A New Paradigm

I have mentioned previously that in order for the world to be changed there needs to be a realignment of values, in other words, a paradigm shift. Our entire way of thinking needs to be changed. In order for this to happen, unfortunately, it will require that this new way of thinking be created for the average person. The average person is more passive in their way of living, they are dictated by the system in which the live within, instead of actively questioning and engaging the system. We, the people who want to see a change in the system, the ones who actively think about the world we live in, must create a new one. A paradigm defined with hope, inspiration, global values, etc.

Craig Kielburger had a great quote today in the Toronto Star about just this shift in thinking. He said, "The idea behind (it) is that if we're going to truly end poverty it's more than just writing a cheque. It's shifting how young people look at the world, how they shop, how they vote, how they give of their time". His brother and him describe it as a movement but I think it is more than just that. A movement can fade over time, whereas a shift in the way we live our lives is timeless.

Try to think about how you can contribute to the paradigm shift, where would you be able to influence those around you to change the way they think about their interaction with the world. Actively make the world a better place and don't just wait for someone else to create your new world for you.

Individual Social Responsibility

I read this interesting tidbit in my 365 Ways newsletter I received today and I think it is something worth exploring. While I have written a number of times about Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Enterprises what might be more important is Individual Social Responsibility. In other words, what is it that you do, the little things, to make the world a better place? What is it that you stand for? What are YOU doing to ensure that you are making a contribution to a better world, not just the status quo? We can look at it like the chicken and the egg argument, the 'it starts at the top and will filter down to the bottom' approach, or you can just step up.

Start by making a list of the things for which you believe in. Do you stand for animal rights, human rights, the environment, etc. Then decide what you can do through your purchasing behavior, your actions, your conversations, to start making it a part of your character - about making it a part of your life. When we individually decide to do something it will start to create a ripple for others to follow.

You don't notice it right away but you plant seeds with every interaction you make. It is like marketing, the more people see and hear something, the more they start to adopt it - this is the way successful brands have done it for years. Think about how you can market animal rights, you could buy only brands such as The Body Shop, wear a PETA T-shirt to a party, or become a vegetarian/part-time vegetarian (my friend Kylie has one day a week where she is a vegan, the rest of the week she is a vegetarian). You don't have to be an advocate, although it would certainly help, but sometimes the more subtle approach with people has a more profound and lasting effect. If you can get other people to ask you about your vegetarianism, instead of telling them outright, people are more likely to listen and take interest than if you are pushing pamphlets on them.

Be a pillar for your values, model them for all to see. Think about how you can market your better lifestyle. Think about other ways you can do your part to make the world a better place. This is your individual social responsibility - you are a business, you are a brand. Now is the time to 'sell' it.

A Lesson on Values

My mom cut this story out of a newsletter she received and passed it along to me so that I could share it. The story is titled "A Lovely Story with a True Moral" by Sean Mackay, and it goes like this:
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: "There's a mousetrap in the house! There's a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There's a mousetrap in the house! There's a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There's a mousetrap in the house! There's a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse, I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected to face the farmer's mousetrap... alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house - like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came to her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember - when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

This story gives us all a chance to think about our values. For me it is a reminder of the value of friends and family. We get caught up in our own lives sometimes and neglect to recognize that those around us are sometimes dealing with their own problems. It is a wakeup call for me to be more observant and make sure that no problem is too petty or small to lend a hand or a shoulder for. Take this opportunity to think of what this story makes you think about and if you are there enough for your family and friends to reach out to.

Happy holidays to all.