Personal Ethics and Being a Mesquite Hugger

It’s a little easier this time of year. It was cold this morning, but there was little wind and no moisture in the air. If you are cold, pedal harder! I rode a bike to work four days this week. The importance of that statement lies not in what I did, but in what I did not do. I did not drive my truck to work four days this week. Now you’re talking! 80% reduction in fuel consumption! Positive steps! Way to go, Mesquite Hugger!

It’s a little but insistent voice that drives a lot of my actions. I have written about it here before – sometimes with lots of nasal Yiddish, sometimes in quiet retrospection, sometimes in seething anger. It’s the voice that keeps tries to keep me in line with my personal ethics. It’s the voice that keeps me defining what my personal ethics are.

As I rode to work this morning, the voice was pretty happy with my actions but was highly judgmental of others’ actions – all the idling cars parked in front of houses, the bank that overwaters daily, the driver with the loud music/rolling stops/no blinkers. Stop being such a self-righteous and judgmental jerk, snagit! Then I started pondering the voice in other people. I played with the idea of creating a survey for you, Dear Reader. After the survey, I could post anonymous results and evaluate the state of our eco-union and all that. I started working on questions.

What issues do you care about and work to improve?

What issues do you care about but not work to improve?

Do you spend any time analyzing your own actions?

Do you spend more time analyzing the actions of others?

What could you do to make the world a better place for all?

What are you doing to make the world a better place for all?

Do you hear voices, and is that a healthy thing?

If the Mesquite Hugger rides by you on his bike, will you bump that self-righteous jerk off the road?

In case you and your voice are wondering about the survey, just scribble the answers on a postcard and mail them to yourself just email, tweet, or text them to yourself. See what your voice has to say about them.

May you have a wonderful day, and may you and your voice be the best of friends!