The Greatest Dis-empowerment — Complainers Beware!

I like Russell Brand, more for his revelations around his Spiritual discoveries than anything else. His political voice has been heard and rejoiced by a new generation that won’t see a pension, are steeped in student debt and who wish to see a change come around. I recall watching his wit and flair at a Cambridge Uni event. It ended with a number of students standing up and asking for him to lead them in this new cause and to this he admittedly falls flat. And fair enough, I remember wanting to call up and inform them all that he is here merely to serve as the catalyst to these fine young minds and us all. That it is up to us all to think upon these truths and to take responsibility and find the way out for ourselves. For Brand it easy to take a step back as the mentally advanced jester in our modern day court. That has always been his defined role that society has rewarded him for, yet many of us our guilty of wanting to do the same. The modern day sickness appears to be armchair criticism at its finest. To point out vehemently the wrongs we see in the world while taking minimal impactful action behind the security of our computer screens.

Keyboard warriors are commonplace and complainers, unfortunately, are all too aplenty. And yet I am reminded of the truth about no one constructing a statue for a critic. In contrast I am directed to the Change-makers in our world. When Elon Musk sees a problem in the world he seeks to find a solution. People complain about the oligarchy of the Financial institutions, Elon co-creates an online global payment solution. The world is using too much oil and causing too much pollution, Elon invests in a Solar Panel company. People are concerned about over-population, Elon plans to colonise Mars.

So the next time you want to rage against the machine that we live how about considering how you are going to effect change for the better rather than living at effect of that wrong you see. Gandhi has been quoted as saying something along the lines of ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’ and, also maybe more applicable in this case: ‘become the change you wish to see in the world.’ This is when we transfer from the place of dis-empowerment in a place of effect to a place of empowerment at cause. This can be as simple as choosing to vote differently, and no I’m not directly talking about the political electoral system. We all walk around with voting slips every day. Most people call it money. I see it as voting coupons. The reason why Apple became the largest company list earner was because the vast majority of us deciding to vote Apple and Apple knows that at any time those voting slips may shift (despite whatever delusions of grandeur from Job’s successful stints of leadership may imply otherwise). So the next time your raging at an electricity company, look to see where you can go support a solar or wind company. The next time you want to be critical of the lack of care and nutritional quality in big chain foods, find a locally sourcing grocery, etc. Some will say: these options generally cost more. I read recently what I feel is an apt response: ‘do not ask why health food is so expensive but rather why junk food is so cheap.’ This may ‘cost’ more in the short-term. It may require us to become more resourceful. But that might just be the price of living in a society that we can be proud of. The choice, is undoubtedly ours to make.

Thanks so much for reading!