Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Coffee House Chatter

I was in Madison today for a work-related meeting.  After my meeting I went and sat at a wi-fi coffee shop because I had quite a bit of work to get done and a conference call to attend (I love technology that enables remote workers).  I was there for about an hour and a half.  For a good amount of the time, there was a group of four middle-aged to elderly ladies at the table next to me.  It was impossible not to catch snippets of their conversation as I was trying to concentrate on getting my work done. 

One conversation caught my attention.  One of the ladies had apparently recently purchased a Harley.  She spent a good ten minutes rationalizing to her friends how she rides “responsibly” to mitigate her impact on global warming.  It was fairly comical. 

Gotta love Madison…

(11) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1806 hrs
Culture

  1. I would guess that by “responsibly” she means “in moderation” as per the fine print in all the booze ads.

    Posted by triticale on May 08, 2007 at 1844 hrs


  2. I don’t think the impulse to emit greenhouse gasses more thoughtfully should be mocked.  Of course one does wonder what she’s doing “responsibly,” or if it isn’t some kind of nonsensical justification.

    And not that I’m against Harley’s.  Been daydreaming about one, myself.  It’s just that if you’re going to do it, do it.  Look for another way to be more responsible if you’re concerned about the environment.  (And you should be.)

    Posted by scott on May 08, 2007 at 1851 hrs


  3. Scott, sometimes people need to be mocked to show the absuridity of their position- many times it is very effective.  Kind of like we do on this blog, at times.  And yes, this lady should be mocked and laughed at because she was probably serious and if you had a serious converstion with her, she would justify having a Harley.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 08, 2007 at 2139 hrs


  4. I stand by what I said: I don’t think the <i>impulse</ik> to emit greenhouse gasses more thoughtfully should be mocked, even if people are sometimes silly and hypocritical about it.

    Posted by scott on May 08, 2007 at 2148 hrs


  5. “I stand by what I said: I don’t think the <i>impulse</ik> to emit greenhouse gasses more thoughtfully should be mocked, even if people are sometimes silly and hypocritical about it”


    They should not be mocked if they are hypocritical about it?  But of course not?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?  Tell me Scott, if President Bush came out and called himself the worlds biggest environmentalist you would not mock him RIIIIIIIIIGHT????????????

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 08, 2007 at 2154 hrs


  6. There’s a difference between calling out a hypocrite and poo-pooing the good thing that they’re being hypocritical about.  Yes, I certainly would have something to say about Bush claiming to be environment advocate (which he has done), but I would not ridicule the idea of being such an advocate.

    Posted by scott on May 09, 2007 at 0634 hrs


  7. It all goes back to basics - some buy the hype, others do not.  That’s why she should be mocked.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 09, 2007 at 1926 hrs


  8. Fine, mock the woman who seems to be hypocritical about it.  Good for you.  But this is more than that.  The subtext here is that not only should she be mocked for caring for the environment ‘wrong,’ she (and all of us) should be made fun of for caring at all, because you think the entire thing is, as you say, “hype.”  That’s not true.  We should care.

    Posted by scott on May 10, 2007 at 0814 hrs


  9. In case you guys were wondering - a Harley gets over 40 miles to the gallon. pretty good for those that are panicking over global warming.  I don’t think she is a hypocrite, I think she’s stupid.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 10, 2007 at 2053 hrs


  10. Why is she stupid?

    Posted by scott on May 10, 2007 at 2108 hrs


  11. For not knowing she had a fuel efficient vehicle and for being an apologist for something she loved.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 10, 2007 at 2120 hrs


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