Man In the Mirror

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I recently watched a video of the re-election campaign of Barack Obama for American President in 2012.  This video and the start of a New Year prompted thoughts of what it means to make a lasting positive impact in the world not only as an individual but also as a collective.

Barack Obama arguably ran one of the most successful election campaigns in 2008.  When Obama became President, it was a turning point in the history of the United States, as never before had a relatively young, unknown, mixed-race Senator ever occupied the White House. Most of the world looked up to Obama as the president who would finally make a positive difference for the everyday American people.

I was glad that Obama was elected, but I also knew that the same people who cheered him on would eventually be disappointed and demonize him.  Being the President of the United States is an extremely difficult job, and it is virtually impossible to please everyone with so many conflicting agendas and interests.

Most people have the misconception that a leader will come and save the masses, not realizing that in politics, what we usually get is a change in aesthetics, not in substance.  In other words, although the face of Presidents (or Canadian Prime Ministers) may change, behind closed doors, the same power structures remain.

The world is largely ruled by a small group of powerful individuals who operate behind the scenes and have no intention of giving up their power.  But we don’t realize the power we already possess by our sheer number.  As Mahatma Gandhi so eloquently stated, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.

Although I think it is a good idea to vote during times of election, it is important to realize that it is only a small part of the solution. In fact, all of us vote every moment of our lives.  For example, when we tell the whole truth about ourselves and others, we vote for truthfulness; when we freely help another human being, we vote for compassion and generosity; when we recycle, we vote for the protection of the environment.

We change the world one thought, word, and action at a time.  Personal integrity is one of the key elements of collective progress.  Webster’s dictionary defines integrity as “freedom from corrupting influence or motive”.  Essentially our thoughts, words, and actions should be consistently aligned.  If the masses committed themselves to this kind of ethical conduct, there would be increased pressure on our leaders to be accountable for their actions.  We can’t demand from our government’s positive values and morals that we do not uphold in our individual lives.

All around the world, people crave to see the best that we can be as human beings.  We need to experience first hand the power of other truthful, generous, and loving individuals to give us hope that such individuals do exist.  Our behaviour has a ripple effect on many people around us and after such an uplifting experience, words like morals, values, and ethics become real, and we are empowered to also follow the same path.

In our private lives when we act ethically, we grow to love and respect ourselves more, and in turn, we are able to love and respect others.  Giving and receiving is the same gesture, and the impact on our self-esteem is immediate and long-lasting.  In truth, what we do to others, we do to ourselves.

A new year is starting, and again it is an opportunity for all of us to reflect back on the past 12 months, and learn from our mistakes as well as capitalize on our achievements.  History has taught us that we cannot only rely on governments or leaders to change the world for the better.  Lasting change will ultimately come from the masses and we each have the responsibility and the power to make the world a better place.  Therefore I wish you all a fruitful, positive, and empowering 2012!

Literary Truths

Here are ways to better our world:

• Watch and listen to positive news/entertainment: We are subconsciously affected by what we see and hear.  Most, if not all news sources sponsored by advertising is controlled therefore it is preferable to watch publicly-funded sources such as CBC, PBS, NPR, and TED.  Also, negative news and violent movies or music entrain us to be negative, fearful, and violent. Turning off the TV or limiting it may be a good idea as it is a drug.
• Buy from socially responsible companies: Find out how the products that you buy were made and purchase from companies who uphold ethical morals and values.
• Scale down: Simplify your life by buying what you need and not what you temporarily desire.  The money you save can be used for more worthy causes.
• Contribute to responsible charitable organizations: Donate to charitable organizations that use most of their funds to help those in need.
• Buy organic produce from local small farms: Local farms produce food that is not genetically modified, is in season, and use practices that respect the diversity of the land and ecosystem.

Truth in Motion

References

Integrity definition: http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/integrity

Mahatma Gandhi Quote

Picture 1: https://backtoourpast.wordpress.com/president-obama-of-moneygall/