It came to me the other
day while watching a couple of racial drama’s that change; although an evolving
thing takes a special way of thinking. The mindset to not be blinded by
the accepted way of thinking, but rather rebellious reasoning has given us our
way to life we now take for granted.
Gandhi gave up the prestige
of being a lawyer to fight against Indian discrimination and led India
to Independence from English tyranny.
Rosa Parks challenged
the Jim Crow laws of segregation with a single rebellious act and
moved a nation to change.
Nelson Mandela fought
against apartheid and its audacity in South Africa.
These are a few of the
same mindset as the ones we look at with uneasiness whenever they
challenge the accepted norm of society. It takes a certain determination and
fortitude to follow that which you think is right against what is accepted by
the whole. So I pay homage to these pioneers.
So is it that certain
persons are born with this trait, is it only based on the situation or is it
present in all of us waiting on the perfect cocktail of situation and thought
to bring it out ? If Gandhi was not asked to leave the first class area of
the train for being Indian would he still have the passion to lead such a
legendary movement. What would have happened if Nelson Mandela's side of the
family was eligible to succeed to the Thembu throne. No doubt
leading to a more luxurious lifestyle, would he be so against
apartheid? Are we moved to change by atrocities brought on us and those close
to us? I see people who are vehement activist who never gave the time of
day to what they are currently championing before something happened
to them or a loved one. I know this is controversial but bear with
me. Is it a "who feels it knows" kind of situation that is really the
agent for change and the others just followers wanting a cause to champion? Are we that fearful to instigate change to just wait on that one fed up person to lead.
But in any case I have
yet to understand that weird expression and feeling of uneasiness when someone
reaches out and helps another in the presence of a crowd. Why is that? As
humans we all know what is the right thing in our hearts yet we normally choose
the popular path not necessarily the right path. It’s troubling how we can be
drafted to accept ridiculous conditions under the rule of social
norms and leads me to start thinking about some things that we may
need to stop accepting now. Like an education system that prides
on personal goals and aspirations rather than the true focus( I think)
which should be altruism and unselfish duties to one another. Yes
it definitely makes great workers but does it produce great humans? (
look out for this topic). Also a work hierarchy where we perpetuate
slave systems so acutely that only the blind and brainwashed are so oblivious
to it. So......I have given myself a challenge; To search for the truth
in the actions of few and not in the words and rules of many, so that I too may
inspire my own form of change. Let’s hope I can walk the walk and not just talk
the talk.
Will you take the
challenge as well?
