I work at a Local restaurant and our guests like to hear about how we are spending our days in school. A group of 4 elderly men and 2 elderly women asked about my course work, when i proceeded to tell them I am taking Environmental Health Studies, Colloquium, and Global Warming they turned the conversation over to themselves. They proceeded to explain to me how my generation (I am 21) has turned into tree-hugging hippees who do not have a clue on how to change the world. Planting trees and using reusable bags is just a way to fit in with this culture that has already hit its peak. The conversation went back and forth from myself trying to educate them to them shooting down every idea and statement placed before them. However, what got under my skin the most was when one of the old ladies chimmed in and said that I, and everyone else in my generation will never have as much knowledge as they do and for us to try and change the way everyone lives is ridiculous. She said that all this time and money we put into revamping power plants, building solar pannels to heat our buildings and consructing wind farms is a waste when all it would do is stop the temperature from rising"one lousey degree".
At this point I try to explain to the woman that the one degree difference is liable to wipe out many plant and animal species around the world, they ended the conversation with a very hurtful statement (Paraphrasing)...
"FGCU students are wasting their time and their funds on a cause that is too expensive to take off, to minute for anyone to really want to make a difference, and on a cause that isnt going to affect them one way or another in this life time... its honestly a waste of time and a waste of young brain power, who wouldve thought that our "future" would be lead by idiots ..."
I took this statement as a challenge, a challenge to do all we can to prove them wrong. If one group of people thinks this then there are probably more in our community. We need to raise awareness to these folks, do all we can to change the planet for the better ...
Please leave your comments on this conversation I was a part of and do not be afraid to be completely honest, I am curious to see the reactions to the elderly's statements and to my rebuttle...]
Thanks guys! -Shawna J-
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Wow. Like most of the videos and conversations we have in class, education and awareness is the first key factor to creating change. Everyone can have their own opinion, but it makes me just as frustrated as it sounds to me like it made you. I don't believe we are wasting our time because if we didn't have any efforts to go green and be environmentally friendly who would?! I know it won't necessarily affect us in our life time, but I know for it will affect our children or even our grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteOne comment I might of made to this group would be to say, "Although this may not affect you would you want your grandchildren or great grandchildren to live in a world that was ruined because of our selfishness?" May be extreme, but it is irritating to me. I do have friends that have these same feelings as the elderly group you spoke about. A couple I know who live together go through about a roll of paper towels every two or three days and when I asked them why it was so excessive, she replied what I do isn't going to matter. So I can understand your frustrations.
It's funny how the generation responsible for all these recently arising problems are quick to point the finger at us for trying to fix it. These people clearly have gotten the wrong pamphlet stuck in their front door concerning climate change. I don't know if I could have kept a straight face if they had talked to me that way. They truly believe we are idiots for our openmindedness and want to create a more sustainable future. Is it simply because they do not believe it is going to affect them that they do not seem to care? What happened that made people so close-minded?
ReplyDeleteSelfishness...
ReplyDeleteWow, you are very brave. I have faced similar situations before and sometimes I don't even bother to talk back. I think it's all in the educational basis each individual has. People who say that we are wasting our time and that these courses aren't worth much just don't know what they are talking about. I wouldn't like to say it this way but they just aren;t educated. Like you said " one lousy degree" was make a total difference, if they knew anything about global warming they world know. Unfortunatley, I think that people in modern times need to have something directly affect them before they do absolutely
ReplyDeletenothing about it. Sorry I accidentally pressed the submit button when I was typing. However, great job on taking a stand. Sometimes we really have to stand up and speak up for what we believe in. Great Post !
ReplyDeleteThank you. Usually I understand that people have a right to their opinion however, when a statement as uneducated as that was is said I get extremely aggitated and feel the need to spread the knowledge. I would never disrespect my elders but their argument was ignorant, not researched, and closeminded. People continue to shock me with standing issues in our world...
ReplyDeleteWow. I would like to say that i am shocked by their comments but honestly I am not surprised. I have ahd several run ins with elderly people who seem to think they know it all and have given me rude lectures about interferring in their lives and I should mind my own business and stop trying to fix the world. They just don't seem to care, maybe because they will be dead before anything drastic happens, or because they are just too stubborn and hard headed to listen to anything that is different from their original thoughts. I wouldn't let it get me down though. I fight back and refuse to let them silence me or my actions in the community. I feel that one person can make a difference and I feel sorry for that group of people you were talking to because they may have thought that we "the younger generation" is the problem but they are the only reason that they are miserable and unhappy in their lives. Maybe if they opened their eyes and realized that just because we are younger doesn't mean we have no intelligence than the whole world would be a little happier. Besides wasn't it their generation that was known for its "hippie," tye-dye, pot smoking, woodstock activities. Because I know that was well before I was born. So maybe they should think about that before the go insulting people who are trying to stand up for living creatures that don't have a voice of their own.
ReplyDeleteThat is how I feel about the whole situation.
By the way just thought I shuold say that I don't mean any of that in a disrespectful way. Just want to point out that some people only see things in black and white through a one way mirror when in fact they should sometimes be looking at themselves as well.
ReplyDeleteThis is a problem that can often be attributed older people. As people get older, they often become less and less likely to change. These seniors are probably dead set in their ways and any attempt to change their minds is more than likely the true "waste of time". Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and there are very open minded senior citizens out there.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a shame that some people have that point of view about our generation and the whole situation of global warming. I had a similar incident to yours at the restaurant I work at. My customer found out that I was a Marine Science major at FGCU and began asking me questions about my field and why I chose to study it. When the topic turned to global warming he stopped and said, "You actually believe in that crap?" I was shocked at his question and when I said yes his response was even worse. He told me I was wasting my time and that I shouldn't believe in everything I see on the television. Because he is a regular at our restaurant the next time he came in I brought him several scientific journals showing both sides of the global warming debate, and said I would be happy to discuss this further with him. Needless to say he had no interest in reading anything on the topic and said his mind was already made up. It is truly unfortunate that some people are so set in their ways they don't even want to look at a different perspective. We can't change everyone's mind but we can do our part to make the world a cleaner more sustainable place so that future generations are facing the dire consequences.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that 3 of the comments on this post began with "Wow." That's exactly what my response was. Their statements weren't only narrow-minded and judgmental, but they were just plain rude. I am impressed that you handled this situation so well. I probably would have had to give up that table to another waitress! haha. Maybe some people in that generation have to discredit our concerns and efforts, because they don't want to feel responsible. If they admitted that our efforts are necessary, then they would be admitting that they did something wrong to get us here.
ReplyDeleteI find it really interesting that they said FGCU students are wasting their time on a cause that won't affect them in this lifetime. That statement shows a complete lack of concern for future generations. They obviously do not think it is important to consider the generations of people who will proceed us. Since they weren't worried about how their actions would affect us, they think it is silly for us to be worried about how our actions will affect the next generation.
I know that many people have very strong opinions concerning the topic of climate change, but I am still surprised at how bluntly rude these people were to you. Good job for keeping your cool and standing your ground! :)
Wow! I can't believe how rude the elderly can be sometimes. I guess they are so used to the way things were when they were growing up that they are not as welcome to change. We need to start with the youth and educate them NOW to be envirnmentally concious so that they can improve the quality of their lives and future generations.
ReplyDelete