What's It Going To Take To Change The World

This is something i have thought about a long time, as we grow up i believe most people feel a need for change, unhappy with the imbalance in the world, imagining the possibility's of what it would be like to work together, i feel we could achieve great things.

So whats it gonna take to change the world?

A revolution, alien disclosure, another world war, or maybe at some point the masses will feel so deceived and lied to by the people who control the world, that they will rise up?

While looking into this i found a good site which i think lists alot of important issues that would change the world massively for the better.

Equality

Democracy

Justice

Peace

Feminism

Freedom

Anti-Fascism

Altruism

Their conclusion on how we can make a change is this, but i dont think its enough, if this worked the world would be a much better place already, and its not, if anything its getting worse.

SPREAD THE MESSAGE

If the message of change is spread across the whole of society, and reaches those in power, we can have a real influence on decision-making. Lobbying groups already have a significant influence on politicians, and we should follow their lead and lobby for our more selfless cause. By spreading the message we can not only influence the powerful, but also hold them to account in the eyes of the public. Our pressure can change things.

Thats why ATS appeals to me, not only it is a great collective of people and information, but also a feeling of what if we could change the world for the better, through the great work people do on ATS.

I feel that the more people that read this stuff the more open their minds will be to all this, which is a good start for "real" change.

Here's the link that goes into more detail about the above.

Link



[edit on 29-7-2008 by Denied]

reply to post by Denied


I like this thread, people should discuss how to improve the world more, thanks. I think we can get everything started through love, so let's be loving and peaceful. I'll leave a link to some good advice. Quotes from Ghandi..

Ghandi Quotes

A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.

Increase LOVE, personally, and then towards all other forms of life. Best Wishes.

If everyone had this attitude we wouldn't have a problem. But unfortunately, due to the law of physics.
Newtons 3rd law: For each reaction, there must be a opposite and equal reaction.
Thus, for all Good that exists, there will be that much Evil existing.
I remember a poem I read and did an analysis back a year ago.It might create a picture for what I am talking about if you read it correctly

The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas
by Ursula K LeGuin - from The Wind's Twelve Quarters
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas

by Ursula K LeGuin - from The Wind's Twelve Quarters

With a clamor of bells that set the swallows soaring, the Festival of
Summer came to the city Omelas, bright-towered by the sea. The ringing
of the boats in harbor sparkled with flags. In the streets between
houses with red roofs and painted walls, between old moss-grown
gardens and under avenues of trees, past great parks and public
buildings, processions

moved. Some were decorous: old people in long stiff robes of mauve and
gray, grave master workmen, quiet, merry women carrying their babies
and chatting as they walked. In other streets the music beat faster, a
shimmering of gong and tambourine, and the people went dancing, the
procession was a dance. Children dodged in and out, their high calls
rising like the swallows' crossing flights over the music and the
singing. All the processions wound towards the north side of the city,
where on the great water-meadow called the Green Fields boys and
girls, naked in the bright air, with mud-stained feet and ankles and
long, lithe arms,exercised their restive horses before the race. The
horses wore no gear at all but a halter without bit. Their manes were
braided with streamers of silver, gold, and green. They flared their
nostrils and pranced and boasted to one another; they were vastly
excited, the horse being the only animal who has adopted our
ceremonies as his own. Far off to the north and west the mountains
stood up half encircling Omelas on her bay. The air of morning was so
clear that the snow still crowning the Eighteen Peaks burned
withwhite-gold fire across the miles of sunlit air, under the dark
blue of the sky. There was just enough wind to make the banners that
marked the racecourse snap and flutter now and then. In the silence of
the broad green meadows one could hear the music winding throughout the
city streets, farther and nearer and ever approaching, a cheerful
faint sweetness of the air from time to time trembled and gathered
together and broke out into the great joyous clanging of the bells.

Joyous! How is one to tell about joy? How describe the citizens of
Omelas?

