The Hijacking of Ideals

You have an idea, you have a cause, you have a philosophy.You have something you truly believe in, there are many of these of course, but some are more personal or relevant to you. The idea grows from this belief into something larger, it begins to develop its on dogma and even goes so far as to have a set codex that defines its members. It becomes so large that its original purpose may become lost in bureaucracy and group think. This is a sad thing when the realization comes to you that you no longer relate to the very people who champion this cause you once held so dear in your heart. The importance of it fades and you are left feeling empty as you stare at the desecrated caricature it has become. You are no longer able to speak about this idea with the conviction that once drove your passion.

For a long time I believed this was just "bandwagoning". People like to belong and like it when they share ideals with others. They see a cause and they observe how much it drives those around them. I expect most large movements to have its followers. These people aren't the driving force behind the idea. They are followers, not leaders. Let's call these people "the masses". These people are the bandwagoners, but they are not the point of this thread. I'm not speaking about popularity or peer pressure. Nor am I talking about pseudo leaders or politicians who just pretend to champion a cause. They are byproducts of populism.

What I am getting at is the actual and planned co-opting of the idea. I believe it is done with intent. There is a fear of any movement becoming so strong that it might threaten those who seek to influence our thoughts.

Let me discuss an example to better illustrate my point.

There was a time when I would refer to myself as an environmentalist. I no longer use this word. Its meaning has been bastardized and slandered so badly that it holds little real meaning. I tend to use the word conservationist now. I believe that we are caretakers of this Earth. It is our responsibility to ensure that resources are used and managed in a way that is not detrimental to our long term survival as a species. We humans have the gift of reason and the ability to alter our environment far more then any other species on this planet. I think this gives us a greater responsibility.

So I try to do things that I think are less damaging to our Eco-system. I try not use synthetic chemicals, I don't dump oil or radiator fluid on the ground. I tend to clean my house with baking soda and vinegar. I like to prepare my own food, and not rely on packaging and prepared things. I plant trees, I garden, I respect the land, I recycle, I buy used, I even go so far as to build things myself.

This is Iron Eyes Cody. Like him I do not want to see the Earth disrespected.



Now lets use another example to try to differentiate here. Carbon Credits. I don't relate to this in any way. I don't think taxing is the answer. I don't think Al Gore or others like him think like I do. Politicians and leaders across this world have taken the idea and used it for their own purposes. They see it as an ability to create more revenue. I don't know these people. They do not speak for me. They have taken an idea and ruined it beyond the sense of reason. They don't want to stop pollution, they want to tax it. They use this belief to have people rally in the streets calling for a better world. They use education to distort the cause and muddy the issues.

This is intentional. They have hijacked this cause and called it their own. They have negated the original purpose of respect for our world and turned it into a joke.

Please feel free to share your own thoughts on issues relevant to you and how they have been destroyed.