Be the change (#1)
A series of small changes can make a difference
Do you feel overwhelmed or frustrated by the state of the world (or, in particular, Australian politics)? There is so much to say, right? And politicians don’t seem to listen anyway. Not sure what to do about it? Have you convinced yourself (or been convinced by others) that you’re ‘just one person’… what impact could you possibly have?
You’re not alone. I’ve felt like that for while now, and it’s become an increasingly consistent feeling. If you’ve read my first article Why Write? you’ll already know that feeling is one of the reasons why I’m now speaking out.
In the Closing Address for this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival, author and journalist Christine Jackman shared what she learnt on her recent quest to find a better way of being in a world that is so full of noise (both literal and figurative). Surprisingly (to her, and probably most of us), Christine’s pursuit for silence and peace didn’t result in her discovery of some ‘new-age’ awareness or enlightenment. Rather, the enduring message she had was one of clarity.
For Christine, the clarity of mind she found helped her distinguish the feeling of helplessness that our noisy world can cause from the genuine anger she felt (and presumably still feels, as little has changed) at the state of Australian politics. The way she articulated her anger, and its intensity, greatly resonated with me. Most importantly, Christine left us with this message: use that clarity to find your voice and use it.¹
So here I am, but what next?
Another session at the Brisbane Writers Festival helped me take Christine’s message of clarity and encouragement to speak out, and infuse that energy with a belief that one person really can make a difference. In one of the sessions curated by Benjamin Law on the topic of survival, he asked the panellists how the audience could make a difference. There was no hesitation in their answers: everyone really can make a difference.²
In that spirit, this article will be the first in a fortnightly series where I chart my attempts to make a change. Each fortnight, I will commit to doing something (or at least starting an action) to make a positive change for those around me. While these things won’t necessarily be ‘big’ (I am just one person after all, and I recognise the limits of my influence), if everyone committed to doing the same thing, change would be inevitable.
Writing this series will be my way of holding myself accountable. I commit to sharing with you the challenges I set myself each fortnight, and reporting back on the progress and outcomes as I achieve them.
I’ll be starting with a simple action, but one which will join many others in making their voices heard. My task for this fortnight is to write to the federal government to call for a real and final resolution to the uncertainty for the Murugappan family. Transferring the family from detention on Christmas Island to community detention in Perth really was the least the government could do. Enough is enough; it’s clear that the Australian community in general supports this family returning to their home in Biloela for good. I look forward to updating you on this task next fortnight.
If we all make our voices heard, the government will have no choice but to listen.
¹ You can read more about Christine’s journey and her advice in her book Turning Down The Noise: The Quiet Power of Silence in a Busy World, which is available from all good booksellers.
² The panellists in this session, Remixing the World to Save Ourselves, were Tim Flannery, Damon Gameau, Thomas Mayor and Jess Scully. Head to their websites to check out how they suggest we can all make a difference!