They were not simple folk, you see, though they were happy. But we do
not say the words of cheer much any more. All smiles have become
archaic. Given a description such as this one tends to make certain
assumptions. Given a description such as this one tends to look next
for the King, mounted on a splendid stallion and surrounded by his
noble knights, or perhaps in a golden litter borne by great-muscled
slaves. But there was no king. They did not use swords, or keep
slaves. They were not barbarians, I do not know the rules and laws of
their society, but I suspect that they were singularly few. As they
did without monarchy and slavery, so they also got on without the
stock exchange, the advertisement, the secret police, and the
bomb. Yet I repeat that these were not simple folk, not dulcet
shepherds, noble savages, bland utopians. There were not less complex
than us.

The trouble is that we have a bad habit, encouraged by pedants and
sophisticates, of considering happiness as something rather
stupid. Only pain is intellectual, only evil interesting. This is the
treason of the artist: a refusal to admit the banality of evil and the
terrible boredom of pain. If you can't lick 'em, join 'em. If it
hurts, repeat it. But to praise despair is to condemn delight, to
embrace violence is to lose hold of everything else. We have almost
lost hold; we can no longer describe happy man, nor make any
celebration of joy. How can I tell you about the people of Omelas?
They were not naive and happy children--though their children were, in
fact, happy. They were mature, intelligent, passionate adults whose
lives were not wretched. O miracle! But I wish I could describe it
better. I wish I could convince you. Omelas sounds in my words like a
city in a fairy tale, long ago and far away, once upon a time. Perhaps
it would be best if you imagined it as your own fancy bids, assuming
it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all. For
instance, how about technology? I think that there would be no cars or
helicopters in and above the streets; this follows from the fact that
the people of Omelas are happy people. Happiness is based on a just
discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor
destructive, and what is destructive. In the middle category,
however--that of the unnecessary but undestructive, that of
comfort, luxury, exuberance, etc.--they could perfectly well have
central heating, subway trains, washing machines, and all kinds of
marvelous devices not yet invented here, floating light-sources,
fuelless power, a cure for the common cold. Or they could have none of
that: it doesn't matter. As you like it. I incline to think that
people from towns up and down the coast have been coming to to Omelas
during the last days before the Festival on very fast little trains
and double-decked trams, and that the trains station of Omelas is
actually the handsomest building in town, though plainer than the
magnificent Farmers' Market. But even granted trains, I fear that
Omelas so far strikes some of you as goody-goody. Smiles, bells,
parades, horses, bleh. If so, please add an orgy. If an orgy would
help, don't hesitate. Let us not, however, have temples from which
issue beautiful nude priests and priestesses already half in ecstasy
and ready to copulate with any man or woman, lover or stranger, who
desires union with the deep godhead of the blood, although that was my
first idea. But really it would be better not to have any temples in
Omelas--at least, not manned temples. Religion yes, clergy no. Surely
the beautiful nudes can just wander about, offering themselves like
divine souffles to the hunger of the needy and the rapture of the
flesh. Let them join the processions. Let tambourines be struck above
the copulations, and the gory of desire be proclaimed
upon the gongs, and (a not unimportant point) let the offspring of
these delightful rituals be beloved and looked after by all. One thing
I know there is none of in Omelas is guilt. But what else should there
be? I thought at first there were no drugs, but that is
puritanical. For those who like it, the faint insistent sweetness of
drooz may perfume the ways of the city, drooz which first brings a
great lightness and brilliance to the mind and limbs, and then after
some hours a dreamy languor, and wonderful visions at last of the very
arcane and inmost secrets of the Universe, as well as exciting the
pleasure of sex beyond all belief; and it is not habit-forming. For
more modest tastes I think there ought to be beer. What else, what
else belongs in the joyous city? The sense of victory, surely, the
celebration of courage. But as we did without clergy, let us do
without soldiers. The joy built upon successful slaughter is not the
right kind of joy; it will not do; it is fearful and it is trivial. A
boundless and generous contentmen

It contiunes... here...harelbarzilai.org...

Originally posted by TrueLight


Ghandi Quotes

Yes a great man, im surprised they didnt show this one that i liked from him.

