"Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth." ~ V
I want to do a shout-out to my Twitter-crush and friend, Dan.
Earlier I had posted a tweet highlighting an upcoming new book by activist Barbara Ehrenreich. The book is called Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. and in it, Ehrenreich criticizes the notion that we've become a society taught to believe that when things don't work out for us, well, its our own fault because we weren't thinking "positively".
As a social worker with some professional schooling already behind her, I'm familiar with concepts of deservedness...particularly when framed with plights of the working poor in modern day society. One of the first graduate level classes I had to take in the social work program was devoted to the evolution of social policy. I learned all about the ways certain "-isms" were downplayed throughout history by notions that certain people (of particular race, creed, gender, class, etc) are just "defective" in some sense or another and therefore, can't manage to find ways to succeed and live their very best life. This is also called "blaming the victim".
Ehrenreich's earlier book, "Nickle and Dimed" was required reading for one of my other classes. I pointed this out to TwitterDan who immediately fell further into a frenzy of frustration as he in no uncertain terms laid out his opinions about Ms. Ehrenreich and her theories. Something about...."Ehrenreich not deserving to tie the laces of Beauvoir shoes." Oh that TwitterDan! How I love the way he has with words!
My point....and I have one...is throughout this....*discussion*, Dan made an excellent suggestion. He wondered if The Road to Serfdom was ever required reading in any of these classes. Sadly, thus far, this piece by Friedrich Hayek has NOT been. I was, however, lucky enough to have an anthropology professor several years ago who assigned excerpted readings from Hayek's writing. And lucky for you, dear reader, there happens to be a PDF version of this enlightening piece which you can access here.
I've been re-reading it tonight. And when I came across this quote, I just knew I had to share it....
Society’s course will be changed only by a change in ideas. First you must reach the intellectuals, the teachers and writers, with reasoned argument. It will be their influence on society which will prevail, and the politicians will follow.
Why am I sharing this right now? Because....in our overly bureaucraticized way of living in the world today, its easy to become lost and frustrated and to be made felt as just another cog in a machine. Each of us, regardless of our politics, knows inherently that something is awry and will continue to spiral downward unless a change is made. At the same time, because of this bureacrazy (intentional typo) we feel like we have so very little power to affect change or we are so confused by the myriad of "rules" and "rulers" that we know nothing about where to begin.
Begin here.
Write about it. Get online and express your frustrations with the status quo and SHARE a desire to do something about it. Hayek's words inspired me today...it doesn't matter if you're a student, a writer, a teacher, a nurse, a social worker, a cab driver, a nun, a doctor, a shoe salesman...or whatever---if you're reading this, you have access to the internet and therefore can access information and INFLUENCE IDEAS. I don't care if you do it on Twitter, a blog, a forum...just get involved on some level and start somewhere. Use the internet for something more besides a porn reverie, for crap's sake! Let it be a building board. Find like-minded people who share interest in your cause and don't stop there. Go beyond the internet...schedule meet-ups...spread your message....get into the public eye too.
Find and create a new future you can live with.
I'm tired of feeling like my hands are tied. Maybe I'm just a little overzealous at the moment...and god knows I've got a bit of the cabin fever going on lately, but I'll be damned if I'm going to be quiet forever about what matters most to me.
So uh....when you find my name on some ballot at some point down the road...you'll vote for me, won't you? Heh.
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