Why YOU Don’t Have Nice Things and Why The People That Do Won’t Socialize With You.
Sometimes, I don’t know why I bother. I know the very people who should read this most likely won’t, and even if by some miracle they do, they probably won’t think that it pertains to them. However...
After spending yesterday afternoon riding along the lakefront from South to North, and then back South, I noticed a stark contrast in the environmental culture and mentality toward the natural beauty that we have at our border to the East.
At the outset, I crossed the dilapidated footbridge at 43rd to get over to the lakefront bike path. On the bridge there were men hanging out, drinking from bottles and cans inside of brown paper bags, not causing anybody any harm. However, the amount of trash littering the footbridge was staggering. At the other side I was greeted by a mass of people enjoying a large gathering, barbecuing, socializing, etc. As I mounted my bicycle, one slightly older man asked me, “you the POlice, ain’t you?” Not saying anything, I gave him a look of disdain, maneuvered through the crowd, and made my way North.
When I arrived at the 31st Street Beach, there was the normal mass of weekend beach goers, who never quite seem to understand how NOT to loiter in the middle of the bike path. But, I was able to negotiate the crowd without much difficulty, and was on my way.
For the most part, people understand that you should stay to your right on the lake front path, for the same reasons slow traffic is supposed to stay to the right on the highway. Runners naturally hate walkers and tourists for impeding their ability to make progress in their training runs, and bikers naturally hate runners and pedestrians for the same reason. However, it’s worth noting that people on bikes are going between 10 - 25 mph, so you should really watch out for them. They cannot stop on a dime, because physics.
I digress. Upon returning South after some delicious gelato, I noticed something when I reached 31st Street Beach again. Not only did a man holding a bottle of Remy Martin walk straight into me in a drunken stupor, but there was trash EVERYWHERE. It looked like a garbage dumpster had been overturned and the wind had taken bottles, napkins, tin foil, plastic cups, etc. all over the place. It was utterly disgusting and infuriating.
This morning, I decided to hop back on the bike and make my way back North, as I sometimes do on weekend mornings for coffee and a well-earned bagel. Making my way to the 43rd Street footbridge, there was trash everywhere. The church parking lot at the base of the footbridge was a disaster, full of cans, bottles, McDonald’s bags and boxes, and other trash. The footbridge was full of trash, no surprise there. However, a cleaning crew had just finished cleaning the park area where the barbecue was the evening before, so that area was pristine. Upon reaching 31st Street, I found that area pristine as well, seemingly, because of the cleaning crew.
Before I begin my overdue rant, I want to point out that I have never seen the beaches at Oak Street, North Avenue, Montrose, Foster, etc. in the trash-ridden condition I witnessed at 31st Street. NEVER.
Upon reflecting upon this, I reached a clear realization: I want nothing to do with people who willingly and consciously destroy their environment. If that’s you, even if it’s something as little as mindlessly throwing a used tissue on the sidewalk, you need to know that I look upon you and the piece of trash you just discarded as one-in-the-same, and you should remove yourself from my presence and environment immediately.
By now, some of you reading this might be thinking that I’m some kind of racist because of the stark differences in ethnicities found between Chicago’s South and North Sides. For those of you thinking that, this has nothing to do with the color of someone’s skin, nothing to do with ethnicity, nothing to do with income, and EVERYTHING to do with respect; respect for Self, respect for Community, respect for others, respect for nature, and respect for Health. Respect transcends ethnicity, income, education, etc. so get over yourself. Growing up, I was taught to put trash in the garbage, where it belongs, and not on the ground. Never was I told, “put your trash in the garbage can and respect your environment because you’re white and that’s what white people do.” This isn’t about black vs. white, so get over it.
Also, I like nice things. I like having nice things, and I like living in a nice neighborhood. If something is dirty, I clean it. If something is broken, I fix or replace it. I don’t want to associate with, or live near or with others who have a fundamental lack of Self respect and lack of respect for their surroundings, those who want to enjoy their surroundings, and lack of respect for anything in general. If I just described you, please either develop some respect, or do the world a favor and remove yourself from it, quickly.
People who live in trash-ridden neighborhoods do so because they tolerate it. Nobody wants to live in trash, NOBODY. Nobody wants to look at your trash strewn about the street, the beach, the highway, etc. so don’t put it there. Put your garbage in the garbage can, where it belongs. Do this because you’re a human being, capable of being a decent person, showing yourself, others, and your environment the most basic and inherent level of respect all of them deserve. When you see someone throw trash on the ground, either pick it up, or confront that person and request he/she picks up the trash and puts it in the garbage. It’s that simple.