"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind"

We all know that most humans have lost their way in life,and want more and more for nothing, Gee most of us don't even know how to bake a cake or make a fire with out a match.

Every thing is so fast today We rush around from place to place with our heads down and bum's up with out a thought for our fellow man.

I don't know what will make us wake up and go back to the better ways of life we once understood but i sure hope it happens .

I think the world IS changing...slowly

Political views over the past few hundred years have started a gradual shift from conservativism (more rules=better life) to liberalism (less rules=better life).

This shift in political philosophy is allowing people to slowly take back control over their lives. It lets them live by their own rules more and more. Basically, slowly but surely, people are trying to regain their rights from the governments by which they are ruled.

So, from my point of view, all one must do in order to ensure this progress continues is to vote liberally in such a way that weakens government control over rights.

I think it's going to take experience to change the world. What I mean by that is we are changing now and it will be years before we reach enlightenment or whatever you want to call it. I think we are young and in a learning stage and it just has to be that way for us to gain the knowledge to be free from all the bad that's happening right now. We have to go through these stages or else we would never learn our lessons in life. Just like your child, you have to let them go and let them make their own mistakes and learn along the way.

Of course, getting off fossil fuels and better technology will change our world for the better. This is just my opinion's

Originally posted by Solarskye
Just like your child, you have to let them go and let them make their own mistakes and learn along the way.

Its interesting using that terminology, if you think of the world as a child, and you as the parent what would you do, i would think its time the child grew up a little and stopped all this, and to learn a better way.

I agree its a learning process, but we are able here to put forward some great idea's to make the world a better place, its just a thread, minuscule in the whole context of things.

But if its not that hard for us to see and know the problems around us, why is it so hard for the people who could make real change address this, when i say real change, i mean we could end poverty for example, if we fought poverty as hard as we do fight wars we could do it.

i think its the system we live in, some sort of revolution would be needed, a revolution for humanity!

Democracy won't do it.
Legislation won't do it.
Peace marches won't do it.
Libertarianism won't do it.
Religion won't do it.
The New Age won't do it.
Think tanks won't do it.
Meet-up groups won't do it.

Seeing through the fiction-prison that passes for our reality is what will do it.
Power is corruption - and it is we who feed it.
The powerful are charged by the electricity of our delusion.
No delusion - no power - no corruption.

Begin today.

Originally posted by Denied


So whats it gonna take to change the world?

A revolution, alien disclosure, another world war, or maybe at some point the masses will feel so deceived and lied to by the people who control the world, that they will rise up?

Lasting change can only be brought about by the people that desire it. Meaning, No one can change the world for someone else. Only the French could have spawned the French Revolution as only the Americans could have birthed the American revolution. If these great events had been presented to them on a silver platter they would have turned away in disgust or disbelief.

People cannot end poverty for other people. Trillions in aid have gone to impoverished nations and they are still impoverished. People can only end poverty for themselves, by overcoming their fear and deposing despots, by overcoming the base desire for free government money, by bettering themselves and improving their life. People can only end their own poverty. You can lead a horse to water...

Basically, we cannot change the world; we can only change ourselves. But if everyone changes themselves, the world will change.

SPREAD THE MESSAGE

If the message of change is spread across the whole of society, and reaches those in power, we can have a real influence on decision-making. Lobbying groups already have a significant influence on politicians, and we should follow their lead and lobby for our more selfless cause. By spreading the message we can not only influence the powerful, but also hold them to account in the eyes of the public. Our pressure can change things.

As for lobbying, ha yes many people want change, but lobbyists have the operating budgets of small countries to get their change pushed through. So lobbying is not going to be the most effective means of implementing your ideas. Also, most people are not interested in spending their free time on something selfless. My suggestion is to operate within the system until you are powerful enough to operate without it.

