No One is Going to Change Anything for Us

It never ceases to amaze me that we spend a lot of time demanding change, whether we are peacefully protesting, sending chain emails, tweeting, facebooking, bashing one politician, praising another, watching or listening to our favorite political talk show… we are all so outraged at what is happening and we just know it cannot go on any longer. What if…

Just entertain my thoughts for a moment… what if we are the ones that have to change?

What if the lifestyle we all know and love is the very thing that supports big government, corporate power and rampant corruption?

As long as we continue to live the same lifestyle, with all of the same “comforts” of big houses, big cars, processed and fast food, luxuries, conveniences, TV, facebook and all of the other things we think we need, we are voluntarily supporting the very system we denounce.

If every one of us chose just one day to boycott this lifestyle – didn’t drive around, run errands, shop, drag our kids to countless activities, engage in mass media or social media, didn’t spend ONE dollar – trust me, we would get a lot more attention than the largest “Occupy…” gathering ever would.

For just one day, turn off all screens, stay home, cook your own meals, plant a garden, mend a pair of pants or repair something instead of buying new, go outside, talk to your neighbors, take a walk, love your children with just love and nothing else…

If we all stood together and supported each other, voluntarily shared our knowledge, resources, love… we would all thrive in any economic condition. I know mass media wants you to fear that and vilifies that kind of talk as something that will “kill jobs.” Think about it though, is it about having more jobs so we can keep working and consuming or just having what we need?

Need some stuff? There is enough “stuff” on this planet to go around for decades. Our throw away mentality must change. I imagine we can all buy, sell and barter our way through the next year and still have enough to go around without ever walking into a Wal-Mart. I guess some computer genius somewhere can make a new eBay or craigslist that has its own form of currency. Imagine that, not buying from big corporations and not even using standard currency to make purchases… that would really stir things up I imagine.

Worried about starving? We don’t need corporations to feed us. That’s what dirt, water and sunshine are for; they are all free.

Essentially, everyone keeps calling for something to change because they would be extremely uncomfortable with what it will really take to see these changes through. Nothing of this scale just happens though. A great sacrifice is always made. It is usually through war, violence and the loss of life. All systems before us where an oppressed class rose up against tyranny did not go quietly into the night.

I’d like to think that our current society could enact change without violence. I think a simple turn to truly putting our priorities in order would at least start the ball rolling. (I cannot truly imagine what the government fat cats and big greedy corporations are capable of if their money flow ever ran dry.)

What’s that? You would give anything to have more time with your kids? How about that SUV? Would you give that? Would you give up the spare bedroom in your house? How about that 3 car garage? Look around you and take stock of all the things you traded in your freedom for; do you really need them or did some marketing genius convince you of that?

Essentially, this all goes against what we were brainwashed raised to believe from birth so it is not easy. It’s not easy for me but it is becoming second nature more and more every day to look at things from a human or spiritual perspective rather than from a consumer perspective. It’s very liberating and, no, your country does not want you to do this.

If we ever feel satisfied with what we have or find true happiness in the simple things in life that would mean that we could stop shopping, work less, pay less income tax, love more, stop overpaying for goods and services, buy less gas, pay less sales tax, and simply stop supporting the economic system that has turned us all into slaves. There is no political party, media outlet or government official that supports your freedom as a human being.

The government and all of their corporate “sponsors” simply support your freedom as a hardworking, hungry, overworked, under-loved, overcharged, underpaid, slightly unhealthy and always feeling like you need just a little more all consuming American. If you don’t fulfill that role, the rich may not get richer and they may not even stay as rich as they are… what a shame.

I don’t care what your spiritual beliefs are, we all know when our time on Earth is done no one is going to care how many square feet we had under air, what our net worth was or even (gasp) what our credit score was. If today was your last day, what would you care about? Do something about that :)

I have so much more to say about this. I could research and write for days and days on how we sacrifice our time, our loved ones and our lives to “feed the machine.” However, I am spending most of my time giving myself to my family instead of giving myself to a company so they give me some money so I can in turn buy things for my family.