How Can Your Approach To Life Change The World?
Here’s one of the incidents in my life I continue to deeply regret.
The reason I regret it is because I could have and should have said something, but didn’t. I was too passive. Therefore, I missed my chance to change the world in a small but meaningful way.
Once, I had a couple of friends (who are no longer friends) who took me by complete surprise with their sudden expression of racism. We were in a parking lot outside a shopping centre. Some Asian people were also packing their shopping in the car adjoining ours. My companions both began to insult them, yelling jibes, telling them to go back to their own country…really nasty stuff.
All I could manage to say was ‘What are you doing! Stop it!’ But they were too busy yelling to hear my little voice.
Of course, I know I should have turned to the Asians and said ‘I want to apologise to you for my friends, I don’t know why they’re behaving like this. Please be reassured that not all Australians feel this way; we respect you and you’re very welcome here.’
I should have, but I didn’t.
I was so shocked, that I was stunned into silence. The moment passed so quickly—I was hustled into the car.
As we drove off, I said again ‘What the hell were you doing?’ They just laughed and said they were just joking. Joking?
Consequently, I often recall this incident and wonder what damage these nasty comments would have done. How much their words had the power to change the world of those people for the worse. How much hurt they might have caused. Perhaps ongoing fear and defensiveness.
And if I had said what I’d wanted to say, how much it might have repaired some of that damage. However, I didn’t. I just froze. Not good enough. As a result, I’ve never passively stood by since.
We are as guilty by our silence as we are by being the offensive ones.
Only those who bother to step up to add their voice to movements can step up to add their voice to movements and have a chance to change the world. Whether it’s by signing petitions, lobbying governments, raising funds or organising aid where needed. Those are the people who shape the policies of their country and influence decision makers to change the world. And it doesn’t have to take a big effort if you can’t manage it. That’s ok. Every little bit counts.
If we don’t bother to step up, we passively wait to see what happens.
Therefore, we often complain and criticise decision-makers when we don’t like the outcome. The conversation is peppered with what should be done. All is well and good to say that now. The conversation alone won’t change the world; it takes action.
The American election is a perfect example of the consequence of passivity. While in America voting is not compulsory, those who voted for Trump were persuaded by clever marketing strategies convincing them that his business skills alone would improve the economy and create jobs. Not to mention that the voters were ignorant or gave no thought to his lack of experience crucial to the position of world leader.
Again, they thought business skills alone rather than compassion and the ability to see the big picture were enough. Maybe his skills would have been enough to change the world for the billionaires. But what about the rest of the country?
Change the world – the flip side
Despite this, the rest of America didn’t bother to vote against him because they thought it was a big joke. It would never happen. However it did, and it happened as a direct consequence of all those people who could have voted against him but didn’t, because they didn’t take it seriously enough.
For this reason, we can see all the damage that’s being done to international relationships, to name but one area. Too late. No point complaining now. The power to change the world is something that can go both ways, good and bad.
Reflection: Is there something in your own life that’s growing into a problem because you’re ignoring its significance? Read on to my pointers below
How we can apply pressure to change the world by NOT doing something?
All over the world it’s consumer pressure that has changed the products that appear on supermarket shelves. We stopped buying certain products. Our refusal to accept something is what created the pressure on companies as a result.
As a direct consequence of our individual buying patterns, we have ensured more cruelty-free products are made available, more transparency with contents listed on the packaging, and more environment-friendly products.
Therefore, we can change the world with a global evolution in consciousness.
It begins with us as individuals taking an interest and being informed, so that we can make our buying and other decisions based on solid information rather than thoughtlessly.
Choosing to refuse to do something is not the same thing as doing nothing.
Let’s shrink this down to change the world on a smaller, community-sized scale.
It takes just one person to start something big. For example, Brian Egan founded Aussie Helpers, a charity organisation. They joined Ross Barbera of Barbera Farms to organise the dispatch of 22 tonnes of vegetables that did not make the supermarket grade to feed starving cattle in drought-stricken south-west Queensland.
It’s groups of volunteers who collect the discards from restaurants to feed the poor.
They, and others like them, are all individuals joining together to create a group big enough to change the world.
It’s groups of individuals like you and me who raise funds or who donate clothing to be sent to disaster areas.
We don’t all have to be activists ourselves. For example, if we’re time poor, one simple thing we can do is to add our name to petitions. They do have an impact, if they back media campaigns which apply pressure on companies or governments.
You could subscribe to be sent petitions. It’s easy to choose which to ignore or which to sign. An Australian organisation which lobbies for social justice, economic fairness and environmental stability is https://www.getup.org.au
In addition, you can start your own petition at www.gopetition.com/start-a-petition. It creates awareness of an issue and encourages people to make one small change.
Another idea is to inform a journalist of some injustice you’ve observed.
Let’s shrink this down again to our day-to-day lives in our community.
You can change the world in your own backyard by being considerate to neighbours, respectful to immigrants, or by including a lonely person in some get-together.
Teach children to be respectful of others and to care about the footprint they leave behind.
You can also give a homeless person that old jumper, or be more mindful of donating a few coins.
Do something to create a better workplace, perhaps making it easier for people to do their best at work.
Most importantly, if we hear racism or prejudice of any kind in conversation, we can all be the one who gently offers an alternative, more constructive perspective. We can all be the one who defends the recipients of abuse. We can all be the ones to change the world for the people around us, especially those with a lesser voice.
Let’s shrink this down again to change the world of your own life.
It’s worth reflecting on—perhaps writing in your journal—in what ways taking a passive approach has impacted on your life, or perhaps your career.
A passive approach includes putting off thinking about something. It includes avoiding making an action plan and taking that first step. Allowing problems to build up through inaction.
Being passive also means not asking for what you want, so that others make decisions impacting you. By not speaking up, you teach others how to behave with you. In effect, you allow others to change the world for you and you might not like how they do it.
Additionally, a passive approach to life also means being a passive spectator—watching how others are living, instead of getting in there and living it yourself.
Life – Be In It
I used to love the ‘Life—Be In It’ advertising campaign we used to have in Australia some years ago. The campaign urged us to get off the couch and go play ball with our kids. Or stop watching TV and go explore something new.
Life is out there, waiting to be lived. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Walking by the beach is free.
Are you really living life, moment by special moment, or are you passively letting time go by and not getting around to experiencing it? Interesting thoughts.
Of course it depends on priorities, but there has to be a little pocket of space somewhere for life balance and your wellbeing.
Begin by making small changes in your own life. As a result, you will influence those around you and they will influence those around them. You’ll possibly decide that one of your goals will be to join a fund-raising run, or make new friends by joining a group of individuals doing their little bit to change the world.
Be the change you want to see in the world
(Mahatma Ghandi)
I’d love to hear your stories or feedback.
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