Raising sensitive topics, particularly illustrating facts that most people insist on denying, is extremely important. In fact, it doesn’t happen enough. Incidents of prejudice and discrimination should enter conversations everyday, until someone gets so sick of the whole thing they actually do something. Conversation alone isn’t enough. Self-reflecting and discussing sobering realities among friends (who likely share your sentiments) aren’t enough.
Why do we only talk? Why do we stop there? Why do we raise disturbing concepts and leave it at that? Saying there’s nothing we can do. We can’t change the world. All we can do is be conscious of our own actions and thoughts. If that’s how we all feel, then why do we even bother talking? Nothing ever happens unless someone believes change is possible.
Perhaps my frustration is hypocritical. All I’m doing is writing. I’m not changing anything.
2 comments:
Any journey worth taking starts with the first step, Jen, and I'd say that this is a big step. It takes honesty and caring to take a risk as you've done here...that's great modeling and who knows where it will lead.
Because I've seen so many quality people go through MAC, I think of MAC as representing an opportunity to work on some of the more challenging aspects of the kind of community and relationship building that your posting is all about. It's harder with a big group like yours, but change is all about small steps, and those opportunities keep knocking.
My first year with MAC, there was a guy named Richard Mora who taught me (and a lot of others) something about this. This is a link to a piece that he and his then-mentor (Mark VKs' current mentor) did about their relationship. Maybe you'll find it interesting:
http://tinyurl.com/3b4hzh
Jen,
I have also often wondered why all the talk and so little action. Perhaps I'm trying to compensate for frequently not taking action, but I have reconciled this issue in my mind. In this world there are dreamers, idealists, leaders, managers, workers, doers, sponsors, assistants, etc. The more people talk and put ideas out there, the more others will listen and act. The only question which remains is how much "talk" is required before something is set into action?
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