Editorials

#YEAR12PROBLEMS

27 March 2017

By Lauren E. White

Fashion police? More like life choices police

On this drab Monday when we’re trying to muster up the energy to last it to the Easter holidays, I thought I’d address a pet hate of not just mine, but so many others.

That pet hate is criticising other people’s life choices.

Now, I’m not saying that people have no right to suggest eating healthy or exercising more or calming down and taking time for yourself. They are not the type of life choice criticisms I have an issue with. After all, it’s a type of constructive criticism.

The one I have an issue with is the policing of other people’s lives.

So, for instance, if someone (ahem, me) doesn’t want to drive and is approaching their 17th birthday (the one you ask for driving lessons on), that’s not an opportunity for others to butt in.

When I’m asked my reasons (I want to limit my contribution to rising levels of pollution), it’s not okay for someone to have a go or try and catch me out.

“You get the bus to school every day.”

“I bet you get in your parents’ car.”

“You not driving won’t make a difference. There’s still plenty of other cars on the road.”

These things make absolutely no difference and anyone who feels the need to police other people’s life choices is frankly unwelcome. There is also an element of total irony in it: the people who criticise our life choices are the people who don’t even share the same ones!

All of the comments I’ve received are from people who are having driving lessons (and failing their theory like three times as well) or who have been driving for years. They’re from people who use aerosol and think I’m crazy for using a… wait for it… roll on deodorant.

How can we go on after such a shocking revelation?

And don’t even get me started about people who try to catch out vegetarians or vegans when they are quite happy to have slaughtered pig in their McDonald’s burgers.

Yes, my life choices may be different to yours and I am more than willing to talk about them with others who are interested. But there is a fine line between being rude and being curious. Don’t cross it.

P.S.- I hope everyone is proud I got through this week’s column without using any expletives! What an achievement.

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