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Every night, Tomoe comes back from her day out in the real world, and tells me all the unbelievable stories about the waste and apathy she witnesses. I like to believe (though I fear that I am wrong) that people who are good, and want to do the right thing, and when armed with knowledge, will make good choices. Hearing her stories though, I just get sick and depressed and my brain hurts trying to understand what she is telling me. I mean, she is working with well educated people! So, why do they act so contrary to what I would expect from an educated person?

It's like when I look around at the world around me, my brain gets stuck in an infinite loop, trying to rationalize a series of true statements, that seem impossible to be true together, yet they are... "That person is not an evil person. He is educated and informed. He knows the consequences of his actions. He doesn't seem to be considering the consequences when me makes daily decisions. He must be ill-informed or evil... but... that person is not evil. He is educated and ......" And the loop plays on forever in my head.

I know I have a problem empathizing with others, I can't get inside their heads, and their feelings. I don't know how their rational works. The thing that really gets me down, is that there is no-place I can just go for the answer. So, I have made a looongg survey below that lists the questions, which, if I knew how people answered these, I might be more equipped to understand their actions. If you have a minute or two, I would love it if anyone would answer a few. If you have more time, answer them all, and leave some comments letting me know what variable I am missing that is keeping me up at night.

The current results can be seen here

	Yes	No
1			I automatically tune out when reading something that mentions the word "environment", "sustainability", "consumption" or some other related terminology?
2			I think that global warming is a myth?
3			I am unsure, but willing to risk-it?
4			I have or plan to have children that will still be alive in 2050?
5			I think we consume too much?
6			I have thought seriously about the consequences of our over-consumption?
7			I am aware that population has doubled in the last century and could double again in this century?
8			I have spent some time thinking seriously about what that means in terms of consumption?
9			I think that it is not really a problem, because technology will find ways to fix whatever damage we have done?
10			I think that such technology will be available in the next twenty years?
11			I know how many plant and animal species have become extinct in the last twenty years?
12			I realize that 1.7 billion people - more than a quarter of humanity- have now entered the consumer class, in the past twenty years, the number of "consumer-class" people in China India alone has reached 360 million, and that there are many more eager to join in the next twenty years?
13			I have thought about what this means in terms of the speed with which ecosystems and species are lost in the next twenty years?
14			I think that my children's life will be better than mine?
15			I have faith in human's ingenuity and the ability of the free market to handle problems?
16			I think that if government subsidies for non-sustainable agriculture and development were replaced with extra consumption-taxes, human's ingenuity and a true free-market would fail to provide alternatives, and the economy would be devestated beyond repair?
17			I feel that even if human ingenuity and collective effort were able to provide alternatives, any discomfort felt in the transition would not be worth it?
18			I feel good that I recycle?
19			I feel good that I recycle and I fly more than three times a year?
20			I think about global warming when I take my car, or a taxi instead of the subway?
21			I think about it, but feel that for me, a car or taxi is a necessity, or that in the long-run, the time I saved in the taxi allows me to do more good for the world?
22			I feel that we should "save" the rain-forests?
23			I know how much forest land is cleared to grow feed for cattle?
24			I know, and have cut back on my meat consumption?
25			I know, and would like to cut back, but find it too hard?
26			I know, but don't care because meat just tastes too good?
27			I feel that a meat based diet is part of the natural cycle, our ancestors did it, and that there is no problem with eating meat?
28			I realize that the earths population has doubled in the last century an could double again?
29			I have spent at least five minutes thinking about what that means in regards to comparing ourselves with our ancestors?
30			I think that we are consuming too much, but think there is no point to try changing because it is too late?
31			I think that we are consuming too much, but think that the benefits out-weigh the consequences?
32			I feel like I would like to do something, but don't know what?
33			I don't have time to read Good Stuff? A Behind-the-Scenes Guide to the Things We Buy? (via How to Save the World)
34			I read more than 10 blogs per day?

Have you read "The Sheep Look Up" by "John Brunner"?

question 11... I don t know how many but i know it s a huge number and that s it s sad and dangerous.

7-28: same question?

33-34: NO-YES so you should start a blog and make me read it a bit everyday day as well as talk to me more about those issues. I would read it. but can t read the book. I read blogs cos I have some time at work and am in front of a computer but can t just pull out a book at work and don t commute cos I leave 10 mins from work by bicyle.
and don t read when I get home...

BP, I haven't read it, but I'll check it out on Amazon and see if I should.

Paul,
question 11: I couldn't tell you off-hand either. But like you, I know it is too many. Realy, the point is not the numbers, just that I think a lot of people expect technology to solve problems, but technology isn't there yet, and even if someone thinks it will be some day, we don't have time to wait for it.

7-28: same question? Yes. From talking to some people, and reading what some people think, I get the feeling that they think that "meybe I use too much, but people have said that for years". Or, in the case of 28, that eating meat is natural, and we have done it for our entire existance, so how can it be a problem? The variable that they are missing is that there are a lot more people now than ever before... it is impossible to compare us now with even our parent's generation.

33-34:

NO-YES so you should start a blog and make me read it a bit everyday day

It's in the works, but I'm not so great at writing that intuhlechual stuff... Anyway, once I get to school in the fall, I will for sure be keeping a daily blog about what I am studying and learning there. (eco-stuff / sustainability stuff)

I would read it. but can t read the book. I read blogs cos I have some time at work and am in front of a computer but can t just pull out a book at work

I hear ya. It is in HTML and PDF form, but I too think it should be presented in smaller, more digestable chunks. I am just wondering how to keep it from being me stealing their work and putting it on my site one bit at a time.

I wanted to answer your survey but there were too many questions that were either leading or were not either or.

Think about a question like,

"I realize that 1.7 billion people - more than a quarter of humanity- have now entered the consumer class, in the past twenty years, the number of "consumer-class" people in China India alone has reached 360 million, and that there are many more eager to join in the next twenty years?"

Not only is this question obvious, in the sense that you'll have a fair amount of people answer it negatively simply because they see what you're implying by it, but it's kind of silly. I mean, of course I realize a fact as truth, after it's been told to me. Too spoonfed. Also, many questions relied on me answering "yes" to the previous question. So it wasn't no, I disagree with this assertion if the previous one is true, but no I disagree with this assertion because the previous one is false.

Just some thoughts.

Thanks for your comment Jayson,

I agree the poll was very leading. I wasn't really looking for scientific answers, I was just feeling frustrated. I didn't even plan to make it a survey, it was just some random thoughts at first... as you can see by how randomly thrown together the survey is :) I think I ended up making it a "survey" because I thought maybe people would think more (if only a little bit) if it required an answer instead of just read it. I also wanted to know a little about what people thought, even if it is not a 100% crystal-clear view.

So leading and poor questions? I'm guilty. :) Maybe I'll spend a couple days actually thinking about some good questions and try it again.

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