Ah, the good old days. When ferries
loaded with high school students didn't sink. When buses filled with
children didn't burn. When millions of people did not have to worry
about their plane just being swallowed in midair. When people dreamed
of exploring space and weren't making reservations for their spot in
a tent on Mars. When babies were procreated and not congealed in a
tube.
Did those days really exist? Or, is it
we just don't remember or overlooked stuff like this going on. Sure
there have been massive tragedies in the past. Of course. Immediately
the Marshall plane crash comes to mind as one such event.
But, it seems like these events were
rare-- not subsequently occurring one after another in nothing that
can be described any other way than a chain reaction of shocking,
horrible, mysterious events.
Plus, there is this overwhelming
feeling of helplessness among people as they try to figure out what
they can do to change things.
All of these specialized protest groups
are popping up. Collective organizations that spread across
international borders creating petitions and activist motions.
In the face of adversity and
helplessness, people are coming together under the umbrella of a
common cause.
Racism is becoming intolerable. Sexism
is becoming intolerable. Anything deemed as unfair or unhealthy for
the populous at large (or sometimes for a handful of folks) is being
addressed by the same populous at large who are calling for political
attention and reform.
Catastrophe breeds empathy, mourning,
grief and despair. But, apparently it also breeds a desire to gather
around people of likened minds and try to make a difference.
Out of tragedy comes collective action
and, hopefully, eventually change for the better.
The roots of our own destruction seem
to be exposed on a daily basis in a manner that strikes home for many
and is impossible to ignore.
It is as if the Universe at large is
co-creating these events in an effort to get us to wake up and give a
crap.
“Sheeple” is a new slang term being
flung about to describe people who are believed to be like ostriches
with their head in the sand or herds of mindless minions who just
follow along not caring about what is happening as long as they are
fed, sheltered and mildly comfortable. Being referred to as a Sheeple
is not a term of endearment. Ok?
It is becoming harder and harder to be
disconnected from the events of the world and be a sheeple. It's
harder to deny that leadership is prone to shady business. It's
harder to deny or ignore that change is in order.
It is also becoming harder to wade
through all the moral issues that are coming into play due recent
events. Have we really been sleeping this entire time?
Everything seems so big an unmanageable
that some people feel like there is nothing they can do to help. Yet,
consistently, I'm seeing progress being made.
The progress and difference is being
fostered by these pockets of activist groups. But, what can one
individual do on their own to address what is happening?
Well. There are several things. For
example, America's consumer mentality is being pinged as “part of
the problem.” And, I cannot say that I disagree with that.
Americans (and we are not the ONLY ones) glorify busy and focus quite
a bit on material status. But, what we fail to overlook is that
material status also holds power.
If you are fed up because you are being
fed GMO food, quit buying it. How you spend the money you have is
your personal power. If people quit investing their funds in things
they don't believe in then demand declines. Enough people do this and
companies have no choice but to change what they are offering or file
bankruptcy.
The key is educating yourself about
what is going on. Though, that is hard to do given there is also a
widespread suspicion about what is published for our common knowledge
by the media. So, in educating yourself you should also learn a bit
about reading for rhetoric and critical thinking (both of which, in
my opinion, are sadly lost arts).
Next, you have to realize you do have
power even though it may seem miniscule in the face of these
overwhelming consecutive events. The power is in your pocket book, your emotional reaction and
the actions that you take on a daily basis. Your money fuels what you
invest it in. Disagree with Hobby Lobby's stance on providing health
insurance coverage for birth control? Shop somewhere else. Disagree
with products that incorporate GMO food? Discover which ones they are
and stop buying them. Let your voice be heard and follow it up with
changing what you give your power (money, vote, patronage) to.
It doesn't sound like much. But, what
it equates to is a collective and determined step in the right
direction.
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