If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you’ve probably expressed emotions of anger, sadness or frustration at some of the incidents happening all around the world. I know I have. Human rights abuses, public trust deficits and spectauclar displays of failures in the justice systems all around the world.
As humans, we may all have character flaws, but when we recognize injustices meted out to others, we naturally want to respond, either covertly or ouvertly.
Should you stage a protest? Write an article about it? Secretly post evidence of abuses online and tag security services? The options seems limitless, especially now with the huge digital transofrmation, but what’s the right way to respond?
It’s hard to choose one right way of reacting to social issues. I would very much like to say the way we respond has a lot to do with temperaments and character traits, yes, but it goes far beyond that.
Create a career around it
– A lot of people who are truly passionate about their careers approach their work from a place of convictiction and desire to create real change. We’ve all at one point or the other fought for causes because we either exprienced some related injustices or we know people who have. We took the fight personally and even if we did not solve the problem, just giving it some time and resources helped us feel like we were contributing something.
Some lawyers take on the legal career because they can’t bear to see one more person bear the consequences of the failures of the judicial system.
Others become public servants hoping to finally use public funds for the benefit of society and not to fatten their own pockets.
To each their own. Remember, you may not be able to create a perfect, problem-free society but creating a career in response to injustices is a life time dedicated to helping others. You will never know the magnitude of impact you could create.
Use an approach that gives your emotions an outlet.
– Some of the most classic poems we read today were born out of the pain of the poets. The same applies to art and music. Why do you think that’s so?
Our expressions in moments of pain are unedited, authentic and raw. In this day and age, such emotions are rare.
If you express better through music, sing about all the rights abuses you see everyday and draw attention to it. Take up a canvas and some paint if you’re more inclined to painting. If you’re easily able to pull a crowd and influcence people positively, you might be able to pull off a peaceful march or walk.
Let your temperaments and talents lead you in the way you respond, but of course polish up these skills if you want to gain a bigger audience.
Be a Scaffolder.
I borrowed this term from The Conversation. A scaffolder is the one who might not be in the limelight or at the center of things but they support the activism of others. This role is important as we obviously cannot all be at the center of things.
Practically, engaging in scaffolding can be resharing posts, supplying food or funds, babysitting while others go out to events or calling for prayers on behalf of others.
You may not be in close contact with activists at the center of the activities you are concerned about but you can help from a distance.
Being a supporter is good, but don’t hide behind the scaffold.
I hope you now know, there are many ways to make a difference in society. Don’t let anger and fraustration kill the sensitivity inside you until you become numb to injustices around you.
Get into action. The list above is not exhaustible, you may need to do further research to see what works for you.
Not for perfection, for progress, for humanity, for that one person whose life you might just save.
Reflection: What injustice is affecting me/my people now? How can I respond with my skills?