Trash

September 13, 2021

I’m not sure how to talk about anything that’s going on in the world anymore, so let’s just discuss littering.

Generally speaking, one discarded candy wrapper isn’t going to destroy the planet or any one individual’s worldview. And I think the person who drops that single piece of trash feels the same way, but also — selfishly, as human beings can be — they also have the mindset that they are the only person who has decided to litter today.

I believe that the person who decides to take a walk around the lake by their house to do some meditation and find a little peace will feel those individual wrappers add up and have a significant impact on them.

Recently, I wrote an essay in which I pointed out there has never been a time in history when children knew better that adults have absolutely no idea what they’re doing. The internet has allowed us to declare our smallest, dumbest, meanest, most divisive and least compassionate thoughts whenever we feel like it, and the impact of that is obvious.

And now social media highlights comments from your friends and family on posts that you don’t even follow.

It’s like someone sending you photos of all the trash that you wouldn’t find yourself.

I think a lot of those comments that get spotlighted by the algorithm are made by people who don’t think anyone is going to see them.

We do.

They think they’re not going to matter.

They do.

I try not remove people from my lists just because we have different views, but I also look out for my own mental health, and I’m being honest when I say I have blocked people after coming across these seemingly random comments which reveal truly abhorrent facets.

And if you’re wondering where I’m going with all this, how I’m going to tie all this together, what the point of this trash metaphor is, it’s to plead with you.

Don’t litter.

Think about what you drop on this planet. Whether it’s a Big Buddy cup in a parking lot or a comment on the internet that does nothing for anybody or, worse, does true damage or stirs unnecessary pots.

Stop littering.

And watch beauty and sanity fight back.