{"id":90432,"date":"2011-06-28T04:00:34","date_gmt":"2011-06-28T11:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/getrichslowly.org\/blog\/?p=90432"},"modified":"2024-03-05T21:36:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-06T04:36:53","slug":"what-do-you-care-what-other-people-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/what-do-you-care-what-other-people-think\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do You Care What Other People Think?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday afternoon, I shared a biking vs. driving calculator<\/a> that tries to show how much you could save if you gave up your car in favor of other forms of transportation. Whenever I post a story about biking more and driving less, some readers feel judged. They worry that those of us who drive less think we’re somehow better than they are.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, for instance, Elaine wrote:<\/p>\n

I must say that articles like these bruise my ego a bit. I WANT to do everything possible to minimize my impact on my financial health and the health of the environment, so it bothers me somewhat to continually hear about biking, when it’s just not realistic to my life.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And Annie said:<\/p>\n

I’m glad that some people have the opportunity to reduce their gas dependence by walking and\/or biking, but I wish that the non-vehicle enthusiasts would remember that not all of us have that same opportunity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Elaine and Annie’s concerns are valid. Sometimes we do forget that others don’t have the same options we do. But it’s also true that some of us become indignant when we read stories about living in a tiny house, owning only 100 possessions, growing all of our own food, or having a DIY wedding. We feel judged. That’s unfortunate, because getting defensive can get in the way of noticing other lessons that might be applicable in our own lives.<\/p>\n

Nobody’s perfect<\/h2>\n

When I write that I<\/i> am trying to reduce my driving, I’m not arguing that everyone should do the same. Sure, I believe you should try to find ways to cut back, if possible, but I realize that not everyone shares my values and not everyone has the same life circumstances. If you live in Phoenix with a family of four, biking everywhere probably isn’t practical. So, when I share what I’m doing in my own life, I’m not judging anyone. Besides, what room do I have to judge? Because I’m too lazy to complain, I’ve been paying $45 a month for DSL the speed of dial-up. (Fixed last week!) I let too much food spoil. And Kris still digs my cans out of the garbage to put them in the recycling.<\/p>\n

I’ve made many mistakes with money, and I’ll continue to make them. I often choose the sub-optimal financial path. But I’ve gradually reduced my mistakes, and I’m slowly learning to try new things \u2014 even when I don’t think they’re going to work. As a result, I’ve discovered new ways to save and, more importantly, new ways to make my life more fulfilling.<\/p>\n