Manipulative Bitch or Innocent Environmentalist? (1678 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.42 on 49 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Durae (View user info) at 2004-06-18 06:27:26 EDT
I'm an asshole who goes door to door to educate the apathetic masses about environmental issues. I'm like a Jehovah's witness, except in this case, God would probably equal weed and tree-hugging is the religion. I interrupt your kid's birthday party, knock on your door after your husband dies, hit you up for donations while you're crying because you put down your cat; I am an inconvenient, persistent jerk.
Tonight, post-"staff night", I was having a meal at Denny's to sober up with some coworkers. We talked about the moral dilemma of manipulation in the form of do-goodery. Only a few people we talk to every night realize that we're trained to push people to do what we tell them. I have to say, even though I'm accused of being manipulative to begin with, the training is crazy effective. Most people are unsuspecting victims of our assumptive language and positivity. I run into a car salesman every now and then who laughs and calls me cute. Men think it's funny when I'm pushy because I'm only five feet tall. (Can anyone say Napoleonic Complex?)
Our bosses use a broad array of euphemisms to convince us that what we're doing is right. We're "public educators," or "community organizers." We work to get everyone involved and empower them.
What we're doing is taking uneducated, uninformed thoughts and molding them to what we want them to think. The vast majority of people we talk to have no idea about Anything we talk to them about. They don't know what wetlands are, what they do, what happens if they aren't protected, who their state senator is, etc. Who Really knows who their state senator is? We give them these answers, albeit in the form of succinct propaganda. We want to bridge that gap between their perception of the world through their tv screen and the world they live in.
But is that really our responsibility?
To me, this stuff is common sense. Duh, clean water is important. Duh, birds and fish are cool. Why do we have to learn persuasive language to get people to give us money? Why do people have to be tricked into caring about something? Why is it so hard to motivate people? Why is it that me coming around once a year for the environment is SUCH a pain in the ass?
I feel simultaneous guilt and self-righteousness. I wish people would defend themselves ideologically by actually thinking and caring about stuff so that people like me can't walk up to their door and tell them what to believe in. I love meeting people at the door who are like fuck you, you're so wrong about this. I waste a lot of my work-time talking to these people instead of leaving to find someone else who will donate. I don't try to convert them, I just listen and ask questions because I want to understand where they're coming from. I love meeting people who are aware of the issue, and are aware of all of the environmental rollbacks the federal government is enacting. I love meeting people who educate me about other issues. A door that disagrees is preferable to a door that is ignorant and apathetic.
I know that we've all seen the ugly face of apathy in the US. I know it's a moot point. It's a moot point that it's moot. It's so moot, look at our current administration. Even though this post is predominantly negative, I'm going to end it on a positive note. There are people out there who care. I've met a lot of them. There are people who will participate in activism when a spark is lit under their asses. There are people who will listen and want to be educated. They don't understand that they still have voices and that they still have power. Sometimes people thank me for coming to their door. I get them to write letters to their representatives, and I get to read their letters. A lot of these senators never get handwritten letters about anything. It scares the crap out of them when they do. We still have power. I encourage everyone to find a few non-profit organizations to support right now. Like mine. Oh and mention my name so I get the commission. Thanks. You can do sixty dollars for us tonight right?
User Reviews
Submitted by peckerhead (user info) at 2005-02-19 12:38:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Have you seen "the Pelican Brief" starring Denzel Washington? (oh yeah, Julia Roberts is in it too) It's Hollywood but it has it's moments especially re the environment. I can imagine what a thankless task it must be to go door-to-door and selflessly do the work you do. +2 for that alone. I work in high tech and a lot of our instrumentation and measuring instruments run on batteries. I personally initiated a policy and procedure for disposing of used and burnt out batteries. We have an excellent waste disposal system in my city - for general and hazardous waste. I would urge that everyone investigate and find out what you can do at a personal level to help regarding pollution and environmental issues. Great post Durae. Keep up the good work!
