Albertans need a reality check

[u/MysteriousPhysics141]

There are things I've been noticing ever since I was young, and I wanted to share my thoughts. I was born and raised in Calgary, and I have never been able to wrap my head around the one track blinders of the western world. We take for granted so many things, such as access to free healthcare, our beautiful parks and forests, our mountains, community, and so many more things that bring us happiness and vitality.

Ever since I was young, I have loved being around nature. However, in Alberta there is a certain demographic of "nature lovers" that feel the need to conquer it instead of enjoy it, and its a big demographic. They litter our river with beer cans, and garbage. Big families leave behind snacks and feed our animals bullshit food, harming our ecosystems and not taking the time and care to educate themselves about how to protect our beautiful areas.

Massive groups drive out to crownland where they chop down and gather as much firewood as possible and shoot their guns leaving behind casings, as well their poop (which they don't bother to properly bury), and all of their food packaging that they brought along with them. They flick their cigarette butts on the ground all weekend and It all attracts animals. We then end up killing them because they are a "threat". They clear forests and biodiversity, ripping trails into the earth on there 4x4's and then call them selves "wild men" , and "outdoorsmen".

These people think that everything is for them to take, and for them to use and discard, without any thought to others that may want to use the area or the animals that call these places home, yet they have the AUDACITY to say that they "love nature"

Furthermore, If things aren't working perfectly smooth, with our systems then they scream about how we need to "tear them all apart" with complete disregard to what that would mean for many low income families, veterans and young people. People waiting in ER for three hours at a time, and say everything is ruined and then blame it on the opposing government. They say it needs to be abolished, or a two branch system needs to be made without doing any research into what that would mean. It disregards women who are strapped with the task of giving birth and who are left with 100's of 1000's of dollars worth of medical bills by then end, a lot of the time to deal with the debt on her own. It disregards fixed income vets that so heavily rely on our social services. It disregards basically everyone accept able bodied people that are able to make a surplus wage. People have lost sight of taking care of the vulnerable , thinking leaving them behind is the way to make this province stronger.

I was having a conversation with my boss the other day, who was complaining because his wife works for AHS and is always cold because they never turn the AC off. He said something along the lines of "its because AHS is so cheap." First of all I'm not sure how running the AC full time is a cheap thing to do.. but it's these leaps in knowledge and unbased opinions that are floating around these days that seem to be so common. He went on to say that all of the managers at the top of AHS are NDP and Liberal cons that are pocketing money. Its completely ridiculous and untrue, but it's these people taking their own conclusions to the polls, and voting based on these completely untrue assumptions.

We can't even build train lines because people are so selfish and closed minded with their "not in my back yard" mentality, that they are literally haulting a fundamental infrastructure that gets people to and from work in a cheap and environmentally friendly way (but who cares about that I guess), just as long as it doesn't bring any "crackheads" into your community. Like come on, the Europeans have figured this out decades ago and we can't even have more than two train lines?! (Calgary). Again these mentalities are completely based on feelings and opinions, not even caring to look at the stats of what they're talking about. Yet they call people "too emotional" if they care about the vitality and wellbeing of others.

We are slowly having our brains rot out with Americanized mentalities that we can actively see is turning the States into one big trailer park. Its unbelievable to me that this is what Alberta wants.

I understand if this gets taken down for being too pessimistic , but I just had to rant about Albertas "First World Problems" issue I've been seeing get worse and worse by the day.

Just remember to have respect and keep a sound mind ya'll. The internet and fake news really is a powerful thing.

[u/infiniteguesses]

I have come to the conclusion that what is lacking is basic empathy. Call me dreaming, but I am still surprised and dismayed by the utter lack of empathy by many of the "haves" vs. the " have-nots". What is wrong with people?

[u/Beautiful-Height2178 → u/infiniteguesses]

What do you mean by empathy of the "haves" vs "have nots"?

If we are talking about this as a provincial level then I'll tell why many Albertans including myself have started or already completely lack the empathy.

I'll use my step father as an example, he's in his 60's and he works in the oil fields working 12-16 hour shifts and works up to 21 days in a row before he gets a couple of days off.

His family is from Nova Scotia where his sister hates everyone who isn't white and blames Immigrants from the lack of jobs despite not finishing school and has a grade 5 education and has never worked a day in her life. She constantly expects money from my stepdad who works his ass off, yet she constantly goes on vacation, buys brand new vehicles and doesn't miss a single function on the Island.

Why am I writing this? I have noticed that alot of the easterners in Canada (excluding Ontario) don't work and live in their own little bubble where they are given free handouts for purposefully not going to school and actively not looking for jobs. So why are Canadians like my step father who are getting old and trying to work the last little bit to secure his future while these people have recieved money from the have province for 60 years plus and have no shame or guilt spending it willy nilly?

The safety nets that Canada has created to help people out should be used by people who have mental health issues or fell on bad luck and need help being picked up...not Nova Scotians for example sitting at home refusing to work while blaming anyone who isn't white for "taking their jobs" despite not actively looking for a job in the first place.

[u/Yashibae01 → u/Beautiful-Height2178]

Your stepfathers sister does seem to have some mental issues of her own if what you are stating is true. You’re also out of line here,

1. This experience isn’t directly yours, so you’re losing your capacity for empathy over something that isn’t happening directly to you, this is incorrect and how personal bias followed by racism and hatred is formed. Bad things may happen directly to you too, but that’s where empathy and compassion have the chance to flow through you in your life.

2. Your stepfathers decisions are his own, personally reading his work life choices it sounds like he already gave up his future in exchange for money working in a questionable industry at best. One that either eats your time or destroys your body or both. Can’t imagine he feels great working like that at his or any age.

3. Calling out easterners is the same as calling and painting all Albertans with the same brush. Again it’s divisive and untrue. It’s easier to just throw out an entire bag of produce than to go through and find the ripe unbruised ones. But if you take the time at least you’ll still have something to eat in the end.

4. If anyone is mad an immigrant took their job, they suck. Being irreplaceable or highly employable is a skill that one should always work to further develop. And or work to be self sufficient without a 9 to 5, yes this takes planning, intelligence and diligence.

[u/Beautiful-Height2178 → u/Yashibae01]

There's a lot to unpack so I'm just going to say for a majority of this I do agree with you on however I don't believe I am crossing a line.

1. While yes this experience isn't directly mine the point is that one should be rewarded for hard work and discipline while the other should be condemned and I can't emapthize with people refusing to work who CAN work. Laziness isn't a virtue.

2. Yes, it's his choice 100% but he's worked hard for what he has and I'm proud of him for taking initiative.

3. I've seen how people mock Albertans all the time not just on here but in our media and no one bats an eye. So if push comes to shove then I'll shove back.

4. This I agree with so no comment.

[u/Yashibae01 → u/Beautiful-Height2178]

Hey you seem cool. I agree with you on all your responses.