 2022 at 10:07pm

I enforce woke policy amongst my friend group. If they fall out of line, even if it is just comes down to fashion, they're out!

1 4Rating: -3

Hypocrites

Nov 20, 2022 at 10:00am

I find most of them to be hypocrites. You’re not alone in your thinking. They talk a good talk, but actions speak louder than words. I find there’s also a lot of condescension in the way they express their views to others. They walk this moral high ground then do all these things that are contrary to their own beliefs. It’s like they turn a blind eye to certain things because it benefits them.

1 6Rating: -5

Hypocritical behavior

Nov 20, 2022 at 10:57am

I think a lot of people that cling to virtue signaling lifestyles are merely doing so to compensate and excuse themselves for various shortcomings in other aspects of their life that keep them feeling like unfulfilled failures. This behavior just results in hypocrisy.

1 2Rating: -1

Christine A

Nov 21, 2022 at 9:11am

I lived like that, for years: No television, no use of cars, Vegan, only natural hair dyes, and then none at all. So many debates, "If I travel, the cleanest way is to go via car, but all the car rentals available have some sort of animal material in them...", "If I get this faux leather for shoes, is it worse for the world than if I use actual leather? What about the dyes used in it, how will they eventually break down?", "Was the vanilla in the Vegan scone I just ate sustainably sourced? Were there any pesticides in the wheat?", "Oh, Quinoa is so ethically problematic, I'm not sure I can have any"...It led to me becoming so socially isolated and utterly exhausted from caring too much, about too many things that I eventually broke. I'm still recovering and it's been years.

I work/ worked as a writer and worried about the harms of the pulp and paper industry I was partially causing with every column I wrote. Are you aware that you contributed to deforestation by placing your words in print with your confession? Are all of your clothes fair-trade organic and naturally dyed?

Yes we need better choices, yes there is some hypocrisy, which you are also guilty of, but we have to colour within the lines we have. Some, like yourself and your friend, colour far better than the majority of us.

Be supportive and proud of the good people in your life. Please be gentler with them, and gentler with yourself.

4 1Rating: +3

How about

Nov 21, 2022 at 3:13pm

you just work on perfecting your own authenticity and harmony with nature, instead of focusing on the inconsistencies of others.
Teach by example.

4 1Rating: +3

Yawn

Nov 21, 2022 at 8:13pm

Get a life.

3 1Rating: +2

Trying to be perfect is impossible, but

Nov 23, 2022 at 3:09pm

Better some conscientious action than none at all!

4 1Rating: +3

Better than nothing?

Nov 24, 2022 at 7:35pm

Isn't making some effort than living in the suburbs with two cars and two kids? As an immigrant, one thing I find interesting with western culture and American suburbia is how the lifestyle demands consumption. Since you become car dependent, everything you have to do becomes a massive chore, you can't pop in for some fresh produce grocery shopping on your way back from work.

Houses demand a lot of furniture, and with no services in close proximity (gym, cinema, public baths, library etc), each house owner wants their own gym, their own home cinema, their own pool etc in this never-ending pursue of comfort (due to car dependency)... American suburbia is tailored around exploiting consumer patterns amongst its inhabitants, it systematically demands and exploits you to consume more.

I also find it interesting that some people feel suburbia is a reenactment of western colonialism, maybe there's some truth to that? Just a thought.

5 2Rating: +3

They’re trying

Nov 27, 2022 at 7:19pm

Just like many of us, they’re trying to at least be aware of the impact of certain choices. But let’s face it, we are not perfect creatures. And unless you happen to live somewhere completely off the grid and grow all of your own food, make all of your own clothes from your own sources, then chances are good that you will not be 100% successful at being completely environmentally friendly. There are a million hypocritical things that people do all the time, so I think that if you’re at least trying to do your best then we should let people be. Unless of course you’re one of those mythical perfect people, then lighten up.

4 1Rating: +3

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