“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” - Albert Einstein

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Why Are Greenies So Annoying?

I don't want to pollute the earth. I really don't. But I find that the environmental movement attracts people who are boorish, rude, and egotistical. In conversations they never have a clue that some of their dogma may be doubted or in error. Even if you have facts on your side, there is no disagreeing with them. If you raise an argument, they make you feel as if you alone are responsible for toxic waste, global warming, and the loss of the snail darter.

I encountered just such a person a few weeks ago at a Chamber of Commerce networking event. His second sentence after our introduction was a launching pad to a 5-minute monologue on the environment. When he got to the part of how wind and solar power was the future salvation of the planet I began looking for how to get away from him. His idea was that we'd all have wind and solar generators so we could be free from the evils of carbon emissions. Never mind that my house would have been dark and cold that day because of heavy overcast and no wind.

I didn't argue. I knew it would be useless. He was a true believer. He didn't care about my opinions. He really didn't care to learn anything about me. He only cared about himself and his cause. I noticed that other people avoided him as well. Perhaps they already knew what I was just discovering: this man was a conversational black hole.

The environmental movement seems to attract these kinds of people. They're devoted to their cause and believe it's their mission in life to make everyone agree with them.

Funny thing is that I've met Christians who were the same way.