Look, I’m having a terrible case of, well, not writers block. It’s more like can’t give a damn block. Who cares about writing and blogging? There are jobs to be done, sun to soak up, flowers to plant, and kids to revel in. I find myself less and less in my own head and more and more in the moment. Warning: this “present in the moment” bullshit doesn’t bode well for a blogger. Fodder will flitter into your head, then flitter right out. But, who cares, right?
Megan and I talked about this lingering problem of mine, but what we discovered (that it probably is caused by a low inventory in my liquor cabinet) isn’t the point. Megan asked me a completely unrelated question during our phone call.
“So, what does Payton think of the oil spill?”
I didn’t know what to tell her.
Not because I’m not aware of my kids, or of what Payton thinks of this environmental mess. Come on, the kid who is highly opinionated on all (and I do mean ALL) things environmental? The one who wants to buy a bullhorn so he can organize a neighborhood march and yell “PLANT MURDERER!” to the construction crews as they transform yet another section of woods into the barren, mindless bliss that is a suburban yard.
Surely Payton has thoughts on the oil spill!
He has amazingly adult thoughts on the oil spill. And by that, I mean he’s speechless too, just like us adults.
What can you say about something like this?
Of course, there are people saying things about it. Of course there are! And it’s so funny! I can hear the brown pelicans and great blue herons laughing it up RIGHT NOW!
Just like I’m sure the citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi laughed it up at the Hurricane Katrina jokes.
And the Haitians laugh at the earthquake jokes.
Let’s say a toxic chemical contaminated an entire city’s drinking water and kept contaminating it for weeks and weeks, with no end in sight. I’m sure the people in that city would laugh at the jokes too, wouldn’t they?
Listen to me. I sound like a old hag whose disappointment with life has turned her bitter and caused an early demise to her sense of humor. Gah. 
I should stop considering my blog a humor blog.
I guess even my sarcasm and cynicism has its limit. And even though I believe in the healing power of laughter, I can’t find it in me to laugh at a sea turtle’s expense, or a baby manatee’s, or even a bull shark, no matter how witty and humorous the tweet. But something close to 100,000 people can. Gah, indeed.
I don’t want to debase BP either. At least not yet. I don’t want to believe they are immoral, uncaring people. Goddamn, so much is riding on them being caring people, on them being just as horrified at the loss of life and ecological disaster as the rest of us. I want to believe they are doing everything humanly possible to stop this oil leak.
Don’t mistake a fundamental belief in good people as naiveté. I know BP did something wrong somewhere. They cut one corner too many, or maybe five too many. Maybe a hundred. They pressured a contractor to work too fast, to ignore one safeguard too many. Their contractor didn’t stand by principle and caved to the pressure, knowing it was wrong. Something. A lot of things. Obviously it went wrong somewhere.
There are businesses that are culpable, alright. I’m sure we’ll make them pay, one way or another. Money, of course. Social media spankings, another. Hell, let’s get real American with these Brits and tar and feather them. It’ll be like the good ol’ days!
But what about our own culpability? Yours and mine. You didn’t think we were exempt from accountability for this, did you?
Look at this picture of Wally and the boys at the beach. Click on it to enlarge if you need to. Look along the horizon. Do you see the four tiny gray dots? Those are oil rigs. That’s just a small sample of the number you can see from our coast in Alabama.
They’re unsightly, yes. Probably dangerous. Ocean oil rigs carry inherent danger, so yes, dangerous too.
And it’s all in the American name of the cheapest possible gas price.
Oh yes, we’re accountable too. Who is making the demands for the product?
But it’s much easier to blame someone else and laugh at snarky tweets than own it. It makes it that much easier to dismiss the part you and I have played in this. Why do we need to be a part of the solution when we didn’t cause the problem, right?
I don’t know what is going to come from this disaster, but I want to believe it will be something good. (Again, it’s my Jedi training in a fundamental belief of good over evil.)
Could it be that this, combined with the Great Recession, can change the trajectory of our American society? We begin to turn inwards for happiness, not outwards in consumerism. That it will finally push us to look for a truly viable alternative source of energy.
That, little by little, you and I change our mindset: one drop, then another, until the ripple reaches every shore.
One reusable water bottle replaces 24 plastic bottles, which contain oil. Imagine if the 99,000 Twitter followers of that satirical BP Public Relations put some action behind their laughing and made that change? One reusable shopping bag replaces 5 plastic bags, which contain oil. One smaller car replaces an SUV.
One by one, then two by two. It’s no accident that numbers are infinite.
We can be a part of the solution, every single day. It’s easier than you think. But first, we have to change how we believe.
I believe in good.
I hope for the future.
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Great post. I have to add my two cents: I follow the bpglobalPR twitter account not because I think it’s funny to make fun of tragedy, but because, more often than not, the writer of those tweets is poking at BP, and it’s pissing BP off. I think you’re 100% correct – somewhere, somehow, BP was asleep at the wheel, and they need to know that we know it. Oil covered sea creatures aren’t funny in the slightest, but 99,000 people who are pissed at a company that hasn’t suceeded after SEVEN WEEKS of failure have a voice. If those 99,000 use their voices to demand answers and action and change, it’s a start.