I don't think we will change unless our brains change. Not that they will, but if we remain human, we will 'remain human', meaning, killing, war, violence, love, ignorance, happiness, birth, death, etc, etc. I think its impossible to have complete peace and such, or a massive change in the way we live; (it would be weird also) but mainly because we are not all equal, there's no way everybody is going to understand everybody, as we have brains of such varying capacities. And while most of us are nice, we are nicest to ourselves first. Also one of the greatest longings for men is to be better, more powerful than others, (to differentiate oneself) this already creates many conflict. Also, not everybody would be satisfied being equal to everyone else, which i think would be necessary for utopia, as the differences between us are also the cause of many conflicts. So mainly these reason and others is why I think its impossible for humans to operate in some other idealist way, its just not possible i think; at least not for the kind of humans i know of. Which is why we would have to all think differently brain/capacity understanding-wise. Off course there could be better times than others, and what not, i think those things fluctuate; maybe the next ten years are great for China etc, and horrible for America for example. Just the idea of world peace, and a utopian world seem like we would have to give up "free will" for that. Because we would have to restrains ourselves, our humanness so much for that to work. Which of course would lead to more problems. Though i don't want to sound to pessimistic, many people have done great stuff, like MLK or Ghandi, but many people have also done horrible stuff like, Hitler or Bush (lol). That's just the nature of the beast. Or so it seems to me right now.

[edit on 30-7-2008 by luis9343]

Hmmm all interesting comments.

Posted by sc2099

As for lobbying, ha yes many people want change, but lobbyists have the operating budgets of small countries to get their change pushed through. So lobbying is not going to be the most effective means of implementing your ideas. Also, most people are not interested in spending their free time on something selfless. My suggestion is to operate within the system until you are powerful enough to operate without it.

I just dont think its enough, all would-be politicians go in with an attitude to wanting to make the world a better place, but once inside the system there is no real way to operate to really help the world, like you say, it wouldn't be international, but done nationally through lobbying to make change in that area, same situation as now, same problems, same old cycle.

Do you believe we could beat poverty?

Making sure every mouth in the world got fed and got clean water, i think its very possible, why is it not done?

Because the people in perceived control can only take care of "their own", or make great claims for real change but nothing will really change, im not even gonna get into how corrupt the whole system is anyway, sure there are plenty of people, charity's etc that do a brilliant job helping, not only the people around them but also on an international scale, it is a great help but cannot not cure the problem.

Posted by luis9343
I don't think we will change unless our brains change. Not that they will, but if we remain human, we will 'remain human', meaning, killing, war, violence, love, ignorance, happiness, birth, death, etc, etc. I think its impossible to have complete peace and such, or a massive change in the way we live.

Exactly, thats what i mean, there would have to be a massive change in the way we think and live our lives, i think being human is a growing process, while our driven instincts are what you describe above, i think we are able to learn new ways to react and behave, almost like an antagonistic teenager that eventually grows up and learns how to treat people properly, now i realize that wouldn't apply to everyone, i've met plenty of adults that act childish, mean, have no compassion, are selfish, ignorant, destructive etc etc, but i hope at least one day as a human race we will wake up and do whats right for a change, it may never be a utopia, i dont think i need to list the worlds problems but the majority could be overcome.


[edit on 31-7-2008 by Denied]

Hmmmm.........

Well, one thing is for sure, it won't happen without a cleansing. The earth has almost 7 billion people on it and out of that 7 billion, probably only 3 billion of them are worthy of being here. I hate to say it, but that is how I view our current situation.

Now, with that little bit being said, I have to say that happiness, to an extent, is a matter of choice. Our biggest problem is that we all want everything and don't want to make the effort to get it. We expect things to come to us. We want a family, career, house, car... et cetera. However, the days of making things happen for ourself seems to have come to a close.

We sit back, bitch and groan about how terrible our life is, yet, how much do we do to change it?

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth

We sit back, bitch and groan about how terrible our life is, yet, how much do we do to change it?

I starred you for the comment about only 3 billion worthy

Im happy with my life, if i want something i go get it, im talking about are responsibility to others, and if more people felt that way i think more could be done, i realize what we say here is all words and no action, but if everyone did a little something to help this world each day imagine what kind of place it would be, even if i was taxed X amount just to pay for all the food and water i would, i think no one takes a responsibility as a whole, happy just to continue as they are.

