environment

When I used to consider myself an environmentalist, I hated traveling anywhere. Not that I didn’t like to go places, but the thought of burning fossil fuels to enjoy myself bothered me immeasurably. After all, that is that all the environmental organizations were telling me that I shouldn’t be doing. I bought a hybrid and I would refuse to drive over the speed limit because it would mean decreased fuel economy. I’d plan my automobile trips to make sure that I wasn’t back tracking to visit someplace I needed to go, and if I forgot to get something from the grocery store, I’d rather wait a week and go without than make another “unnecessary” trip to the store. I would leave for my destination way sooner than I needed to just in case there was traffic so that I wouldn’t have to speed; and end up sitting in the parking lot of my destination, sometimes for almost an hour waiting from my appointment.

Found at Gate A6 at SFO

Yet, here I am, sitting at the San Francisco International Airport getting ready to take my third fourth international trip this year. And, not only it doesn’t bother me, I’m looking forward to traveling as much as possible. What happened?

Do you suppose Hitler had a bad conscience? Or did he have bad consciousness? If you answered no to the former and yes to the latter than you already get the gist of this post.

I doubt many people, if any, have a bad conscience. Sure, they may have pangs of feelings of guilt but that are able to put those aside to carry on with their daily lives.

I don’t think any conservative, or liberal politician, and for that matter, oil executive, hedge fund manager, etc. wakes up in the morning and thinks to themselves, “How can I make this world worse off today than it was yesterday?” They all think they are doing the right thing according to their obligations to their constituents, shareholders, companies and their own selves and their families. It would be hard for one to live with oneself otherwise.

My politics are what I'd call left of liberal. I've had people actually tell me that. And, while I'm disappointed with the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, I'm not devastated. You see, it's because I'm also a vegan.

Vegans are probably one of the most despised group in the world today, right behind ISIS and Al-Qaeda,  ridiculed equally by conservatives and progressives. Our crime? To show compassion for all living animals. Why does being vegan not make me want to take to the streets protesting Trump's election, you ask? Let me explain.