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How and When to Call Someone Out
What parrhesia tells us about speaking up for yourself.
A walk in the woods used to guarantee you a little peace and quiet. Not so much anymore. Sometime last year, I encountered a new level of entitlement — some bros and their sound system, in the middle of my hiking trail. Bass pulsed outward in a mile radius.
At first, I thought there must be some event, like a race. Then I saw them. The bros didn’t belong to any organization or group. Just a couple dudes and a cooler of Bud Light. Sharing a pack of cigarettes. When they saw my eye roll, they smirked and offered me a beer.
How thoughtful of them.
The worst part? These two were exactly the kind of people we try to escape from when we venture into the woods.
They could’ve played music and drank beer almost anywhere, especially in a world built for them — one that caters to noise and revelry. And yet they didn’t want to hang out almost anywhere in the world. They wanted to invade the last place where people like me can find any hint of sanctuary. In other words, I was a little pissed off.
My urge to call them out was powerful. So I said something brief. “You know, you’re ruining this place for everyone else.”
