Addiction in Society

As someone who actually grew up near a fairly pristine nature area, driving a car through the forest in order to 'enjoy' it has always seemed idiotic and incredibly wussy. Most forests, at least where I grew up, do not naturally have paths big enough to accommodate a small car, let alone a giant SUV.

And frankly sitting on your pampered butt staring out a window is nothing like actually hiking; I can understand people with physical disabilities needing mechanical help, but if you are able bodied and you drive you are being a total wuss.

I eat meat... but it's interesting that we scapegoat people who drive humvees when people who eat meat do far much more damage to the environment.

Did you write a blog article about how people who eat meat are immoral? I'm not seeing it in your recent posts. Are meat eaters "addicted" to meat? Why won't they stop if the environment is so important.

And what about electricity? Do you know how many fish were murdered by the Grand Coulee Dam? Perhaps we should become Amish.

While I agree with much of the post, namely the ads and offroad damage to the environment, some of what you say is quite narrowminded.

I drive a Toyota Corolla and am looking into getting a Camry hybrid, but have wanted a Jeep since I was 15. I don't do any offroading, so do I really need it? No.

However, you simply say that people driving these vehicles are immoral unless they need to go offroad??? I could be one of those people, yet who's to say I consider owning a Jeep to be one of lifes pleasures. Then I offset carbon emmissions through other means - donations, solar panels at home, etc.

People who have an extra bedroom in their house are immoral, for there are homeless people.

People who throw away leftovers are immoral, for there are hungy people.

People who watch TV and reply to blogs are immoral, for there are needy people we could be investing our time into.

There's lots of 'capability' wasted in our world.

I've never been walking through a forest, stopped, and then said to myself, "Man, this place is ugly, it's ruined, nothing good here because one time a jeep drove close to where I'm standing."

There will always be places where you can enjoy nature without off roaders.

I try not to let people with large vehicles bother me, or people with large houses, or people who disregard food, or people whom I perceive as lazy; who waste their time.

I don't let them bother me by living my life in a way that represents what I value. It's harder to make sacrafices and change our own lives than criticize others. But by focusing on changing ourselves and doing the best we can, we become compassionate towards those who may not yet see the world as we do.

So much anger here. I'm not sure how your arguments do any good. Those who agree, will happily do so. Those who don't will take the opportunity to attack you. Those who are undecided won't be moved your outrage. You don't sound reasonable. You just sound mad. You are asking Detroit to ease off the pedal. I think that's good advice. For all of us.