Every time someone tells me they balance their behavior regarding the environment, guaranteed the next thing they say will concern only themselves.

They want to help the environment but they want to live their life too. They want not to pollute but they can’t afford not to fly. They want to eat less meat but they want to stay healthy.

For one thing, most of what they say doesn’t make sense, like that avoiding meat would be unhealthy.

The bigger thing is that the huge issue with pollution is that it affects other other people (and wildlife) without their consent. People talking about balancing their environmental balance never include other people in their considerations.

They think balancing their conscience with the bank account while paying for innocent families to be made homeless refugees is balance. They ignore forcing harm on innocent people (and wildlife).

Addicts will not acknowledge their addiction or that they’re hurting others. They’ll dance all around it, but won’t face the harm they do others.

I bet people have gone crazy trying to lead addicts to acknowledge their addiction or that they’re hurting others. It’s like trying to catch a fish with your hand; every time you think you have them, they wiggle out. That’s most Americans.

• ← More depth on Robert Carter III
• 742: John Brooke, part 2: American slavery transformed to today’s industry and anti-stewardship of our environment →