Everyday Canvas

Our Choices Can Affect the World

Prompt:
"Every choice we make can be a celebration of the world we want.”
Frances Moore Lappe
Do the choices we make have to comply with the majority to bring about a better future for the world? Or write what you think about the quote.

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No, I don't think our choices have to comply with the majority to be effective. There are many examples of people who have acted alone at the start, even bringing the wrath of others onto themselves; yet, their influence we still celebrate.

Of such people Galileo Galilei comes to mind, who, against all odds that began with the opposition of the Catholic Church, said the sun was at the center rather than the earth. In spite of his persecution at the time, he came up with the basis for modern astronomy and physics. People like him, some close to our time, such as Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Marie Curie, and others mostly started alone, but through hard work and tenacity, they made an impact on the world.

You may think that an individual's simple choice would not even touch an ant, but each choice you make has a ripple effect that extends far beyond what you are doing at the moment. Take wasting resources for example. Yes, things like turning off the lights when they are not necessary or bunching up your car trips to stores into only one trip may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but whatever you do may end up making an impression on a friend who may decide to imitate you, which may also impress others. This is because sometimes a seemingly insignificant action can set off a chain reaction.

Just imagine this chain reaction of our choices impressing a broader group of people. Therefore, the companies we support and the causes we advocate may contribute to the society we're in and then, the world, especially today's interconnected world.

I have to believe that global issues such as unnecessary wars, humanitarian crises, dirtying of the oceans, and other problems can be solved or, at least, minimized, if people acted responsibly as individuals, approaching each choice with mindfulness.

Each one of us has a power we are not aware of. We can influence positive change at least in our communities and possibly far beyond that. Isn't a better, cleaner, and a much more tolerant world something to celebrate about?