No one single person or group can stand up and fight for whats right for humanity, it would have to be in the millions, over riding borders and culture, i think only then would it be addressed.

[edit on 31-7-2008 by Denied]

Originally posted by Denied
Do you believe we could beat poverty?

Making sure every mouth in the world got fed and got clean water, i think its very possible, why is it not done?

Because the people in perceived control can only take care of "their own", or make great claims for real change but nothing will really change, im not even gonna get into how corrupt the whole system is anyway, sure there are plenty of people, charity's etc that do a brilliant job helping, not only the people around them but also on an international scale, it is a great help but cannot not cure the problem.

Sadly I personally feel it's even more detrimental than simple taking care of their own. I actually think the powerful organisations engineer puppet governments into place so they can kill off poor people, while ripping off their natural resources. I believe AIDS was engineered and injected into 100 million Africans with the express purpose of decimating the population. My opinions. The big players (no need for names) want these people dead. So send them love. All of them.

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Now, with that little bit being said, I have to say that happiness, to an extent, is a matter of choice. Our biggest problem is that we all want everything and don't want to make the effort to get it. We expect things to come to us. We want a family, career, house, car... et cetera. However, the days of making things happen for ourself seems to have come to a close.

We sit back, bitch and groan about how terrible our life is, yet, how much do we do to change it?

That is the problem isn't it. People need to wake up out of their hypnotic media induced trances, get up and go and help someone. It doesn't matter how small the action is, even if it is taking half a loaf of bread to the duck pond, or dropping £1/$1 into the hat of a homeless person. It is important to make a start. Because to that lifeform, you have made a difference. All life is connected. To that lifeform you have made a difference....

And by dint of our connection you have improved your own life also. Small steps at first. The more you give the more you receive.

WHATEVER energy you give (money/food or love) you get back multiple times.

Not directed at you personally speaker I'm sure you are a top-notch person, just making some comments that your post made me think of.

Best Wishes.

Originally posted by Denied
even if i was taxed X amount just to pay for all the food and water i would, i think no one takes a responsibility as a whole, happy just to continue as they are.

No one single person or group can stand up and fight for whats right for humanity, it would have to be in the millions, over riding borders and culture, i think only then would it be addressed.

[edit on 31-7-2008 by Denied]

Honestly, if we were to quit spending money on pork barrel bills and use that money to build homeless shelters and such, there would be no reason to raise taxes. There are billions and billions of tax payer dollars that go towards garbage rather than helping people.

Originally posted by TrueLight

That is the problem isn't it. People need to wake up out of their hypnotic media induced trances, get up and go and help someone. It doesn't matter how small the action is, even if it is taking half a loaf of bread to the duck pond, or dropping £1/$1 into the hat of a homeless person. It is important to make a start. Because to that lifeform, you have made a difference. All life is connected. To that lifeform you have made a difference....

And by dint of our connection you have improved your own life also. Small steps at first. The more you give the more you receive.

WHATEVER energy you give (money/food or love) you get back multiple times.

Not directed at you personally speaker I'm sure you are a top-notch person, just making some comments that your post made me think of.

Best Wishes.

Truelight, you told the truth there. It starts with ourself. I suppose that is my point.

Originally posted by Denied
even if i was taxed X amount just to pay for all the food and water i would,

[edit on 31-7-2008 by Denied]

You don't seem to understand. You are taxed x amount every day to pay for foreign aid, yet people are still starving. That is my point. People can only help themselves. You can give people all the aid in the world but if they do not do something worthwhile with it, it won't so much as scratch the surface. And that goes for money, food, manpower, any resource available.

Take for example Somalia. Warlords were keeping food aid from reaching the people back in 93, so the US went to war with the warlords. Fastforward 15 years, there are still warlords only they belong to a different group and people are still starving. So what the Somalis have to do is depose these warlords themselves so that another despot will not rise and take the place of those on the way out. If there is no threat from the people, nothing is to stop another dictator from installing himself.

This is why the best we can do is help people do things for themselves and the worst we can do is give them the finished product.