There has been a long running and subversive campaign against the Chelsea Tractor. Whatever your feelings about this it represents an idea of social action that could lead in interesting directions. Imagine a World only a few years from now when it is not only 4x4’s that earn the wrath of a growing number of the population. What kind of revolution would this be brewing?
After the 4x4 then what: Sports Cars? Any car that is Automatic? Any petrol driven vehicle? Any car longer the 4 meters? How about other sectors of the economy? How about active campaigns to shame people out of buying and using foreign holidays? Imagine coming back to your house after two weeks in the
How about a leaflet campaign aimed simply against large houses? What about Supermarket Trolleys full of non-organic food? Should we organise “Parking Tickets” to be handed out outside of Supermarkets? How would people feel then? What if you had one too many lights burning at night or you used a Patio Heater? Would a knock on the door and a ‘Poor Lifestyle Choice’ poster emblazoned on your front door make you feel? Is this a vision of horror? Is this terrorism? Or is it the sign of things to come? What sort of world would this be? Is it vigilantism? Would it lead to violence. Should one breed of future-conscious people be allowed to make their anger so clear to the wasters next door?
Maybe they should. Maybe this is the next step beyond peer pressure. Maybe this is the social revolution that will save the future for our children. So let’s start that revolution. This revolution will be subtle. It will crop up in conversation. Drop a few hints here and there that you do not approve of someone’s lifestyle choice. It is not longer a question of choice. THEIR choice kills YOUR future. It is no choice at all. If Governments can’t act then everyone else should. I will not sacrifice my children on the altar of another’s selfishness. Remove the choice. Make that choice unacceptable. Don’t intimidate. Just inform, guide and educate. Create the new norm. Just be proactive. When someone switches the lights on on a bright sunny day ask them why. Then tut tut disapprovingly. Raise your eyes to heaven and think to your self “My Children will never forgive you”. Poor choices have no future. Your choices are not freedom. They are slavery. When you have no future you are a slave to your today.
Sure, there will be those die-hards who hold out and hold on to the conspicuous consumption. They will wear it as a badge of honour. The more others cut back the more they will consume. They will assume that the rules don’t apply to them. They will live a lonely existence.