Moral Purity

I have at times been mockingly called 'Mahatma' because, I suspect, people seem to think that I view myself as some sort of purist and self-styled heir to Gandhi's legacy. 

Oddly, my whole point in this endeavor has been that Ordinary People like me can actually do Extraordinary Things and don't have to be some Super Heroic Powerful Dude In A Cape to effect change.  What's more, I've often noted that those we do typically find heroic are as impure as the rest of us.

There also is a tendency for people to react to my question, "what else are you willing to do?" as though I'm demanding they completely forsake a life they've known to start wearing loincloths and drinking goat's milk.  That's pretty damned silly.

All this brings to mind a favorite Bloom County series ending with these two strips (click to enlarge):

Whether we're talking about the environment, war or information security, all we can do is mitigate impact, not eliminate it.  Life is full of risks and compromises.  The purpose of this exercise is for me to ask myself questions about what I can change in my own lifestyle and behavior, and I've invited people along for the ride.

You can get off the bus any time.  And if someone would bring me a ham and pineapple pizza, that would be great...

ntodd

PS--This strip courtesy of my copy of Billy and the Boingers Bootleg.  Yes, I still have the little vinyl record with I'm A Boinger and U Stink, But I ♥ U.

Comments

[Uncle Smokes]

"I never knew Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was not a friend of mine. NTodd, you're probably not Mahatma Gandhi."

Sorry. Just having a bit of snarky fun with Lloyd Bentsen's famous remark to Dan Quayle...

I am in a trailer being pulled by this bus of yours, wherein I puzzle over my own feelings about protest and the political system.

You have inspired a great deal of truth-searching in me of late--and given that "the search for Truth" is in the byline of this blog, you and the others here have been effective.

That said, I question the moral authority of anyone who eats pineapple on a pizza. ;)

[Toucari, fka cosmic tumbler]

Hey! I already wear loincloths and drink goat's milk.

That aside, your challenges to yourself are inspiring and contagious.

[r@d@r]

in my quest to destroy all semblances of dualism, i found that my shoelaces were tied together. hilarity ensued.

i have long been of the opinion that the only worthwhile virtue is doubt.

but sometimes i'm not so sure...

[Danny Guam]

NTodd,
I too have been a bit turned off by what was possibly your enthusiasm for stuff you felt you had to do for yourself and I may have thought you came off as implying that everyone else should get on board as well.

I am old and bitter. Not as young as you. May be that's part of it but I don't see the old ways of protest working anymore. I think giant puppets are a really bad way to get people to come around to your cause. I don't think "stunts" are doing it either. Theater aint workin.

I am leaning toward pitchforks and torches myself. May be I am losing patience. I am listening if anyone else has ideas. I reserve the right to dismiss them outright of course.

I am glad you are explaining yourself and I really wish we could have had more discussion in PDX recently but of course that wasn't the time for that. I enjoyed meeting you and your dad and girlfriend. Just wish could hang out in meatspace with so many of the people that comment at blue.

Lastly, mean people suck.

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