Guess what's next – that current reality crowd telling you that change is impossible. You can't dress like that. You can't act like that. You can't associate with real men. You are all weird. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You can't tell your wife. You can't tell your family. You can't tell your friends. Nobody wants to be around people like you. If anyone finds out, you'll lose your wife, your job, everything. You thought it was possible to dream. You thought somehow you could transform the world. This is reality. It will always be like this. Get used to it. Give up!
This might be a good place to begin generating some of that creative tension we talked about last time. There are those who will stand in your path, and you might even believe some of them. There must be compelling reasons why things are like this, after all, isn't the system designed in our best interest? Don't the people in charge always do what's best for us? Aren't they right when they tell us it's impossible to alter the system? If that's true, we can quit now and return to our constricting little closets.
But, it's not true. The sum total of valid reasons for discriminating against us would fit comfortably in a thimble. We don't have to stay in those constricting closets any longer. There aren't any compelling reasons for the way things are, and the system isn't designed in our interest. The leaders don't always do what's most advantageous for us, and we do have the power to modify the present conditions.
You don't need me to convince you which statements are true. Too often, we don't give ourselves credit for being able to question things and think through issues. Often, we assume the other person knows what he is talking about, decide we're no experts, and take whatever he says at face value. Don't trust the establishment to tell you whether you can change things. The establishment is in control. They don't want change because it could cause them to lose control. They tell us what works for them, and try to convince us that it works for us. Hogwash. If they are wrong in how they treat us, and they are, do you think they will tell us they are wrong?
We're going to have to do a little thinking and questioning on our own. It isn't hard, we just need practice. We have the native ability to become expert thinkers and questioners. Think of a 5-year old. They are naturally inquisitive. They ask, "Why?" They want to know how everything works, and why. We need to learn that same lesson. Important concepts need to be challenged periodically to ensure their continued validity. Sometimes, the concept was wrong. Sometimes, conditions have changed, and it no longer makes sense. Sometimes, it will be reaffirmed. In any case, every concept benefits from an occasional challenge. Each of us was once a 5-year old, so we have the ability. Now, we need to exercise our ability.
We need to stop accepting the established order, and focus on creating a new society. Asking, "Why?" is helpful in challenging how things are, but it tends to get bogged down in the past. It surfaces the arguments used to support the past. We need to go further and learn when to transition to asking, "Why not?" It focuses on the future, where effort can be devoted to making improvements.
We all know that living in a closed society isn't a satisfying existence. The good news is that, for the most part, the perceptions of us are wrong, and we can fix them. Some of us may lack certain skills. Some of us may lack great intelligence. Some of us may lack an extensive formal education, but each of us can exercise persistence and be successful. We say we want to solve our problems, but can't because we lack...(fill in the blank). If we want to solve our problems, we simply need to start work, and have the persistence and determination to see our work through to completion. The question is not, Can our problems be solved? Of course they can be solved. The question is, Are we willing to go to work and finish the job? You understand that if you do nothing, the current reality will continue unaltered. You don't want them to win by default. Do you? Of course not.
Today's hardship
leads to rewards in later life.
Chinese Fortune Cookie
Fortune cookies sometimes provide a clear insight into life.
Isn't it time for you to quit complaining and making excuses about today's hardships and start seeking future rewards?
