Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Is now the time for another revolution?

"Ideas only grow when the environment is ready" is a quote I heard the other day from someone who had made significant impacts in public health. This got me thinking about what that meant and how that applied to my life. I recently come to realize that my generation, those of my age or similar, are the ones who have to change the current course of the world. We are those people who will be stepping into the shoes of the older folks as they leave for retirement. It is in our hands to fix the problems of this world, such as healthcare, the environment and social security, and it falls on our shoulders to pave a path for the younger ones. Basically, we have been asked to save the world.

Yet, no matter how hard we would like to, no matter how many ideas, thoughts or beliefs we have nothing will happen until the atmosphere we are currently living in changes. Until the world, governments and people become ready for new things then nothing can change. It doesn't matter how many protest marches offer or how many petitions get signed. What matters is having the environment to produce that change. Without that nothing will really happen.

That's one of the reasons why I think the 60's became such a time for worldwide revolution... not just in the United States but everywhere. People were willing to open up their minds, to listen to other ideas, beliefs and thoughts and allowed the status quo to be changed. This movement forever changed our world as we know it. It led to later revolutions in other countries, broadening of our ideologies and helped pave the way into the new millenia. Lots of change occured, both good and bad, but a willingness for change was established... and that, my friends, is the key. For no matter how much you want to affect change, no matter how hard you work to influence other's lives... it ultimately boils down to the environment you are faced with.

So, folks, look around. What do you see? Do you see a society ready to begin a new revolution? Do you see young ideological adults ready to be the tip of the sword and lead the world into a new time of change? Or is it still a world stuck in the past, one too tunnel visioned to accept change?

No matter where you are, I challenge you to look at your ideas and see how they can grow. For only then can a revolution happen.