Musings of a Malcontent – Posting #2
“Musings of a Malcontent” is a new weekly op-ed by GlobalWarmingisReal contributor Carlyle Coash
I realize a little clarification might be helpful going forward.
From the trusted Oxford English Dictionary: malcontent
- Noun
– a person who is dissatisfied and rebellious. - Adjective
– dissatisfied and complaining or rebellious.
What’s funny is that I am usually a positive, calm individual. I was raised, however, to be curious and to question. I thank my father for that, which I do on a regular basis.
What are the viewpoints and the facts? What is being said in the subtext? Just because it is on the news does not mean it is true. Read and know your history.
I mean let’s be honest. Given enough money, power and ability to bend the rules – most of us might make unsound decisions. The temptation prances about us – taunting us to give it a try. It is just who we are – and we have centuries of examples to prove it.
I have the ability to remove anyone who opposes me? OK – off with their heads! I have the opportunity to rob people of millions of dollars simply because they trust me? Here let me invest that for you. Storing this toxic material will result in me making less money for the company? Gee that river over there is not being used for anything.
We have made these choices again and again. We see if we can get away with it – and when we do we try it again. From there it just gets easier, until we get caught. Or executed. Or get a pass. Or get sent to a prison where Wolfgang Puck brings us our meals every day.
(It is here I would like to say that we are capable of great things too – just to be clear. I know we all have it in us.)
As humans we like to wait until the last minute. It is as the wave is cresting over the house that we go, “oops”. I’m sure even the Black Death had its detractors. “Black legions on your body? I am sure there is nothing to worry about. Those people ‘dying’ in the streets are just trying to scare you. Take three leeches and call me in the morning.”
For every fact supporting something, there is an equal amount against it. I have been reading the anti global warming sites and they all sound “plausible”, but frankly so can almost anything. Paris Hilton learning something from her stint in jail for example. I’m sure facts can even be used to prove I am Michael Jackson’s father.
I assure, however, that I am not.
The core practice is to truly pay attention and take action – and this is hard for us to do. Here is a case in point. Last week I was speaking to a friend who is from Japan. She was actually there during the recent earthquake and tsunami. I said to her that at some point I would love to go to Japan when things are a little safer (if that is ever possible).
She said, without pause, that everything is fine there.
“How about radiation levels?”
No problem apparently.
Huh! I figured dumping radioactive wastewater into the ocean might be a bad thing.
It was at this moment that the wacky malcontent rebellious nature kicked in. Worst event since Chernobyl and everything is dandy. My positive, calm demeanor took a needed vacation to Belize at that moment. It was clear she accepted the tale presented by officials, and why not? In the U.S. we do it almost everyday for things much more minor. Still it made me a little crazy – and sad. Where was the curiosity?
I pushed a bit only to find how pointless that was going to be. When she said – “you’re so funny” I knew that she would not be convinced. Even if I had soil samples that burned through the table like the blood from Alien, it would still be funny. Ah well. At least I tried.
As stated, my purpose here is to poke at things and maybe lighten the impending cloud billowing over us. Good to laugh, even as the zombies are circling the house. Created, of course, by certain rays now getting through the atmosphere because the ozone layer is shot. As they push against the doors and windows you notice the zombies are all the nay-sayers in your neighborhood who said global warming was a liberal hoax meant to fear us into compliance.
Oh the irony!
They are zombies now – so forget explaining to them that they are proving your arguments beautifully. Ugh!
The world can sure be funny sometimes.
Until next week…
