How You (Yes, You) Can Change the World

  It's easily arguable that the greatest roadblock to human progress across the board, both in personal and societal contexts, is apathy. There is a tendency for us to refrain from taking action because we have convinced ourselves that our actions will ultimately be without any real consequence. In a large and complex world filled with billions upon billions of people, it's easy to feel overwhelmed when we try to take it all in, or to become so concerned with matters at hand that one loses focus on or concern for the greater picture. There are, however, a great many ways in which we all can and do affect social change, and a great many reasons why we should make the effort.

  For starters, I'm sure you've heard of the Domino Effect, right? Well, this works in social systems too – like the first domino in a chain, one person can impact a few people through action or conversation, and then those people carry an idea on to others, who in turn carry it on to others, until the idea has spread across countries and through language barriers around the world like a chain reaction. What we do and say have repercussions that are often further reaching than we think. This is part of the reason that I write, because if even in some small way I can hasten the spread of some of the ideas that have inspired me, then I believe I've helped to facilitate a better world for all of us. For the world to change for the better, those who value true progress and freedom have to be as vocal as those who would hold us back and keep us in servitude, be it political, economic, or theocratic. If we value our rights and freedoms, then we must be ready at all times to vocally defend them.

  My second point would be that we not only change the world with our words and actions - we change ourselves. Our actions define us, and in pushing for a cause that we believe in (whatever that may be) we are adding layers of purpose to our existence that weren't there to begin with. Over time, we can eventually look back on our accumulated efforts and know that we have to some degree made the world a better place. The exact degree to which we have done this is irrelevant; it is rather the satisfaction derived from a life lived in the service of other human beings that is ours to hold onto, a contentment that cannot ever be taken away from us, and that can comfort us even in our moments of despair.

  Another point to remember is that in societies as with the environment, everything in a closed system is cyclical. People often get discouraged from taking on a cause because they cannot see the direct results of their actions, but even if it is in a roundabout way, those results will be felt both by others and by you to some degree - it's pretty much inevitable. It may not be immediate or even felt for years, and this makes it difficult for us to draw connections, as this is simply not the way we are evolved to think. However, we are not isolated in time nor from each other, nor from the natural world – everything is connected, and just as every choice made by our predecessors, for better or worse, led us to this moment, so will every one of our choices lead us and our children to a brighter or darker future. If we keep this in mind from moment to moment, it can genuinely help us to feel less apathy and more engagement with the world around us.

  Furthermore our actions are, as I mentioned, cumulative. Over time, consistent effort is rewarded with generally positive results, and even if we fail or succumb to weakness from time to time, this doesn't erase the good we've accomplished. In the fight to save the environment, for example, while there is much for governments to do, in order to have a true impact citizens must all act on a personal level to reduce consumption. The cumulative effect of large numbers of people taking this commitment to heart would be immense, keeping tonnes of waste out of landfills every year, even if an individual only saves a few kilos. One person may also “fall off the wagon” from time to time and become discouraged as a result, but the only time we really lose is when we allow our discouragement to paralyse us. If we get back on the wagon quickly, our lapse need only be a small downward blip on a larger upward trend. Perfection s not required of us to affect change, merely a generally consistent effort. When we expect perfection from ourselves we only set ourselves up for disappointment.

  What you do – yes, you – actually matters, that is the point here. So if you want to save the world, you can have an impact, but the size of that impact depends of how much effort you are willing to expend, where you expend it, and how consistently you are willing to do so. Here are just a few off the cuff suggestions that work for me:

• Utilize social media to increase awareness of important issues, and interest in science. Democracies work better when people are informed, and dictatorships rely on people being kept in the dark. The internet is a powerful tool, and it will change things for the better if we make sure it's used for the people, and not against us. Sharing cute cat pictures is all well and good, (I'm guilty of this too occasionally), but if this is all we do on the internet then that's a lot of wasted potential. Don't be afraid to be political – if people un-friend you because of your opinions, then they were never your friend to begin with.
• Sign petitions. Write your political representatives. Make your voice heard. There are numerous organizations that create online petitions and that are very effective in shifting policy. I subscribe to Avaaz.org, Amnesty International, newsletters from political watchdogs, and a few others. Breezing through a few petitions and clicking a few “sign here” buttons takes moments of your time, but public pressure works wonders in combating oppressive or wasteful laws and practices, both at home and abroad. These organizations keep the pressure on our politicians, and help to ensure that they know we are watching them and will hold them accountable for what they do.
• Keep it simple. There's a great line from the movie Fight Club: “The things you own end up owning you.” Getting caught up in the desire for things is ultimately not a very successful method to finding happiness, and I'm not the first to make this observation. I use things for as long as they hold together, I try to repair things before I replace them, and I always ask myself “Do I really need this?” before buying anything. Rampant consumerism is what's destroying our planet, and if we all just scale it back a little, it does add up. Experiences are ultimately what make us happy anyway, not more stuff. Go travelling instead of going shopping.
• Check facts and challenge assumptions. Be more cynical. Don't be afraid to bruise an ego or two to correct people when their facts are wrong, or to risk an awkward conversation in order to call someone out on a silly belief. We live in a world where the facts are often clouded by spin, or by what we want to believe, and this doesn't do anyone any good. The universe doesn't care what makes us feel good, and if we want to survive and thrive in it as a species, we have to stop behaving as if it does. Being a little cynical is a good thing – it means you don't get fooled nearly as often.

  Simple, right? No drastic changes, no chaining yourself to trees or buildings required. Pushing for change need not be a monumental undertaking, nor consume vast amounts of time and effort. It can be as simple as making a few simple “lifestyle adjustments” here and there. Most of the people who will read this live comfortable lives in stable, prosperous countries – we live today as kings 1000 years ago couldn't have dreamed. We often take this for granted, but complacency is our greatest vulnerability. The Roman Empire fell in large part because of its own decadence, and the developed world would do well to keep this lesson in mind. We have built much and come far since then, but progress offers no insurance against disaster if we fall into decadence again. Democracy has helped to build a better world, but our gains only come when we, the people, are informed and work collectively. This is the price tag attached to a building a better society, and what happens next depends largely on how willing we are to pay it.