When a young woman’s thoughts wander into the highest strata alturism clouds and busy neurons, for this or that selfish or benign motive, entertain the idea of being a pivotal figure in global social change, she must think twice (three, four, fifteen, seventhousandsixhundredandfour times) about what that change might look like, how to implement it, and the heavy burden of responsibility in calculating its consequences.
Where does this motivation of instigating large-scale social change originate? Why do we feel the need to help others (a need that is evolutionarily unfavorable)? Is it because we honestly want to help people we know nothing about because of the goodness in our hearts? Is it because we have felt pain and struggle at one point in time and we want to prevent it from occurring to others? Is it because we have some hole in our lives and are desperate to fill it with something meaningful? Is it because we are escaping some bigger problem in our own lives by focusing on the misfortune of others?
The idea of making big social changes in the world (saving the world, as it is sometimes called) is a very upper middle class American idea. We dream of eradicating child labor, feeding the world’s poor, halting wars, educating school aged children, building houses-hospitals-watertreatmentcenters. These are all romantic ideas that many liberal arts college graduates have wet dreams about. I can safely assume that a good fraction of my readers are salivating at the mere mention of such examples of do-gooding. We desire that self-assured heart-warming sensation of knowing that we have made a positive difference in a person’s life. We congratulate ourselves, we feed our egos, we feel damn good about ourselves… and then return to normal life… forgetting perhaps that we have treated a single symptom and turned a blind eye to a much larger, much more evasive cause of the illness.
I went to a college whose motto was: Think one person can change the world? We do.
But with time (and subsequent travels and experiences) I am changing my view on what that change should look like. In high school I thought that protests, clever posters, and rhythmic chanting were the key to change. In college I thought individualized education, motivating, inspiring people was the key. Now I have a different outlook.
For example, I strongly dislike the Peace Corps, and other such volunteer-for-a-better-world organizations. I dislike the idea of going into other communities with the intention of helping them. I dislike signing petitions on issues I don't know anything about. I dislike supporting wars in other countries. I dislike protests on issues that aren't my own. Who am I to impose my views on others? Especially when the issue is much more complex and multifaceted than I can possibly imagine. It is never black/white, right/wrong, good/bad. It's never simple. How can I possibly know what's right?
And these organizations, international movements, petitions are like a semi-permeable wall between volunteers-concerned citizens and the very people being affected by these altruistic acts of kindness. Foreigners descend on a poor helpless community stricken with some unfortunate circumstance. A decision is made to help this community. Forget communication and working alongside the recipients of this noble act. Volunteers chests-puffed with good intention flood the surprised community. Within months the project is finished and the community is left deserted, inhabitants wonder what the hell just happened and why they now have this ridiculous monstrosity to deal with.
I dislike the volunteer-based-social-change-organizations just like I dislike tourism. It’s impersonal. It’s very self-absorbed. It’s ironically egocentric. It has little or no regard for the actual people or culture of the society. It’s a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am approach to a bigger, more valuable, realer action.
And just like the social change movement is a safer diluted form of international altruism, tourism is the safer diluted form of traveling. It’s comfort that you pay for. It’s a boundary placed between you and the local people, society, customs, culture. It’s a jacket placed on a puddle so you don’t get your feet wet. It’s training wheels on a bicycle. It’s a security blanket. It’s someone holding your hand. It’s safe, harmless, cuddly, and boring.
And another thing I've learned is that change can’t be forced upon people. It can’t be imposed because it will only be artificial. Change is not only on the surface; it is internal. Change can only be inspired.
So I think instead of taking the “I know what’s good for you, so let ME teach you a few things” approach to international altruism… there is a realer option. You could go to another country with the idea that perhaps they have something to teach YOU. Your objective would be to learn, absorb, live and observe. Not to impose, teach, turn your nose up, and hide behind a Lonely Planet in comfy English-speaking hostels. You could communicate in the colorful street language. You could learn a few local recipes. You could meet the people who live there. You could listen to their stories. You could dance to their music. You could grow like you’ve never grown before. You could be humbled by the beauty of local culture.
And I’ve learned that the best social change is nothing tangible. Social change is taught through experiences. From every trip I take a lesson learned. From every person I take a world of love. I grow as a person. I put aside my ego. I put aside my pride. I am a visitor. I am the outsider. I have everything to learn. I have my own experiences to teach. And we trade, barter, exchange stories, laughs, experiences. If I evaluate the tangible and the intangible things I’ve received or left behind, the intangibles are worth infinitely more than the tangibles.
So I think I finally truly understand what was meant by the quote: be the change you want to see in the world. Let yourself be changed. Absorb the beauty of every culture, story, song, smile, moment. Change with each passing experience. And then live. Truly live. Live ethically, live passionately, live based on what you’ve learned, live the example of what you believe, live well, live live live. And you will change people passively with your kind words, passion, view points, conversation, lyrics, and melody. You will influence the change you believe in. That is the only true way to realize social change.
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