P.S. You rock.
True, social media has a power of its own.
I’d still like to see 99,000 people act themselves, instead of just demanding it from BP.
Right on. Wow, nailed something that I talked about with a friend this weekend. I tend to have a quick recovery time on my ability to laugh at things, and in fact often heal with humor. I like dark humor. But I can’t laugh at the fakeBP tweets. Intellectually I know they are witty and a good commentary on corporate PR, which I normally really think is funny and a good way to promote change. But this just isn’t funny to me, not at all, I can’t find it. And you are right, it is OUR oil spill. We’ll all find our way back, I believe, in every way. Thanks for writing it out, and for linking to the Love the Gulf posts! (Maybe it’s good for me to remember that my own sarcasm and cynicism has even more limits than I knew…)
Agreed, Heather. I’m guilty of being a poor steward – I drive a Suburban (which isn’t nearly large enough for the kids/equipment I haul around), but I remember my reusable grocery bags about 60% of the time and we use metal water bottles more often than not, so we’re TRYING. If 99,000 other people tried, too, we might get somewhere. Again, thanks for an intelligent post.
Found your post on the Linky at MorningsideMom. I think it’s wonderful that so many people support the effort to get the word out & and share how much they love the Gulf!
Great post!
.-= Lua´s last blog ..Happy Memorial Day =-.
This is so smart and thoughtful, Heather. I really love it. I grew up swimming in the Gulf on vacations visiting my grandparents, and this fiasco breaks my heart. You are right about 99,000 people being able to make a difference, though — in shopping bags and water bottles alone. Just imagine! I try to do my part, but it feels like such a small difference sometimes. I wonder if someone could harness the power of the BPTweeting collective for good instead of just laughter. How? (Seriously, if you have ideas, I’m all ears. Together, perhaps? What could we do?)
.-= MommyTime´s last blog ..Dear Students: Here are some (FREE!) writing tips… =-.
I try to be friendly to the planet, but I fail sometimes. I will to fail less. I want to believe people are good, too.
.-= VirtualSprite´s last blog ..another kid =-.
I want to believe BP isn’t evil. All evidence is pointing to the contrary though. And I just can’t get past the people who say “oh, it will be fine, the ocean can handle it.”
.-= Libby´s last blog ..The Internet: Not Just For Porn Any More =-.
The pictures I see are upsetting, and the fact that so little is being done is even more upsetting.
You have to have hope, especially when there is nothing else.
Excellent writing, Heather.
.-= Alexandra´s last blog ..I Haz A Button? =-.
Absolutely everyone should do their part. Recycle, reuse, repurpose.
Wow. We were SO on the exact same page yesterday, Heather!
And this:
Could it be that this, combined with the Great Recession, can change the trajectory of our American society? We begin to turn inwards for happiness, not outwards in consumerism. That it will finally push us to look for a truly viable alternative source of energy.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Let’s do something about this. I am so motivated right now to set a goal for my family to consume less oil and figure out how, exactly, to do that.
.-= Miss Britt´s last blog ..On losing control =-.
GREAT post!!!
.-= AmazingGreis´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – New Life… =-.
*standing ovation*
.-= Sarahviz´s last blog ..Memorial Day 2010 =-.
I just unfollowed them. This post has been rattling around in my head and you are so right.
The feed is pretty funny, but rather obscene too, so I’d like to see that humor used differently. So thanks for a thoughtful post.
.-= monstergirlee´s last blog ..You Capture – Sky =-.
I want to believe BP isn’t evil. All evidence is pointing to the contrary though. And I just can’t get past the people who say “oh, it will be fine, the ocean can handle it.”
.-= Libby´s last blog ..The Internet: Not Just For Porn Any More =-.
Heather, thank you SO much for placing the blame squarely on the American Public’s shoulders without actually relieving BP of individual culpability.
I actually laugh at the folks demanding a BP boycott…. driving across the street to Exxon or the 76 station changes NOTHING in the long run. BP is no more evil than any other corporate entity … which is pretty darned evil.
Use bikes, use feet, plan your trips wisely.
Consume…. less.
This whole problem will be extremely unforunate for the ocean and for the economy in many different ways. This problem could have been retricted however these calamities occur. BP should be held accountable for this new catastrophe.
I am kinda glad you have bloggers block. Because THIS? This was AWESOME.
.-= Kelley @ Magnetoboldtoo´s last blog ..Tight muscles. Craptacular crafters. Chipmonks must die. Naked male models serving breakfast. =-.
I almost can’t bear to watch the news anymore, or the steady stream of mega-SUVs all over the road. We wanted homegrown oil. We got it. And while I am angry, angry, angry at BP and its apparent ineptitude, I agree that we need to change, too.
.-= Country-Fried Mama´s last blog ..An almost-love letter to the Gulf Coast =-.
I almost can’t bear to watch the news anymore, or the steady stream of mega-SUVs all over the road. We wanted homegrown oil. We got it. And while I am angry, angry, angry at BP and its apparent ineptitude, I agree that we need to change, too.
.-= Country-Fried Mama´s last blog ..An almost-love letter to the Gulf Coast =-.