Once chatted with a desi-American mom, computer scientist, whose husband worked in solar energy providing low-cost power for villagers in India. Asked her if her husband had any plans to service Americans who are eager to live off-grid, more cost effectively and sustainably. She said there are major companies that provide solar in the states, I said they cost tens of thousands of dollars and don't really get the demand for off grid living. She said villagers in India need it more (so why bother providing low cost services in the states basically), also implying it was a new fad vanity thing for Americans to go solar.

A bit irked by this interaction. I don't disagree that villagers in India need it and poverty levels are pretty bad. And I admire wanting to help the motherland. But her perceptions were a bit classist and a tad stereotypical of desi Americans. I think her immigrant-to-riches American dream computer scientist bubble makes her unaware of what the rest of America looks like. Have you seen Flint, Michigan? Have you talked to the legal aides trying to help people fight utilities shut offs only to turn them away because their income falls within "middle class" not the federal guideline for poor (which should actually be higher)? Have you considered that the wealth of this country is primarily an illusion based on debt financing and war, and that people who would like to break this cycle for the sake of most people on this planet need to choose a very frugal sustainable lifestyle but the transition is not really feasible given corporate america, zoning laws favoring the rich etc (*see stats on worldwide pollution originating in US)?

I wish I had the verbal and social skill to help folks like her see the big picture. Instead, I sit around annoyed at another formulaic person, doing the standard definition of good, wondering if it's worth the trouble to say anything, because people following a formula (for desi Americans it's "be a scientist, marry engineer, do something good for motherland, get social status"), can't grasp new ideas easily and cling to comfort zones. Then I get annoyed at myself for higher than thou sentiments (who am I to judge her, she might lack perspective in this regard, but maybe she's an awesome person in many ways and i'm by no means a standard). Meh.

At least villagers in India are getting solar power, that's neat.