Vox Populi 5 – Making a Difference

Posted by Martin S Pribble on November 20, 2010 in Thoughts | 8 comments

Welcome to the fifth in the series of “Vox Populi” articles on my blog, where I ask for your feedback and thoughts on a given topic. Hope you enjoy these short topical pieces, and please leave your feedback in the comments.

Topic 5: Activism

My body has circled the sun 38 times, and I’ve nearly finished my 39th circuit, which means, if I’m able, I may complete another fifty cycles before my battery gives out and I am returned to the dirt from whence I came. At this age, I am finding it more and more important to be heard, that getting my voice “out there” is a key objective of my life, and knowing that others are reading my blog.

Why now?

Well I’m not exactly sure why now in particular, but I have always felt I have had something to say, and whether it’s substantial or not, I’ve always tried to be a communicator. Since starting my blog, I not only feel like my words are out there, in the ether, to be read or not, but I also feel like I could eventually make some kind of difference in the world. If someone comes to my blog and walks away with even a slightly different perspective on things, then I guess what I do is worthwhile. The key point here is that I have always wanted to make a difference, but it is only now that I am actively seeking to do so.

I’m not talking about making a difference like giving loose change to a homeless guy, donating money to “Movember” or volunteering at the local shelter. We should all do these things anyhow, just out of a love for our fellow human being. I want to make a difference in a way that helps these situations from not arising. I want to make a difference in a way that pushes humanity forward. I want to make a difference that makes a difference. I am well aware of the idea “think global, act local”, but I believe it may be possible, given the right opportunities for someone to make a difference on a larger scale, especially when the internet allows for such easy communication across the world.

Clearly this is not probable, given there are a lot more people out there with the same objective as mine, but pushing against what I hope to achieve, so my question to you is this: is there any point in activism? Is an outspoken person who hopes to achieve something positive for humanity simply pushing shit uphill? Is it a losing battle? Is today’s political climate too strong to break into? Is it naive to think that one voice can make any changes? If so, why do I do this at all?

Please let me know your thoughts.