BIG WORLD VS. SMALL WORLD -- PART 2

Last time, I described my Big World Vs. Small World notion, how we are unavoidably a part of both, and that there will be dire consequences if we concentrate all our thoughts and energies on our Small World at the expense of the Big World.

So where does that leave us?

Well, it leaves us with a responsibility to educate ourselves about the Big World and then take action. You’ll note that I’ve avoided saying “educate ourselves about Big World issues” since “issues” carries connotations of the current political system which, while an institution we can occasionally sway, is not likely to be the answer to our prayers. Presently, it tends to be operate more as one of the architects of our nightmares. (Now that I’ve clarified the connotations of the word, I will use it below.)

So, education. Where do you get your information from? Newspapers? Mainstream Internet news sites? TV news and political shows? None of the above?

These sources are fraught with peril. They are not owned by you and me. They are owned by mega-wealthy people who have mega-wealthy people’s agendas. It is a matter that will require its own blog entry (or two), but suffice it to say if we get our information from these sources, we are largely being misinformed, manipulated, or subjected to some raving lunatic’s ratings-grabbing “entertainment.” What little news we do get from these sources is heavily compromised by the news we should be getting that is never reported.

So we live in the Big World but we are not getting the Big Picture.

So we must educate ourselves. And there are plenty of sources for this. (see below) But it takes some effort and some re-thinking. Certain “truths” we may have held to be self-evident will be burned down as falsehoods. Keep an open mind. When looking at alternative/independent news sources, ask yourself: What do these people at these news sources have to gain? The answer is a lot less than the people at the “traditional” news sources.

Okay, so we seek education – which should be an ongoing thing. What about action? What do we do?

Well, that depends partly on how much time you can find. Most folks can’t tailor their lives to become a leading activist. But we all need to find whatever time we can for social change because the clock is ticking on us all. (Some of the brightest brains on the planet believe that if things continue as they are, we may only have a half century left.)

Reaching out to friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances and strangers and talking about social change is important. That makes your self-education “viral” (however, we should all avoid being “preachy” – people don’t tend to respond well to that).

You can tailor your Small World so that you make time to address the Big World. Support groups like Corporate Accountability International, Union of Concerned Scientists, United for a Fair Economy or International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. You can do this around your current schedule thanks to the Internet. Find ways to give them your time and voice, not just your money.

There are countless groups tackling the big problems. However there are not so many that are over-arching and want across-the-board institutional change – but that too is a topic for another time.

Follow the real news and issues on Democracynow.org, zcommunications.org and the like.

Phone your political representatives to express your concerns about things like the recent banking bailout, invasions (not “wars”) in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and others, the terrible environmental policies of the United States as well as global warming, and so on. You might call this “macro issue change” and it’s more incremental than trying to actually change institutions like government, media and the structure of the economy. But it is at least on the road between Small World and Big World.

Add your voice to online petitions, such as those you can have delivered to your email by sites like http://www.care2.com/causes-news/ Every voice counts!

Surf the Internet and find groups tackling big/real issues. Do Google searches to find blogs and discussion boards. Make social networking work for something worthwhile – start a social change Facebook page, for example. The possibilities are endless. Just think about what is most effective, what is most gratifying to you, then do it. That’s how I came to start this blog and in the coming year or so I’ll roll it into my own social change networking website. As it progresses it will be very much action oriented, not just information oriented.

And, of course, teach your kids about what you are doing. It could be the most vital education they get.

Remember: The “enemy” is all around us. We are constantly being distracted from things that matter by junk entertainment and overcomplicated tax forms that are meant to tangle us up and wrong-headed patriotism over cynical invasions.

And yes, making a commitment to social change is on top of our essential duties of family, work and leisure (also very important). Time is precious but it is stockpiled in the future: a better future and one we are yet to secure.

Above all, don’t leave it to someone else. Every little bit helps and it really helps if you can do more than a little bit. No Super Bowl or reality show or daily duty is nearly as important as the challenge of preserving our planet and improving our lives.

Take care,
Adrian Zupp
IMPORTANT EX POST FACTO FOOTNOTE: A recent discussion I was involved in indicated to me that I may not have been totally clear about an important point: Addressing Big World issues can be done in little ways. They do not have to cost huge chunks of time or money or even worry. Every step counts. The more you can do, the better. But obviously we are all able to do different things and to different degrees. And generally, as we do a little here and a little there we find that the burden is not so great, and the challenge not insurmountable. You will feel empowered.

IF YOU FOUND THIS BLOG POST INTERESTING you might also like to take a look at BIG WORLD VS. SMALL WORLD -- PART 1 or WE MUST ATTACK IGNORANCE AT EVERY TURN.