Priority Use

"Bad people wear fur."

Today as I was walking to class, I noticed this very interesting bumper sticker and it prompted me to think of a few interesting things.

Like, for example, how this person knows that bad people wear fur. The statement is quite a generalization and it is also rather unclear. Does this mean that only bad people wear fur? Or that all fur-wearers are bad? Or perhaps, the only bad people are those that are wearing fur.

Do I think it is pleasant to wear a dead animal's skin and fur? No, not really. Does that mean that someone who thinks it is, is a bad person. Well, no, I don't think so. Maybe they're just a little unconcerned. Or, maybe uncaring. Or,
maybe just carnivorous. But, I don't really think they're bad.

Plus, who am I to judge? I own more than a few pairs of leather-clad shoes. I'm not sure there's a difference.

The funniest thing about the entire situation is that the bumper sticker was placed smack-dab in the middle of the trunk of her SUV. Um. Okay. I certainly don't think that SUV-drivers are "bad" people. My dad drives an SUV. And, while I attempt at persuading him to get a smaller car about every time I ride in it, I don't think he's all that bad. In fact, he's pretty good as far as I'm concerned. Plus, I can spout out all I want about saving the environment, but unless I'm Miss Perfect, do I really have that right?

The point being, someone should tell her (I say "her" for simplicity's sake but I don't mean to know that the driver/owner was definitely a female--though I have my suspicions), or at least politely remind her, that her fuel-inefficient vehicle is doing a lot of harm to the environment--killing off and damaging ecosystems (along with her little furry friends).

It's funny that this little discussion should come out of my own little head. The other day, Sunday, in fact, I was talking to a friend totally pissed off about how mean these certain people are in this certain coffee shop on campus. She politely reflected upon the fact that she "has never met any mean people." Once she gets to know those who seem mean at first, she says it's hard to see anyone as truly and honestly, deep down being "mean." While this made me really mad at first (I think I've met a few mean people), I think she might have a point. Maybe there aren't really any (well, I think there are a few) "mean" people in the world, just people who are misdirected at a certain point in time.

Which brings me back to being "bad.

Maybe there aren't really any "bad" people. Just misguided, unconscientious people living for values that you or I might not understand.