How do you cope with ignorant people?

[mrsmiggins]

I just thought I’d update you on what inspired this post. I arranged to go spend some ‘quality time’ with the friends in question as I only ever see them for brief periods which probably doesn’t help. Although a bit slow to the whole eco thing (and regularly laugh at my life in general!) they are nice people, but I think some people just naturally get defensive when they feel their way of life is being threatened, or just generally get scared by new ideas which comes out as thoughtless comments. Maybe some people are just nasty, but I can’t help but think there’s an insecurity or even jealousy behind it. I don’t know how everyone’s mind works so I’m not going to judge, but I am glad I’ve stayed friends with these people.

[mrsflibble]

I ignore those types of people. I recently acame under fire on another website from a group of mums (parenting site) who think I am a bad mother. their reason? i don't use dettol. refuse to have the stuff in my house, I prefer teatree oil and vinegar if anything. if they don't cut it, then a little bleach.

aparently I am setting Sophie up to either be a slob or to die an early death from some bacterial menace, or from something she's picked up by eating home grown fruit straight from the garden.

I recycle, I have a compost bin (thanks oh darling hubby), I let sophie eat stuff straight out of the garden because I know how it's been cared for and I don't use unecessary chemicals.

at age 2 she could identify edible fruits in the local park, she once scared the living daylights out of her granny by running off and coming back covered in what looked like blood. it wasn't. it was blackberry juice. the little bugger had seen some on the other side of the park and gone for them.

I like to think I am providing a stable future for my baby, and that she's already gaining knowledge which will stand her in good stead in the future. her nasturitums are excellent.

[Millymollymandy]

Well Mrs Miggins and Susie Gee, you have just described the two couples from The Good Life to a tee! You can still be friends with them whilst totally and utterly not comprehending each others lifestyles.....

[Helsbells]

A lady I used to work with didnt recycle, even thought their local council put large plastic bin bags through her letter box and she could put paper, plastic card and glass into these bags.
She used to throw the recycling bags away with her normal rubbish.
I was shocked when I found this out and my response was "But you are not a lazy person are you?"
I think this got her thinking because it was just lazyness that stopped her from recycling and she didnt like the idea of being thought of as lazy. She started recycling then, and was quite proud of herself. (I dont know if she still does recycle now I am not there to make her feel bad, but I like to think she does.)

What really gets to me though is people who say that there is no point is not driving their car so much, or becoming vegan, or recycling, or cycling to work etc because it wont make a differance because its only them, just one person.
My response to this is that if they do it and tell others that they do it, this may inspire other people to do it as well and so it spreads.

I had a massive debate with some friends of ours, a couple, they were very smug about the fact that they didnt eat any chicken and no eggs unless they were free range and no food if it contained egg that wasnt free range (after seeing the Jamie Oliver programme) But they didnt do anything else.

My argument was why did they stop there? How can they care about chickens but not care about pigs, say, or not care about the slave children who made their chothes.

Their response was that on a scale of goodness at least they are part way along the scale, unlike some people who are at the bottom, so they are a least better than some people.

What I really wanted to say was that one should always be trying to move up the "scale of goodness" not just staying in one place, one should always be trying to improve oneself and their impact on the environment and others. However I was too drunk to construct a cohesive argument!

So they are still just refusing to eat food withnon free range eggs in it, but quite happily eating sausages from european pigs raised in horrible conditions.

[Fifer182]

I don't really try to change folks ways of life or tell them much about ours unless they ask.
If they ask.. then they're interested which is cool by me

Sure, some people thought me a bit strange when I started making my own bread and stuff, my neighbours about had a heart attack when we moved into our new house and swiftly started digging up the bog standard mono block uniformed garden ( that bit I hugely enjoyed - one particular set of neighbours really are the epitome of Gerry& Margo!!!!) and I know they were in despair when we started cluttering the place up with reclaimed wood to build the raised beds ( our soil is mostly clay)! It then took us a good few months to source good top soil that nobody else wanted ( from a gorgeous wee kitchen garden that a local developer was ripping up) and transport it in our home made trailer! Now though.. we have stuff growing and people are genuinely interested!
I've always been called a hippy ( though I was born well after the sixties) and always taken satisfaction from re-using things and making do. It doesn't bother me in the slightest not to have an off shore savings account!

I don't cope with ignorant people.. I choose not to encounter them

Fifer

[mrsflibble]

i dont try to change people, there's nothing more annoying than somebody preachy no matter what subject they're preaching about.

[Thomzo]

"Wow, you don't separate your waste for recycling? Gosh you must be the only family I know who doesn't!"

"You throw everything in landfill? How very last century!"

"Did you know they are opening a new landfill site at the bottom of your garden? The existing one is full of your rubbish."

Or simply raise and eyebrow, smile sadly and shake your head. But above all, don't let them get to you.

Zoe

[wolfsong]

Do what I do when I see a BNP supporter, ignore them, if you forget them then they will no longer exist, the same way that they ignore the environment!
Plus it really P....s them off, always a good thing

[Brij]

I point out to them (and remind myself) that somebody has to save the world - why on Earth shouldn't that someone be me?

That's also the technique I use on kids who don't understand why they shouldn't waste things ("you don't want to be the hero that saves the world?").

But then I'm one of those "it might as well be me" people - someone has to do the laundry/washing up/hoovering/cooking/grocery shopping... it may as well be me!

Still, it helps you put it in perspective, and somehow makes it less of a big deal.

[Andy Hamilton]

I have a few mates who regually fly everywhere, drive everywhere etc, etc and these days they tend to apologise to me if they mention flying or throw something into landfill or whatever. There is no way they are going to change unless the whole of society changes.

I think it is the same with most people. So simple really, what you have to do is change society. Keep on writing to your MP, join local groups. Don't let someone else's apathy anger your, let it inspire you to make a difference.

[pumpy]

we don't mind "ignorant" people. We live our life-style because we think it's the right way (& incidentally, does save money). There's no greater satisfaction than growing/making/brewing yer own. We don't try to change other peoples attitude (some people simply do not have the time to do what we do), we aren't green "fanatics" either.....i'm not going to save the planet by switching off a light-bulb, but we do our best because it seems the obvious thing to do.

[Stonehead]

I point to our dinghy resting on the 220m contour and say "You won't be laughing when the sea level is lapping at my boat because the polar ice caps have melted..."

They can't decide if I'm a joker, a nutter, or a cassandra. Not that many people understand the latter.

Anyway, they give me strange looks and edge away, never to return. Problem solved.

[the.fee.fairy]

"It only takes one person to change the world, why not make it me?"

Or, point out the cost potential for a lot of green ways.

The girl that i live with was forever leaving the AC and the lights on, until i pointed out to her that we have an allowance of 200RMB (£20) a month for power, after that we have to pay for it ourselves. About 10 minutes after the conversation, there was a well-timed power cut. She got the message...

And...i'd just like to point out that at 34 degrees with 98% humidity, the AC is a necessity!! However, i only turn the AC in my room on when i'm in it, and only until the room cools to comfortable. I turned it off about 5 minutes ago...