Be The Change You Want To See

Not everyone has the time or resources to go out and change the world, but it starts with a small step. Being a decent human cost zero dollars, and takes up zero extra time. It's quite simple: be kind, be educated, and step in when you can. Change what you do not like, and the world will change as well.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.
Multiethnic group of young people putting their hands on top of each other. Close up image of young students making a stack of hands.
Multiethnic group of young people putting their hands on top of each other. Close up image of young students making a stack of hands.

There's no doubt that the world is in trouble. It always has been. No matter what, there will always be conflict, and opposing opinions, and that's ok. What makes us different is what makes the world a beautiful place. The only problem is, we are somehow letting these differences divide us. Why are we alienating ourselves from those who aren't exactly like us? Instead of avoiding our issues and those who think differently than us, why aren't we trying to find some common ground? The world needs to unite, and we need to kick start the change that we are looking for.

It doesn't matter who you are, what your skin color is, or what political party you belong to. It seems like the higher ups thrive on our division, and they are constantly driving the wedge between both sides. Every side has an agenda to push, and they don't seem to care how it affects all of our lives. Those of us in the real world have real fears to deal with. Fears that we shouldn't have to worry about in this day and age. The United States is a great country, and we have come so far in so many different ways. I believe that the majority of us are sophisticated individuals, and we can find ways to change ourselves in order to change the world.

It's great to stand up for what you believe in, but it's also great to get out there and act on it. You don't like the way law enforcement behaves? Fine, go out there and change the field. Get on your computer, learn about criminal justice careers, and find a way you can change it for the better. Afraid of Muslims because the far right is telling you they are behind terror attacks? Make some Muslim friends and learn about their beliefs. See, we fear things that are unknown to us, and there is a simple solution. Educating yourself will go a long way, and can help you view the world as a whole, rather than based on your small version of it.

It is easy for a person to sit back, complain, and criticize others for doing things differently than they would. I get criticized every day because someone thinks I'm doing things wrong. The only thing worse than doing something wrong is sitting back and watching, instead of stepping in and showing the right way. The truth is, some people are just learning and they don't know any better. They could benefit by hearing other perspectives and finding better ways to do things.

We all have things that we don't like about the world today, and that we would change if we were given the chance. I think I speak for the majority of people when I say that we don't like war, starvation, or hate crimes. Most people like to sit back and complain about these things, without doing anything about it. Not everyone has the time or resources to go out and change the world, but it starts with a small step. Being a decent human cost zero dollars, and takes up zero extra time. It's quite simple: be kind, be educated, and step in when you can. Change what you do not like, and the world will change as well.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot