How do we actually change anything?

This a very broad question that im hoping will end up with a list or gathering of ways to be "A part of the solution" and not contributing to the problem.

As so many people have said (and somthing i hope this simple plea wont become), what can I/we do in our everyday lives, goals, expressions, collaboration, and so much more, to fix our generally correct world view of "We are doing things wrong and things are getting worse not better".

This whole thing is depressing to try and tackle as just one person, but it is the very action of this 'only one guy', repeated millions of times by million of people that we can drive to answers. We are so far from the finish line of getting things, not only better than current, but better than ever.

So what im asking for is something i can do, just me thats going to help to fix the world. It could be a phrase or thought process such as, do what you have to do but spend just 10 minutes doing somthing for somone else every day. Even a really small sentence could be a good thing or it could just be 'fluff' that makes somone artificially well about their contribution and is of no worldly value, and i obviously want to avoid this. Perhaps its somthing like; try and grow some of your own veg, if you have a big garden put 20% of the grass area for your own food plants.

This is so hard to ask without sound like some wacko dreamer, or some attempt to take the bull by the horns and be a hero. I just want some where to start.

If you think you have some ideas or currently practised work to share, im begging you to help me understand what i can really expect to do to help because im just feeling like a sad, poor cause of the issues we all have - i dont like feeling this way and i dont like to feel like theres nothing i can do.


If this topic burns instantly and contains nothing but toxic banter, Mods please just nuke the whole thing and i'll mark it down mentally as the first hurdle. Also if this belongs in another forum area, please do whatever is needed.

Kind regards to all who can, and try to help.

Biigs.

Sounds like you are already on the right track, brother.

As one person, it's difficult to see all the numerous ways you influence society, but you undoubtedly do.

Here's one thing we can all do to better society, and it's really rather simple: Just be kind and respectful to anyone and everyone you come across in your life, be it online or in person.

As one person, it may not seem like much, but collectively has the power to change the world.

You could get involved in local politics, neighbourhood projects, charity work.

Recycle as much as possible.

Offer to help out sick or elderly neighbours.

Feed birds and other wildlife.

Boycott companies and their products if they are unethical.

Join a literacy scheme to help kids or adults who are having difficulties with their reading and writing skills.

Keep your 'own backyard' clean. Many of us won't change the world with our efforts but we can improve the world about us.

a reply to: berenike

This is the sort of reply i was hoping for, immediately i see one i need to improve on: Elderly neighbours and not just elderly but my neighbours in general i havnt made much of an effort as i have in previous houses and i probably wasnt a good neighbour either then! I think im actually doing a bit more than i htought but theres definitely room for improvement.

Im so glad i made the thread topic, i thoght it wasnt very articulate and i was afraid i wouldnt get good replys to it.

I do hope theres going to be more, im not a bad person and i try not to be negative - i know theres more i could do and i want to do it.

thank you.

------

Im good with the recycling and my local council are very good about the bins, if they miss a pickup a quick email and they put my name on a list and come round a few days later.

Making sure my fridge isnt over stocked or wasting food - concentrating on it has cut some of my expenditure and no doubt less thrown away means less to take away for recycling. Less stuff to move less fuel burnt.

Im really hoping for somthing that people agree is a bigger help that is within my skill set and available time.

May i just expand on things like, being polite and watching out for neighbours: This is a quality of life improvement right, so its not going to cut back on pollutants and its not going to stop religious war and it doesnt sow chemtrails....

SO! The question is:

How does one 'rate' nice things we can do for each other to say, driving 10 miles less a week in a 4 door family car?

Okay, i know thats an impossible comparison however if we look at how much time it takes to do things, we could compare them at least a little more directly. Say being nice costs me 20 minutes of chatting to the neighbours through the week, and that 10 miles i saved on driving was 15 minutes - do we think being nice to neighbours is worth more or less to the planet than saving 10 miles of emissions?

