1.06.2009

Call of Guilt

There's a part of me that experiences a sense of longing for adventure when I see a picture of any heavily wooded forests. I don't know why. I don't enjoy camping. That's due to the physical limitations I possess. Perhaps those feelings flood into me because it's something that I can't do. Perhaps it's the romanticized writings and movies I've read and seen.

I happened to catch the beginning of a documentary about a young man and woman who attend a camp to learn how to live in the wilderness without the assistance of modern amenities. It would have been really interesting if it didn't have the MTV spin on it. They tend to focus more on the conflicts that these two experience. It's why I dislike their programs intensely. I was hoping it would show more of the things they learned. They probably made it as an attempt to cash in on the popularity of Into the Wild.

The young woman was talking to the camera while driving around town before she went to the camp and mentioned her feelings of guilt each time she used her car or used materials that were non-recyclable. I too experience similar feelings and wonder what I could do to limit the environmental damage I cause. I feel strongly about global warming and the over-use of fossil fuels. I passed some piles of garbage bags and saw that there was a VCR among them. I know that, if brought to the proper facility, that it could be recycled, but I wasn't in a position to walk off with it and take care of it myself. It's incredibly frustrating when I think of all of the medical supplies that can't be recycled, but that gets to me on a few levels.

The problem with trying to do most of these things is the cost. Purchasing and installing solar panels is very expensive. Hybrid cars are dropping in price, but I don't have the money for a new car. Texas' recycling program is a joke...

Ever since I saw that "documentary" I've been thinking about my ability to survive in a world without modern conveniences. It's all hypothetical thinking though, since I require a few of them to live. However, these situations all revolve around zombie apocalypses. This is due more to the entertainment that I've deluged my mind with.

I don't have precognitive abilities. Don't worry.

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