Calling someone a hypocrite easy way to avoid argument

Steely Dan wrote the song Bodhisattva among others - Walter Becker on the left. Photo/File

Beware those bearing Hs.

No, this has nothing to do with the spelling of W(h)anganui, although I suspect there is ample crossover with those who have come to embrace the word "hypocrite" when attacking individuals who speak out on climate change.

In other words, it's likely that the same people who do not want an "H" in Whanganui are more than happy to draw the mighty "H" from their quiver and quill as a first-line offensive against climate-change activists and ordinary citizens who have the courage to bring up the issue in the press.

In our feel-good, consumer, deflect-blame Western culture, I reckon the worst thing you can call someone is a hypocrite.

We all know that we do not live 100 per cent by our values 100 per cent of the time, but the last thing we want to hear is someone else telling us. I suspect it is part of a psychological defence mechanism.

Knowing this human tendency, the worldwide, corporate-funded climate-change denial network has come to advise its "trolls" to use the term at every possible opportunity. Calling someone a hypocrite has become a common technique of climate-change deniers when asking climate scientists or activists how did they travel to a certain conference, protest, or other event. It is meant to shut down the conversation before it begins by calling their credibility into question because they may have travelled by automobile or airplane.

In Whanganui our Chronicle letters page climate-change-denial trolls - two of whom do not live anywhere near the River City - have learnt this technique, presumably from an online tutorial from the right-wing Heritage Foundation or other such corporate-funded denial organisation.

About six weeks ago a writer to the Chronicle suggested I was a hypocrite for expressing my opinion that a predicted increased incidence of severe weather events would likely make clearing sand from the Castlecliff Beach car park more costly in the future.

A prudent approach, I suggested, that would both save money (rates) and reduce pollution (carbon dioxide) would be to downsize the massive, under-used car park in a managed retreat.

The obvious response to this reasoned, win-win, eco-design solution is to call the messenger "a hypocrite". Duh.

Anyone who knows me would agree I am many things, good and bad, but not a hypocrite.

Although I would not hold a candle to Buddha or the Dalai Lama, a colleague did once call me "Bodhisattva". Go ahead and laugh, but this may be closer to the truth than you think - after all, I did teach Walter Becker's son when he was in year 9, though I do not remember if he took me by the hand during our parent-teacher conference*.

Although I share a car with my wife, I ride a bicycle and take the bus the vast majority of the time.

I have travelled between Whanganui and Hamilton more than a dozen times on Intercity buses. When bought a week in advance, the return fare costs less than half the price of petrol. Public transport reduces carbon emissions, and I have time to read, write and sleep on the bus.

With some people you cannot win, and this will not stop them writing letters to the paper - nor should it. Keep 'em coming peeps, but follow these simple instructions: do your homework first; only use quotation marks for direct quotes; include sources and references for anything that is not considered common knowledge; have someone proof-read your work; use your full name; and, above all else, don't write anything that will end up embarrassing you in front of the entire city.

It takes courage to write something for public consumption, and I admire courage.

* In case you missed it, Walter Becker is one half of Steely Dan.