Submitted by knucklesnelson (user info) at 2004-11-22 15:11:51 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Go shave your legs tree hugger.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-11-22 14:59:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It's difficult being aware amongst a herd of sheep.
Submitted by Socialist_Joe (user info) at 2004-08-08 23:49:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
i am the lorax i speak for the trees
Submitted by Scott_James (user info) at 2004-07-29 03:34:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Big Al at 2004-07-05 00:51:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Durae, I want you to read this directly. I don't mean to be a kiss-up, but I love your work and I would like to ask you if you are going to write anything else. Your messages are true, to-the-point, and fun to read. So, please, are you going to write anymore messages?
Submitted by Phil Osophical (Final comment) at 2004-07-04 23:01:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I'm sorry Durae. I'll stop, it was rude of me and I apologize. I appreciate what you do!
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-04 22:59:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yay for Jerkface! But I still think you could do better. Hey, you should insult famous people too! That would be funny! -Keep up the good work and Go hippies!
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-04 20:11:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
As I said before I love this post. If this post was a man I would make love to it. Durae, I would like to hump your leg like you hump all of the trees in the forest. Go Hippies!
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2004-07-04 13:15:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
haha umm, can I call shenanigans on phil whoever it is? That's a ridiculous amount of complimenting and it's making me uncomfortable.
My organization doesn't endorse Nader or any political party. But because I live in New York I'm probably going to vote for him. I'm not old enough to let cynicism keep me from voting idealistically.
I'm not a vegetarian. Campaigning for meat is a waste of time. If you're that gung-ho about being a carnivore I would suggest that you look further into where your meat is coming from. A good campaign for meat would be to educate people about the fucked up, disgusting practices of the meat industry and encourage them to buy from more responsible suppliers like local farmers. The meat industry is anti-environmental, but I'm not a PETA freak so meat consumption doesn't get my panties in a bunch. This is a great resource for finding farms near you to support that are organic, environmentally responsible, and cheap too. http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/ A lot of these farmers will give you organic meat products also, which is good on so many levels, but I'm not going to talk any more about this right now.
Submitted by Quetzallan (user info) at 2004-07-04 01:06:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I can't believe this post has such a low rating.
My only beef is that some of the environmental groups are a front for Nader, who is a stupid self serving politician.
(I'm hoping you're not part of one of them)
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-04 00:48:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Your right, Big Al. Sorry for fighting. Oh, and Durae, your one of my heroes!
Submitted by Big Al at 2004-07-04 00:46:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hey guys, why are we fighting??? It's selfish to argue with eachother when we should be commenting on what Durae is saying.
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-04 00:20:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Durae, as I said before, I appreciate what you do and I support you fully! Your one of the good ones!
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-04 00:19:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Don't get mad Jerkface, be happy, like me! After all, I'm just a fan.
Submitted by Cjad_teh_Nord (user info) at 2004-07-04 00:09:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Good topic. Would I be nullifying your effort my going door-to-door and telling people it's perfectly acceptable to eat large quantities of meat? That's been my personal mission for awhile, but I don't want to step into the way of yours.
Good read, I thought it made lot's of sense.
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-04 00:01:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yes, thats very interesting! Keep up the good work, but as I said, you need new material!
Submitted by Jerkface at 2004-07-03 23:59:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
How about go play in the blender. Fuckface.
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-03 23:31:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yes Jerkface, how about that?
Submitted by Jerkface at 2004-07-03 23:12:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Jerkface said that you were a homosexual ass clown, not Grandfucker. Phillip, I am truly sorry that the circus is making you work overtime this week. And on the subject of parents, your mother was quite the show yesterday; she plays a great bearded lady. I am sure that you request to hear gay confessions from every guy you stalk, but please leave your homosexual fantasies to yourself. Yes, Phil the Colostomy Bag, I will continue to insult all of you pillow-biting rectum raiders because Jerkface knows what role cock gobblers like yourself play in this world. You are cobblestones for a greater man to walk on. Go fuck yourself with a battle-axe.
