THE POWER OF SMALL
Wherever you look there is gridlock in the political decision process. My generation simply could not find the will or the way to do the hard things needed to fix what just about everyone agrees needs to be fixed, be it health care, the deficit, the economy, the climate.
And now we find ourselves rapidly approaching a point of no return on some pretty big problems: sovereign default in Greece and Japan, the erosion of Social Security and Medicare, the never-ending accumulation of debt, and yes, anthropogenic global warming.
Our children are convinced that they will never have it as good as we did, and they have every reason to believe that. I have been looking for some piece of knowledge, some piece of advice that I could pass onto my grandchildren. And over the last few months a few themes seem to resonate more than others. So here goes.
First and foremost do your homework. Make up your own mind about these issues. There is plenty of information out there, maybe too much. Dig deep. Come up with your own ideas about what to do.
Then get passionate about it. You are in a fight for your future. No one else can or will do it for you. There are plenty of folks who have a vested interest in keeping things just the way they are. If that is good for you, great. But if you want change, it won't just happen. We certainly have over-learned that lesson.
Most importantly, quit waiting around for the government to bring you the answer. Top down ain't working any more. The only hope is to grow your own solutions in your own backyard, whether it is a home garden, a more fuel-efficient car, a better way to collect the garbage.
All of these little things matter. You matter. You can make a difference in your individual choices, in the things you talk your neighbors and co-workers into trying, in the things you demand from your local and state governments.
Commit to the power of small acts. That would be the one single thing I would like to pass on to anyone who might be listening.
February 17, 2010
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