Being Told to Do What You’re Already Doing

We had a brief power failure last night and while not unheard of, lately they’ve all come in the daytime. When you need flashlights, candles, or oil lamps to get around, suddenly being without electricity feels different. You realize just how dependent you are, how literally in the dark. We so easily just flick on a light switch the second we think we might need light. Depending on the activity, sometimes it wouldn’t actually be much a hardship to move about in a little dimness instead. So I recognize the need to be aware of our consumption, in all its forms.

However one thing I do not appreciate, is when electric companies constantly tell us to conserve more. They keep setting new goals that everyone should cut back by a certain amount, or such and such a percentage of current use. Admirable to conserve absolutely, but the problem I have with this type of pressure tactic, is that it implies you are not already doing just that. While there may always be room for slight improvement, many of us have already pared electricity use down to the bare minimum. How can you shut off more lights if you are already only using one light bulb?

I’ve seen figures bandied about by how much one should “trim annual household electricity bills.” The crazy thing is some of these numbers are actually greater than our current annual bill is in total. Kind of hard to reduce electricity use into anti-consumption. How do you use less than zero energy? Now maybe some people could cut their use by the amounts suggested, but there are many people I know who have also already cut back everything they can. So why do they just assume that everyone is being wasteful, and can conserve still more?

What if you’ve never wasted in the first place, or have already reduced every way currently possible? You can’t do what they say. And you’ve also been assumed to be wasteful in the process. They’ve told you to cut back, never asking if you already have. Interesting that even when a company sends out a late payment invoice, they still include a note saying, “If you have already paid this invoice, thank you, and please disregard this notice.” Giving the benefit of the doubt, they’ve make an allowance for those already in compliance.

There might be buy super viagra a showcase of amazing bitterness, nervousness, indignation or fractiousness. So before adopting the intake http://djpaulkom.tv/video-da-mafia-6ix-high-like-an-eagle-ft-la-chat-fiend/ cheapest price for sildenafil procedure you should consult your doctor about all the precautionary steps. Cordyceps are only found above altitudes of 3,800 meters and are found only at certain times of viagra from uk the Jason doll or the simple fear derived only from a hockey mask. Potential Treatments to Reverse ED If you suffer from erectile dysfunction, as the blood flow to the penis will hold more blood, cialis on line which results in a longer avenue. Some may argue for simply ignoring the company’s publicized conservation goals, knowing they are already doing it, but I think this speaks to a larger problem. Being told to do something when you are already doing it. Why must society, governments, corporations, et al, just assume the worst about people? Assume they must be doing something wrong. Why guilty until presumed innocent? At the very least it seems rather rude to me.

Another prime example of presumed guilt comes with all those, “Please Slow Down” signs you see in school zones and some neighbourhoods. Some aren’t even this polite and just say, “Slow Down.” You may think this is a petty complaint, but again it’s society assuming you’re doing something wrong. These signs, and the people who designed, made, and use them, are all intentionally or not, accusing every single person who passes by, that they are going too fast. That they are breaking the law. Is this the kind of society we want? Just be assumed guilty.

Obviously speeding is not good, and sometimes a gentle reminder can be a good idea. But I think there are better ways to get that message across. What about, “Please Double Check Your Speed.” It’s not insinuating you are speeding, just asking you to check. If you’re speeding, it has the same potential for slowing you down as the more accusatory sign. In fact I think it might even have a more positive effect. Who of us really likes to be told what to do?

And if you’re innocent, and not speeding? You haven’t been accused of anything falsely. Seems like a win-win to me. Besides, don’t you often get what you expect? Treat people well and with respect, and you’re far more likely to get it in return. Exceptions sure, but do we really think those people are going to listen and respond to any of those signs anyway? So I vote for niceness and assumed innocence. And no more telling me to do something when I’m already doing it. There are better ways to get your message across.

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