Changing The World? Never? Or Just A Little At A Time…???

Fairytale Charade. One thing many of us have in common is that we all like to put the world to rights at times. It's funny, but all too often normal people at street level can clearly see what needs to be done, and yet actually getting the people in charge to implement it is usually very difficult. I have personally tried with one or two official bodies over the years and, despite putting a very sound and reasoned argument on the table, what I have found is that they are usually very determined to be set in their ways, whatever the consequences. The current fashion dictates that they are always right, even when they are wrong, and they are always right even when it's in the face of overwhelming contrary popular opinion. Because they are always right, even when they are wrong, they appear to think that no alternative views are worth giving credence to. Even those views of the people that ultimately pay for their wages and that ultimately have to suffer, and pay for, their mistakes. Of course, being just a mere member of the public, how could any of us possibly know better? When we are young, living in our fairytale existence, we don't usually have to concern ourselves with such things. However, as we grow up, we start to see through the fairytale charade and realise that the world we live in is simply not how we imagined it to be. We begin to realise that adults are not perfect after all, and consequently, neither is the world we live in. Generally, most decent people would dearly love to see some improvement in this world and there is certainly plenty of room for it.

You'll Never Change Things! We know that to significantly change anything for the better in this world is often a massive undertaking and, in recognition of this fact, we often hear people use the expression, "You'll never change things!" However, we know the world does change - all the time. It's just that it takes time. Things that happen in the present may only achieve their fruits in years, maybe even centuries, to come. Perhaps when people make such comments, what they actually observe and mean is that it is 'hard to change things' and 'you won't change it quickly'. Because, as we know, to get anything done around here, when you come up against the corrupt and self-interested powers-that-be, to say nothing of the ignorance, indoctrination and the fashion of the day, can be a difficult, long-drawn out and laborious job. At times, people put themselves in mortal danger by trying. However, thankfully, that has not stopped people from having a go, and we have those that have gone before, and the many sacrifices they have made, to thank for the fact that life for people on this planet is significantly better now in most places than it has been in the past. Nevertheless, some parts of the world are still dreadfully bad, and even in our own 'reasonable' land there is still considerable room for improvement.

Pushing People Apart. The misguided architects of religion, politics, nations and race, often blatantly divide the world into smaller pieces, by their actions. Causing problems and pushing people apart, as opposed to healing and bringing them together. Yet most of us want the same things out of life, a simple and secure existence. A life of happiness and contentment where we can all have a bit of fun. It's not rocket science and yet this simple understanding seems to be beyond the realms of capability, or will, of the powers that manage our society and ultimately the globe. In all corners of our world, the effort to improve things, so as to try and achieve this, has to go on. As a species, humans are somewhat paradoxical, on the one hand, we are very clever, and can achieve fantastic feats of engineering, on the other, we are also pretty dumb, and simple things, such as sharing, being able to get on with each other and making the best of what we have been given, seem to be a little more taxing for us. Because we are at times so selfish and stupid, it sometimes takes a little while for the pennies to drop. However, they do drop… eventually.

Peaceful Education. All too often in this world, past and present, selfish tyrants come along and coerce others into supporting them to carry out their inhumane activities. Walking all over people without a second thought. However, no one man constitutes an army. The answer really does lie in pushing the balance of understanding in the right direction, as opposed to the wrong. The best way to change the world perhaps is by peaceful education. Let's get people on our side rather than getting their backs up. There are better ways and we all know it. We don't want to raise our children to hate and to fight. But, we must also do the right thing by each other; otherwise that's the inevitable and continuous outcome.

Closer To Home. I think we all look forward to a day when life on our planet reaches a real air of goodness and decency, as decent people hope it will. Slowly but surely we do evolve morally as well as technologically. As a race, or a species, we have come a long, long, way and endured much suffering and heartache to get where we are today, however, there is still much to do and the more people that get involved and have a go, the quicker it will perhaps come about! It takes a lot to get people to act sometimes, and life for some can be just a bit too comfortable at times. It is all too often only when things hit closer to home that people are spurred on to actually try and do something to change the world for the better for those that follow on.

Using God As An Excuse. Coincidentally, it is now about two thousand years since the time of Jesus Christ. However, what have we actually learnt from that? Some good, perhaps! Although some people have thought that spreading the word of God gives them a license to ostracize, persecute and punish, even torture and murder. Even now we still have people taking passages from the bible and other historical writings and using them as an excuse to stick the boot in. Twisting the meaning and the intention to suit themselves and their own less than adequate understanding. It is a sad fact that a lot of people who purport to be Christian, or anything else, completely miss the point and consequently do not behave as such. I wonder what Jesus would say to those that like to think they are spreading his message, and yet who at the same time spread controversy, confusion and ill feeling because they don't actually understand it, or act on it themselves? I wonder what God would say to those that preach hate and violence in his name. Some even cajoling and persuading young people to sacrifice themselves and other completely innocent people, women and children included, for some sort of holy war. Can any war be holy? It really irks me when people start using God as an excuse to try and justify the killing of people. As if any God would condone the killing of women and children, never mind reward you for it. People really are stupid at times. War is anything but holy! Let's ask those that have lived and died in it! For sure, they will bear testimony to its sheer futility, stupidity and wrongness. The creation, maintenance and evolution of life are not about destruction and ill-will, quite the opposite.

Have We Seen Enough? All in all, life on our wonderful planet is still a bit of a mess, but it goes on - at least so far. Despite past and current world affairs, we still have a chance to sort ourselves out and improve our lot. The question with regard to achieving real change, is are we yet ready and have we seen enough? Many of us certainly have. As planetary inhabitants, we all have an effect on the way things are and we all change things in the world all the time. Some change things for the better, some change things for the worse. Some change things in a small way, some in a big way. However, in one form or another we all effect change, every day of our lives. With regard to trying to improve our lot, it certainly doesn't hurt to have a go. So let's not be too easily put off by the negative phrases, such as 'you'll never change things', if you can simply put a smile on someone's face, you have made a difference, and helped to move the world a little in the right direction. We just need a bit more of the same!