The Workermonkey

Monday, November 28, 2005

Into the fray? 

# posted by Brancibeer @ 11/28/2005 03:37:00 PM

Damon hit on something that i have recently been struggling with in my life and thought it would be a good post discussion.

"It's funny that I don't want to work in Sweden because of the same reason you point out: changing VT will not make a difference, they are too clean already"

He doesn't want to work/ live somewhere where he won't make a difference. Its already happening in those places- the battle is already won (ideally speaking).

I face this challenge within my field too and it recently came up in conversation. As a person who strives for environmental responsibility it would make sense for me to work somewhere that needs help. Somewhere on the front line of the battle. Florida is one of those places. Florida is the California of 30 years ago with a booming population. There is no better place to work towards conservation and protection of biodiversity than here. This is the place and this is the time to make a difference.

HOWEVER, I am alone out here in battle. I have few allies and many enemies. Its crushing and depressing at times with little victory. I do not like the place where i live. The fucked up religious culture, the dumbass rednecks, the non-progressiveness. I see raping and pillagings of the land I love. It drains me and wears me down. This is not my home, these are not my people, this is not where i belong.

Or is it? I could live in a place with many friends. I could be one of many like minded, progressive, blue stated wonderfull, smart, individuals. I could surround myself it all that i stand for and work to make good places better. But I would no longer be on that front line fighting for what i hold true.

So there is the dilemna. I suppose i could make myself happy here, but its hard. I yearn for my own kind, i despise the other. I won't get everything I want here, i know that. Carreer vs personal life. I suppose a balance can be struck, but you will have to give something up either way.

Thoughts?

8 comments

admittedly, i do not know the intimate details of all of your work, but it seems to me that places like nyc, bridgeport, hartford, etc are still shitholes, compared to other regions. true, florida may be close to ideal for your field, but that's not to say places closer to your real home dont need assistance either. you said it yourself, its not the place for you. and that's ok.

but no place is perfect, nor will it be when you're done with it. it seems like a good compromise would be to work in a place you love that still isnt environmentally sound. sure, it may not be the place in the most dire need, but there's always some need.

any faults you might find in my suggestion could possibly stem from the fact that i dont believe in your plight as much as you do, however, i dont believe in it as little as jw. i guess compromise is what i'm about right now.

By  josh, at Monday, November 28, 2005 8:18:00 PM  

Did Frodo stay in the goddamn shire? No! He went to the fucking volcano, man! Let it consume you. Let it wrap its warm tendrils of magma arounnd youu. Go to Hawaii and fight luxury liners.

By  DJ Booze Piñata, at Monday, November 28, 2005 10:33:00 PM  

John, when you speak of elite to the level of a private jet, you are not generalizing about the Northeast or CA, just really rich people wherever they are from. Of course it would be hypocritical to live in that situation and preach environmentalism. Just think of my awful senior design project adviser. That bastard preaches sustainability and has air conditioning in his 2 meter diameter earthen hut. Although it's not grid connected, so he only has it when it's windy or sunny, or has good charge in the batteries. I like how GW does the opposite. Although his mansion uses renewable energy (because he can personally afford it) America as a whole needs subsidized oil and gas.

Brancibeer has a tough decision. It's so easy here, in a country that cares, in a program about sustainability to get so excited about what can be done, and all these new ideas and their benefits. There is infectious optimism being in a place like this. Yet, this is not where it is needed. Precisely because of the widespread progressive view that is so inspiring. Conversely, he points out so well how hard it is to accomplish something in the places that need it. It wears you down. The place where you can have an impact is the place the kills your passion. It blows, I'm glad I don't have to think too much more about that for another 10 months while I enjoy my time here.

Macunas gives a good analogy and, I think, a good suggestion on a place that may be a good mix. Stockholm's air is so clean, the two issues they are now working with is not allowing cruise ships to run their generators or engines in port, and the air underground in the subway tunnels apparently isn't clean enough. So maybe there are analogous issues in nice places elsewhere.

Damn, I'm wordy, why can't I write a two sentence response?

By  Damon, at Tuesday, November 29, 2005 2:26:00 AM  

Good thoughts, but I was trying to make the discussion more universal rather than just 'my plight' or about the environmental field. I mean, its not just about carreer choices. Its about life choices. Its about marriage and kids, xbox's, friends, passion and ignorance. Its about the meaning of life damn it.

Hard to express in a 10 minute post on lunch break i suppose...

By  Brancibeer, at Tuesday, November 29, 2005 12:17:00 PM  

if you are looking to have the biggest impact on the most people, go to africa and dig wells. or get really rich and change things. either way, if it doesn't make you happy, fuck it.

if your looking at staying in FL because you need to make a difference, first think about how much of a difference you've already made. has anything really changed? my guess is that it hasn't and things wouldn't change all that much with or without you. (no offense, i'm just being kind of blunt (he..he.. blunt)).

and the northeast is at -1 brancifort.

By  Supreme Monkey Overlord, at Tuesday, November 29, 2005 1:08:00 PM  

well, if the post is about life in general, then fuck florida, do what makes you happy. i think in this situation there's good reason that they saying "life is short" is so cliche.

our lives wont even be visible on the timeline of existence, and when it's over we'll all be 6ft under. being generous, there's no assurance of any sort of afterlife, so what would be the point of having an unhappy existence only to rot in the ground? maybe that's just me. that's why i think pretty much everything is funny. sure, there are times to be serious. but, if we cant enjoy what we have now, when will we? never.

By  josh, at Tuesday, November 29, 2005 2:10:00 PM  

You guys say ignore your impact so that you'll have a good life, but what if he, like I, get a lot of satisfaction from having a positive effect? That is why it's part of the equation. And people do have effects, maybe not a measurable % every year, but especially through leadership and inspiration. Think about it, you know many people who have personally affected you life, and many also who have affected the nation and the world. How can you ignore that just so you can have good nights out with some old buddies?

By  Damon, at Tuesday, November 29, 2005 3:44:00 PM  

i think you misinterpret my comment. if you and he get a lot of satisfaction by having a positive effect, then that is living a good and enjoyable life for you. or at least it's one factor. one which might be stronger for you than for others.

people come in different forms. not everyone is set up to have such a vast influence (e.g. over the country or world). i am not. i dont know if it's something in my makeup or if its just my desire, but i'm not. i will/may have an effect on my smaller sphere of influence, and i'm ok with that. i dont seek notoriety, fame, popularity, or large scale change.

yes, the world does need those people. but in the wise words of judge smails, "the world needs ditchdiggers too" (i couldnt resist). my advice comes from my perspective, and everyone else's comes from theirs. and i think that's why branciteam posed the question on mw, to get responses from a variety of povs that he would otherwise not experience.

my point was do what makes you happy because there is no assurance of afterlife or anything else, so be happy while you know you can. but different things make different people happy. if having a larger impact in an area that needs it would make him happier than coming to a place he loves living but doesnt need as much help, then he should stay where he is. if not, then he should consider alternatives.

By  josh, at Tuesday, November 29, 2005 4:50:00 PM  

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