The value of family support when living by your values when society opposes them: Janae Marie Kroczaleski, part 2
Living true to our deepest values is its own reward. Fewer rewards are greater, all the more so when it requires struggle. All the more so when it deepens our closest relationships.
Living by the values of sustainability—community, health, reciprocity, liberty, freedom, and stewardship, for example—is challenging today. No matter what I do in trying to live more sustainably and leading systemic change toward sustainability, people say others can’t do it. If it’s easy, they say, “it’s easy for you, but others can’t do it. You’re privileged” or something like that. If it’s hard, they say, “it’s too hard for people to do. It’s not practical.”
Whatever helps them sleep at night knowing they’re violating their values, especially their deepest ones. They wield their excuses like weapons.
One of people’s biggest excuse weapons to say something is easy for me is that I don’t have kids or a spouse. They say I can make unilateral decisions, as if that’s all there is to it. For one thing, being single doesn’t mean my actions don’t ripple to all other parts of my life. They confuse being single with living in a prison’s solitary confinement cell.
A bigger issue is that loved ones can support you too. Check out Janae Marie Kroczaleski’s sons. I wrote about Kroczaleski in yesterday’s post, The emotional struggles of living by your values when society opposes them: Janae Marie Kroczaleski, part 1, which I recommend for context. It shows other videos of the documentary featuring him/her (the movie’s main character goes by Matt and Janae in different parts).
Then watch these two videos of the family. Look at the support, love, and motivation the sons give. Tell me that doesn’t give him/her strength.
Why do people only think others make living more sustainably hard? I think because they associate sustainability with burden, chore, and expense, as if buying more was buying less.
I recommend the full movie, no matter your thoughts or feelings on trans issues.
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