Only trouble, you never know what you are advertising to different people.
Take your shoes..while one person might think 'cool wish I had a pair' the same pair of shoes might elicit 'ugh, those are soooo ugly, I would never wear them' and yet a third will think 'err shoes..she had shoes..umm guess so'.
Which for me means I wont waste time on what shoes I wear (though man mine are uncomfortable! I gotta do something about that)
On the other hand, I homeschool, I stay at home, eat healthy (ish), reduced consumer, and I am a semi tree hugger..
What do those immages bring to mind to you? all good? all bad? all prolly based on your experience and reading...not a terrible thing to base stuff on..but...are you getting the whole picture? maybe that person with twinkies in the cart had a science project on what twinkies do to the arteries...not actually planning on eating them? Or maybe they were..you just can't tell...but that person buying them should be thinking that they are advertising/supporting twinkies by buying them....
Or maybe you are one of the few and far between, the 'whatever' folk, folk who don't think anything of anybody, really you are a rare breed. And while you may not make judgements, others are making them of you, so if you have a cause..are your daily habits that others can see supporting it? if not....what are you telling the world?
The immages you and others have about any 'lable' may or may not be true, but they are there, and they are hard to fight.
Every time my kid throws a tantrum in public, I am faced with some people seeing me as a bad mother, every time My kid doesn't know the answer to a question I am faced with some people thinking my homeschooling is failing, everytime my kids or I are sick I am faced with healthy (ish) eating being a waste of time...Everytime I buy useless junk I am faced with some others thinking my money is supporting a wasteful industry...and everytime I use a disposable wrapping I am faced with 'treehugging' being to hard to keep up. (or other immages, who knows what people think)
None of this will stop me from trying to be the best mother and possibly more environmentalist I can be, but all of it is something I try to consider when I walk out the door (after I get the round of diapers, pottys, coats, food packed, and such taken care of)
So what are you advertising?
Oh and while you really may not care about strangers..what are you advertising to your kids? drinking pop while they drink water? they will likely grow up to drink pop..insisting they read while you watch the latest sitcom? condeming lying, while telling a 'great'story of youthfull lies?
You are a walking advertisment
December 13th, 2006 at 03:17 pm
December 13th, 2006 at 03:50 pm 1166025026
I think what matters most is that it makes the best sense to you?
As for advertisement, that's a good point. I believe in leading by example. For example, I'm not going to tell anyone that they shouldn't smoke while I'm sitting there rolling a big fat doobie.
December 13th, 2006 at 05:14 pm 1166030092
I don't really care what other people's judgements are because frankly, the more people judge I notice the more unhappy they are.
I am happy with my choices, so whatever. IT is a GREAT place to be.
Frankly I don't care what anyone else does, as long as they aren't huting other people. Short of overtly abusing their children or being a menace to society, whatever. BUT it grates on my nerves like no tomorrow when people do judging others. I always figure I Am pretty self-centered because I don't really care about anyone else - hehe. Too worried about myself and my own family... OF course I Am not perfect and I have my stumbles. But overall is how I Feel...
As I get older and wiser though I kind of step back and have REALLY noticed like I Said, that those that have been overtly judgemental are also really unhappy with their lives or situations. IT helps me to put things in perspective. Something about miserable people wanting to spread misery.
Good Post!
December 13th, 2006 at 06:28 pm 1166034504
Ive never noticed if someone had twinkies rather than apples...nor would I give it a second thought if I did...If a child didnt know something, Id chalk it up to his being a child and pass no judgement on the parent.
What I will do is: smile when I make eye contact, pick something up for you if you drop it near me, hold the door for you if your coming that direction, help you load heavy stuff if your needing assistance, etc.
If anything, I hope my advertisement would be that I care, not necessarily about what Im wearing or how I look or about what youre wearing or how you look...but rather about you as a person.
And if I happen to have twinkies in my cart...well, I just do- I have no apologies to offer- nor should I have to.
You make a good point PP. Unfortunately, people do pass judgement and make first impressions. But I dont pay any attention to it. Life is just too short.
December 14th, 2006 at 03:40 pm 1166110818
December 14th, 2006 at 05:12 pm 1166116366