Nature and privilege

Nature first. I planted three of the dozen moringa seeds, figuring that if they don't flourish I'll try again with more.

Right now, though the pot's very wet from Ida, I thought since there's no rain forecast for several days, it might dry out enough not to rot the seeds.

They're a lovely shape, with a soft husk in a triangular form. They'll come indoors when the weather cools because they're definitely tropical.

And while we're out there, here's the ginger

doing better since I took Aditha's advice and covered them deeper.

And the wild blackberry running riot where I had been tossing vegetable and fruit scraps. No sign of berries but I live in hopes.

This 

is probably a melon or squash plant winding its way around the ground cover,  a few flowers blooming, though it might be a bit late to get any fruit before cold weather. It's a volunteer from seeds that Butternut Boy missed.

I've been involved with a semi serious online discussion about privilege today, mainly the kind of  unconscious privilege of world travelers who assure us that home's best. 

Or ladies taping videos from palatial homes about their programs of frugality. People with all kinds of options advising us to seek joy in the little things.  

As Josie  George points out, these are important ideas, but we need to recognize if we're qualified to express them to people who don't have money, time, health,  interesting convo.  

She has terrible ill health, writes, luminously,  about her immediate surroundings because that's all she can access. She takes joy in small things because she has no opportunity of larger ones. Many days she can't get further than bed to chair, if that. She doesn't toot her own flute, just muses.

I'd say she's qualified. Someone who went on a year long Eat Pray Love pilgrimage to Europe and Asia, to come home enlightened, not so much!

The people, usually men, who say you need to take the first hour of the day for quiet thought and reflection before you involve yourself. It does sound hollow to a parent who can not do that without little kids wanting breakfast, help finding shoes, cats throwing up, dogs wanting out, her own clothes and appearance needing to get ready for work. 

Or the idea of setting aside savings from every paycheck, offered as advice to people choosing between groceries and rent. The advice to borrow from parents to put a down payment on a home. Assumes the parents can afford to do it! 

And so on. The minimalist movement is largely led by people who can afford it, ironically. Simple can be expensive. But don't worry, you can buy all sorts of magazine subscriptions and books and gear to help you be minimal..

I'm not very worked up about it, just smiling wryly when I come across it, which is pretty often. It does get pretty funny after a while.

Do you have any tiny axes to grind on this subject?