Shame On You

There is trouble in La La Land (California) again these days beyond just the crazies that live and thrive there. The trouble concerns a precious resource that is essential for all life, water. With California in the fourth year of a drought with no end in sight, the governor (who things the world will soon end anyway because of that nebulous "global warming" theory) has ordered everyone to use 25 percent less water than normal. It's difficult to know who is meeting the goal (the state and local governments have mandated simple water reductions per residence, not non use of water sources) and who is not, since it is largely voluntary. Neighbors have divided into water and mo water camps and it's a "slippery" slope that could lead to big trouble.

So the age old concept of shame is taking over in California. "Shame on you if you don't stop using your sprinklers or hoses on your lawn", they say. That mentality itself is greatly effective in instituting voluntary rationing of water, since humans do not like to stand out as the cause of society destruction.  But now there is another way of motivating water usage in California. It's the drought shamer. Those are people, armed with cameras, and internet connection and shame web sites, who prowl the neighborhoods of Southern California and post pictures or videos of those who are not curtailing the use of water on their lawns. Drought shamers say the easiest way to accomplish that is to quit watering your yard altogether or at least be careful about it and not let water spill into the street.

I wonder if that tactic is just old fashioned bullying, the bullying of the same kind on the internet that adults complain their children are subjected to. Drought shamers post the names and addresses of the "offenders" they catch. The good news is they seem to have found the biggest offenders are in Hollywood and in other super wealthy neighborhoods. Beverly Hills, for example,  has new limits on watering lawns, washing cars and refilling pools. A $1,000 fine is in place water wasters there .Nothing like knocking the biggest off their thrones, I guess.

Other drought shamers use tweets to put out addresses and photos of those naughty water users,  Still others are snapping cell phone pictures photos of them and sending them directly to authorities. I guess that's one way for the public to become involved with the police. You can't water your lawn every day in Los Angeles, for example. Sprinklers can't last so long the water runs down to the street. And you can't wash your car with a hose that doesn't have a shut-off nozzle. Fines for violating these rules can run as high as $500.

I say, hose the doubt shamers down when they lecture you or take your water usage photo.  Water their drought shaming apps! Let them know the glories of H2O first hand. But will more compliance with reasonable water reduction guidelines instead of public shaming during a shortage bring about better results in conserving water?  I guess we will never know, given the way so many of us are enamored with our communication gadgets, and how willing we are to use them to push our agenda.  It might be the act of shaming, not the conservation of water that the drought shamers most like. That a person's name address and photo is posted on line for public shaming today is a sad testimony of the abuse of our technology, and of the fact that for some public bullying is just another way one can have fun with their electronic communication toys.