Eric Blair
Activist Post
February 10, 2012
Due to gross injustices built into the current system, angry mobs of disenfranchised protesters are pushing most of the world to the edge of global revolution. It's wonderful to see people find solidarity in opposing the destructive nature of the system.
However, the idea that the public will ever force the entrenched corporate-states around the world to bend to their will because they're on the streets is very unlikely. Even if the protests become violent riots like in Greece, the controllers will not release their clutches. In fact, history says they'll only tighten them.
Additionally, those seeking systematic solutions all seem well-intentioned and deserve credit for offering ideas. But the more we understand that the system's creators and beneficiaries don't want it to change, the more we realize that even apparent solutions will never take place unless they're co-opted to fit the needs of the controllers. Therefore, so-called collective solutions forced by the current system of control are not likely to benefit the general public even if it appears that more crumbs are offered to the peasants.
There seems to be an awful lot of energy being spent fighting against the system, which is akin to swimming upstream.
We're getting nowhere fast and it's zapping our energy, as it seems intended to do. We mustn't concern ourselves with what other people are doing. Their behavior is and always will be out of our control. Attempting to control people's behavior is at the heart of what's wrong with the current system; therefore, why would we think that imposing our flavor of control would taste any better? It won't.
What if each of us focused our energy on figuratively building our own rafts to float against the current? What if each raft represented a productive individual solution? And what would happen if each disenfranchised protester stopped demanding something, and, instead, simply started creating the change?
I'm not talking about solutions like drafting a petition or a certain piece of legislation and collecting signatures to influence government. That is the perfect example of swimming upstream. Even if successful, it will just use the guns of government to force your ideas on the public, which will never work no matter how noble your collective solution may seem.
I'm talking about taking a systematic problem that you're most passionate about, identifying a change you can make in your personal life to limit your contribution to the problem, while also finding a tangible alternative to fully support. Ideally, this tangible alternative would be market-based to allow you to make a living while being the change you wish to see in the world.
For example, if you're passionate about clean energy as part of the solution, don't waste time railing against dirty energy. Focus on what you can do in your own life. Limit your use of dirty energy, install solar panels on your house, start an alternative energy blog or business, organize an energy cooperative for your community to become cleaner and more self-sufficient, or all of the above.
If enough people took to this initiative on their own terms, the diversity of action would destroy the current energy paradigm much faster than holding a sign and screaming about nuclear energy, oil cartels, or safer working conditions for coal miners.
Or, if you oppose corporate farming and factory food production, don't just spend all of your time informing people as to the evils of such a system -- also live the change and help others to do so. Produce your own food and share with your local collective, or simply buy directly from your local farmers. Teach courses in organic foods or better farming techniques. Raise funds or produce management or marketing tools for local organic farmers. In other words, harness all of the energy you can muster into productive personal goals, and the solutions will blossom around you.
As such, if each of us removes the fuel that we contribute to the inferno, its flame would burn out. While at the same time, we'll find fulfillment in living out our passions for the material betterment of ourselves and the collective benefit of society.
If each of us does something we believe in and are passionate about, no amount of force can stop the entropy of the change. There won't be one message that can be co-opted, or one law that can be written to stop its advance, or one group of protesters that can be minimized. The weight of collective energy of individuals creating something new in a multitude of arenas will cause the old abusive system to cave in on itself. No hate-filled slogans necessary. No demolition needed. No violence required.
It's time to be the change.
Please read other articles by Eric Blair here.