Just the sort of things i was hoping to be able to really break down. Im NOT going to be a moron to my neighbours or drive where i dont have to, but these are real things, we, real people do. It costs our time and our money, the things we do for pleasure might be totally free or cost a car pool/designator for a day a week - heck in this instance two could be done together!!!

Im not after some magical formulator for converting tasks in units of "saving the world" but it is a logical truth in some way.

Interesting.

a reply to: Biigs

So what im asking for is something i can do, just me thats going to help to fix the world.

I don't think there is anything just one person can do alone to fix all the problems in the world. Thank God our entire future does not rest in the hands of just one person.

I do believe that every one can contribute towards the goal. I think each of us has a role to play, and the choices we make today, will lay the foundation for the legacy we leave for the future. We have done a lousy job so far. I like to think there is still hope.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Yes i thought that bit might get that interpretation.

Yes i meant what can I DO dailerly weekly monthly to be a part of the fix, definitely not expecting any specific things to make a noticeable difference on a global scale. So when all the I's are on the same instruction manual, the Mexican wave works and its not one guy running around like a mad person trying to play everyone's hands' in the wave!

a reply to: Biigs

everyone stop paying taxes walk to washington together and ask the politicians exactly what it is they do.

doing so would do one of two things.

1. the goverment shows there hand and start putting people into fema camps.

2 we get some answers

a reply to: Biigs

As one person, you cannot do any of those things. You can help, of course.

What you are looking for does not exist, I'm sorry to say. It takes a collective change.

there's only one known way to change things - by trying to keep them exactly the same. If you wanna keep 'em the same - then you gotta work for change.

All a matter of perspective.

Convince yourself you're happy, and you are.

Sounds simple, but difficult in practice. I wish you luck with it.

Sure, sounds trite, but think about it. My epiphany was when on a cruise. There was this group of retarded kids (sorry to not use some PC term, I don't mean it in a bad way).

Anyhow, these kids were just so genuinely happy. I mean, with all of their challenges, etc., these kids were the happiest damn people I had ever seen in my life.

It was a real moment of awakening for me.

They were happy, because they simply were happy, free of all the bad things we clutter our existence with.

Made me realize that THEY had it right and I am the retarded one for not realizing it. Well, I realize it now, and try to enjoy life as I can. Sure, I still have to trudge though the crap, and work, etc., but when on my own time, I try and be happier.

Its a fascinating inquiry!

The trouble comes in when the rubber meets the road. There are some pretty obvious things that, despite their blatancy, disintegrate into failure as they meet the cultural story of the "real world."

I maintain that the real issue lies within the cultural story itself. It is possible for the general population to change this, but highly unlikely.

The most effective change may come from the top down, for multiple reasons. The systems of manipulation could yield positive results, but given how deeply they are embedded, it may simply be impossible to affect such change without using the same tools that have dug the hole.

The vast majority are programmed, very literally, to pick pre-packaged, designed choices/solutions. Choices that are specifically created to maintain the behind-the-scenes status quo while allowing a great diversity of appearances.

In the end, I think its a trickier situation than it seems. But, if the manipulators can be convinced a different way is better for them, that would be the quickest, most efficient road to change. And that is most certainly possible..

I feel that the way modern society has developed this is whats happend; Peoples zone of influence and area of effectiveness has been blown out of proportion. We feel guilty about things we are told we can change, but simply lack the ability to do such a thing. For example the president of a country gets seen as a very power person who can make a statement or pass a law to change their country, but its really down to the will of the people and the ability of the councils that make up the presidents office to connect with the world to make anything happen - the President himself/herself doesnt wake up one day with a light bulb above their head and go "i have lets do this" and then proceeds to make phone calls to get it done directly.

This thread was about breaking down GOOD things for the planet and the human population that average joe bloggs can do to contribute, outside of his commitment to work and play as Joe.

Being nice to the people, is that somthing thats going to change their world or yours? Just some thoughts.

You change the world by changing yourself.

Everyone is a mirror for you. You are a mirror for them.

When you work on improving that which you can (yourself) you make the world a little bit better.

If you make the world a little bit better, it becomes even easier to continue to make yourself better.