There's a fine line between advocate and nut job

On a Facebook post, Mike, member of the hiking group, wrote in response to "Don't Toss Apple Cores and Banana Peels on the Ground":

I think there is a point of ridiculousness and I think this article about discarded fruit in the forest has breached that point. What fruit takes two years to decompose? Seriously. Certainly not an apple core or a banana peel. What is the difference between an apple core and all the other trillions of tons of organic matter that the forest produces? I would argue that placing organic waste in the forest is BENEFICIAL to the forest, adding humus composition and ground cover to prevent erosion. Let's keep it real. This article about the evils of apple cores brought to you by people who drive fossil fuel burning automobiles to get to the forest for which they are pontificating. Once you embark on silly talk, people stop listening to the important stuff.

I remember being chastised by a guide in the Grand Canyon for peeing too close to a stream. (I think he thought people should be at least 20 feet away and I was probably only five or six feet distant.) I asked him how they train deer and other animals to observe the 20 foot rule of urination, to which he simply gave me a look like I was being a smart-ass. Without adequate explanation of how human urine differs from that of other mammalian urine, he lost credibility with me. 

I often wonder how much more progress we would make in our advocacy efforts if we took a more modest approach. When we become so extreme in our views that what we say is perceived as "silly talk." For example:

• I can get behind removing statues of Confederate generals,  but removing George Washington and Abraham Lincoln?
• I support selecting new library materials that reflect a more racially and culturally sensitive POV, but tossing out To Kill a Mockingbird, Little House on the Prairie, and Dr. Seuss?
• I believe in background checks and buyers permits for gun ownership, but I can not support allowing assault rifles to be sold OR not allowing people to own guns at all.
• I want people to have the right to free speech in all media, but I have real problems with spreading unfounded conspiracy theories that may lead to violence. 

For nearly every controversial issue, there is a middle ground which those on both extremes would oppose, but with which most thinking people would agree. Of course, this approach isn't as satisfying as being sanctimonious or as engaging as Twitter battles. 

But it might actually lead to permanent change. Studies show that dieters who lose weight slowly over time tend to keep the weight off, but those who crash diet put the pounds back on just as fast.

How do you sound when you want change - as an advocate or a nut job?

Comments

[Paul]

Years ago, that seems like just yesterday, I spent 15 days rafting the Grand Canyon. During this time we hiked trails, and were told to urinate 20 feet away from streams and trails, but while in camp or on the Colorado River we peed directly into the river. . At times while rafting or standing admiring the River a person would hear a stream of water, sure enough male or female was using the river. Solid waste was carried out of the river canyon, and liquid emptied into the river.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Paul,

Nice to hear from you. Hope you are weathering the pandemic and cold weather OK.

While I've hiked the Grand Canyon a couple times including a Rim to Rim and hiked Havasupai several times, I've never done the Colorado rafting thing. Still on my bucket list. Not sure about wanting to haul out 15 days of "solid" waste!

Take it easy,

Doug