Submitted by TheEmuQuack (user info) at 2004-07-03 23:11:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"Napoleonic Complex"
Hah! I said it!
Very true post. I must say I myself am a tree-hugger, and don't have to be persuaded (spelling?) to donate to these people. Most likly I'll go and join them.
But I think the reason people need so much persuasion (spelling again?) is that they don't know anything, and they want to make sure that if they are going to believe in something blindly, they want to feel good about it.
God damn Jahovah Witnesses.
Heh, that reminds, they don't celebrate Christmas because they believe that the Pegans believed that holly was the symbol of the menstural blood, and misletoe was the symbol of sperm and Christmas actually was in memory to the cycle of life.
Hah, religious idiots.
Submitted by Socialist_Joe (user info) at 2004-07-03 23:10:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
i dont think i like you
Submitted by Phil Osophical (the real one) at 2004-07-03 22:56:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hey Grandaddy, just the fact that you judge the validity of a comment by it's spelling is a sad sign. I am a homosexual ass clown! How did you know? But really, whats going on in your life to make you such a bad person? Did your parents divorce? Are you having trouble accepting your homosexual tendencies? You can tell me, I'll listen and give you words of advice. Insult me all you want, but your the one who has to die knowing he made no difference in this world. So, instead of acting like a complete moron, why can't we all get along? I did nothing to you.
Submitted by Granddaddy Big Nuts at 2004-07-03 21:17:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
"Ignore "my" last comment, it was oviously an impersonation by a disturbed freak". Learn how to spell Phil Ichokeacock.
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-03 20:35:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
But I did not deny the fact that I am a homsexual ass clown. Please stop writing posts, because your work makes me feel sick.
Submitted by Phil Osophical <theplektek.at.comcast.net> at 2004-07-03 20:16:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Whoops! I ranked you wrong, sorry! As I said, keep up your great work!
Submitted by Phil Osophical <theplektek.at.comcast.net> at 2004-07-03 20:15:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Ignore "my" last comment, it was oviously an impersonation by a disturbed freak. I stand by my real comments and I support fully what you do! You are truly a great person!
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-07-03 16:05:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Durae, you are a complete idiot. Please disregard any encouragement that I have given you in the past. I just realized that I am a homosexual ass clown, and I am going to join the circus. Fuck you.
Submitted by Jerkface at 2004-07-03 15:36:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
You need to donate your posts to a recycling center, because this crap is polluting ubersite. You are a stupid ass-licking fuckface.
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2004-06-30 01:07:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Who are you so I can hug you?
Submitted by Phil Osophical at 2004-06-29 02:44:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I admire what you do. Although it seems like common sense you, me, and other sane inhabitants of the swiftly decaying planet Earth, some people just cant see past the SUV (which replaces their ego) and realize they are to blame for demise of the eco-system. Sure, people will scoff and ignore you, but an intellegent few realize what your doing and appreciate you for it. Great speech.
Submitted by PatheticCapitalistFuck (user info) at 2004-06-20 17:11:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I drive a bigass SUV, burn my trash in the front yard, shit in the river every chance I get and insist upon wearing clothing produced of synthetic fibers.
Lick my ass and have a taste of my environmental movement.
Submitted by Oleannder (user info) at 2004-06-20 16:58:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I read his again just because we are having our Federal Elections this week (Canada). And though I still hate being interrupted during dinner time I do feel sorry for the people who have to do it day in & day out.
Keep up the good work!!!
Submitted by Spiral_Abraxis (user info) at 2004-06-19 20:35:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Fuck you.
I really do not like you at all, you hairy, annoying, tree-hugging, peace loving, feminist, cocky, ugly, little bitch. I know that was a bit immature, but thinking about you is pissing me off more and more. Every quality that I hate about people, you have.
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2004-06-19 20:03:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Where do you live man? I really hope I do knock on your door.
