Be The Change You Wish To See
“Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands.”
That’s a quote from Clint Eastwood, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.
You see, I’m noticing a trend on social media and in the mainstream media.
It’s a formula that is tried and true and works every single time.
It’s outrage culture.
Point out something negative. Craft an emotional message. Direct a narrative in a certain direction. And rake in ratings, views, clicks, and followers as people have a knee-jerk reaction to whatever the trending talking points for the day happen to be.
For myself, I’ve taken myself out of that cycle. Instead of commenting or formulating an opinion on a news headline immediately, I wait a couple of days or a couple of weeks to see how the rest of the story unfolds.
What I’ve found is stories change, propaganda pieces form, and it’s hard to sort out fact from fiction. And instead of critical thinking and verifying, how often do we fall prey to knee-jerk reactions to headline stories?
These journalists know exactly what they are doing — they have to keep sponsors happy and page views high. So, the maximum reaction possible yields the best result, and guess what — you and I are the targets.
So how do we safeguard our hearts and minds, look at the news with a keen eye, and respond to new headlines in a way that is productive and positive? It’s simple. We take a step back, take a deep breath, and take a moment before we actively engage in conversations on the topic. We listen more than we speak. We learn the more we observe and ask questions. And we don’t give too much space for fear-driven pieces that are aimed to make us feel anxious, depressed, worried, and scared.
Now don’t mistake this advice for apathy and doing nothing. And don’t read this as me telling you to unplug the TV and ignore the chaos and ugliness of this world.
On the contrary, if we look at the quote from Clint Eastwood, our direction is very clear.
We can blame outside sources for the change in politics, society, culture, and our communities, or we can look inward and take ownership for the world that we live in. If we want to change the world for the better, we are going to need to grab the bull by the horns and take action.
How do we accomplish this exactly? Well, the answer may differ for everyone, but doing nothing can no longer be an option.
You could run for office, volunteer to be on the local school board, sit on a committee, or testify on an issue at a county commissioners meeting. You can start a group. Lead a movement. Volunteer. Help others. Serve. Start a business. Create new opportunities. Market your products in a new way. Stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone, Mentor others. Spread joy where there is negativity. And I could go on and on.
In short, if we are not pleased with the current headlines, and we do not support the general direction of politics, then we can and must step into the arena and be the change we wish to see.
It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be convenient. It’s not going to make you the most popular person in the room. But it’s the right thing to do.
We may have a lot of challenges in this country, but we the people are the solution. Now is the time to get off the bench and get on the field. Run the ball, and even if you’re tackled on the way to a touchdown, at least you got out there and gave it your all.