Submitted by SoxSexSax (user info) at 2004-06-19 09:42:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
"I'm an asshole who goes door to door to educate the apathetic masses about environmental issues. I'm like a Jehovah's witness, except in this case, God would probably equal weed and tree-hugging is the religion."
-2. If you knock on my door, expect to be chased down the path with a tirade of abuse thrown in your general direction.
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-06-19 09:23:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Haha! You get another +2 for saying "meep" to me in your reply!
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2004-06-19 00:01:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Jared - it scares senators when they get 200 handwritten letters every week about one issue.
Spud - you're nothing but a computer geek.
Bob - canvassing is a really cheap and effective way of organizing people. People get involved with our campaign when they normally would never know it was going on.
Death Urge - What do you consider a real job? I don't think the people I talk to are idiots and my organization is nonpartisan. I'm working on my degree.
Kaelic - not Sierra Club, but nice try. I work in NY and we've seriously almost won our campaign. I'm sorry your job sucked so bad, but I love the people I work with.
Dori - ehhhh... speaking of piracy, I saw a bottle of bug spray on someone's porch and so wanted to swipe it because I was getting eaten alive. The chance that I'm going to be a freak who catches West Nile Virus goes up every day of work. meep.
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-06-18 15:33:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I just watched the Pirates of the Caribbean. AT the end the governer fellow says something about how.. "when the right path requires an act of piracy, then perhaps sometimes piracy is the right path..." Or something... aw fuck it, I butchered that quote, but you get the idea.
Submitted by Kaelic (user info) at 2004-06-18 11:12:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fuck the Sierra Club, which is who you work for, correct?
I worked for that group for about a month --- and through my natural charm, charisma, and conviction that I was helping to save the environment, every day I went out I raised more money than anyone else. Every day --- then one day, this fat "team leader" jackass tried to exert authority over me, and told me that I wasn't allowed to wear my sunglasses while walking around, that is projected a negative image. I told him I was going too, anyhow, negative image or not, because it was bright and sunny out. He fired me on the spot.
He was a fat dude, threatened by my success in raising more donations than his tubby ass ever could, and actually caring about the cause. Now I've come to the realization the Sierra club is a self promoting political machine. Sure, they help the environment out ... sometimes. But a huge portion of donation money goes to just running the organization, paying salaries, light bills, rent. And it's a fifty/fifty chance whether your particular campaign is going to mean shit.
Over half of all Florida's waterways are polluted. The Suwannee river contains about a billion barrels of industrial waste from a chicken processing plant. It's nice to know.
I'm going to 0 this because you're probably idealistic, like me, but fuck the Sierra Club, seriously.
Submitted by I_Have_a_Kristen_Fetish (user info) at 2004-06-18 10:59:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-06-18 10:41:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Thanatos (user info) at 2004-06-18 10:31:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
The question is, why the fuck don't you have a real job? So you're telling idiots that they should vote Green/Democrat/hippy to help the environment, why exactly? Why not get a degree in something productive then try and solve the problem instead of telling idiots to write letters?
Submitted by Magicaddict (user info) at 2004-06-18 10:28:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
A little bit of both - demonstrated in that post, by that post.
Submitted by funk_boy (user info) at 2004-06-18 10:08:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Manipulative Bitch or Innocent Environmentalist?
I dunno
good post though
Submitted by Oleannder (user info) at 2004-06-18 09:42:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Altgough I hate being interupted, your cause is a just one. Go on out there & kick some ass.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-06-18 09:27:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
There and more effective and efficient ways to spread awareness than going to door-to-door.
Submitted by Spuds002 (user info) at 2004-06-18 08:27:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
your nothing but a hippy. but lucky for you, I'm in a good mood today. so you get a one instead of a zero. cause oxygen is good too.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2004-06-18 08:10:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Does it really scare senators when they receive my handwritten letter? I always figured it would be "lost" in the mailroom shuffle. The fact that they might actually panic and not know what to do when receiving a letter from a member of the public---I never really thought about that before. Good point.