Unless you’re just a person who’s naturally inclined to be sympathetic, how many people actually care that there are issues out there that need to be taken care of?
How many of your average Joe’s on the street would do something different if they knew that them doing something different would help other people, help stop an injustice, help the environment, help… anything?
Americans are just too complacent.
We need something to shake us up, wake us up, grab our attention and not let go until we’re wide awake and ready to hit the ground running, something to snap us out of our pleasant daydreams about how great everything is, crush the illusion that “I personally don’t need to care because somebody out there is caring”, something to really and truly make a big splash.
Unfortunately, I’m a bit low on ideas right now.
The people who blog here are blogging for progress. We blog here because we care.
But how, how, to reach those who don’t?
The past few days I’ve been attempting to spread awareness about http://www.one.org at my school. It’s very slow going. I tell a few people—starting with my friends—they nod, maybe say “Oh, yeah, that’s cool”, and then… nothing.
How do we get people to care? What can I, average seventeen year old high school senior with no amazing rhetorical ability, handy connections or brilliant campaigning ideas do to get my classmates off their lazy butts and at least AWARE that the issues exist?
I would like to get a speaker of some kind to come and give a presentation, at a school assembly, but I don’t even the faintest idea how to go about that. I have an idea of who I might talk to at my school, at least, but I don’t know what kind of speaker to look for, how to persuade my administration it would be a good thing, how to work out details and logistics, and I can’t even find a friend to help me out; there are a few who care, in a distant, well-that’s-nice kind of way, but not a partner to get the movement started—which would be a big help.
Suggestions? Comments? What do you people do?
I’m tired of not having anything within my power to do here, or really know how to begin. It’s very frustrating to want to make a difference and have no apparent options or power.
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Be creative. Find ways to relate the information to them personally or to your community. Take your friends to the local soup kitchen and let them talk to some of the people that otherwise would not have a meal. Look for a community member suffering from AIDS that is willing to come and talk to your school... or even someone from one of the AIDS organizations (if you send a letter of inquiry, those organizations would probably be able to point you in the right direction).
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Unless they see it for themselves, they'll likely never get off of their butts... and even then, not everyone will anyway. But, you can impact at least some of them.
"We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us." -Marcel Proust
The easiest way to get people to care is to make them think about being in those peoples shoes. For example they all know about the devestations of Katrina, you have to let them know how easily something like Katrina could happen to them. Ask them if they would want the government and people to respond better if they were in that situation or if they would have been fine being left in the dust. They will probably say the government should have done more. You start with small things like that. Then you start talking to people about whether they would want to live in poverty and the chances that they would be born into extreme poverty are high so once you show them what its like to be in those shoes many people will start caring. Tell everyone the golden rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. It is the basis of my morals actually. I hope this helps!
do the easy quick stuff in life also that can hrlp like recycling
JZ
I'm glad to hear that at such a young age, you've already opened your eyes to the inequalities that exist in this world, and realised that as one of the privileged, you are in a position to effect change.
The first step as I see it is to go to your local university. Now, granted I've only attended universities in Canada & the UK -- so I can't speak for American ones -- but I can only assume that as in most places, a campus will be the ground zero if you will for activism. Find a society directory (almost certainly available on the school's website) -- there are bound to be plenty of organisations that could provide excellent starting points. I imagine representatives from these groups would be more than willing to visit your school for a talk.
Getting people to care is perhaps the single greatest challenge activists face. But it can be done. Creating awareness is always the first step. Here are some suggestions on ways to do so:
Movie screenings. This is by far your greatest resource. People will watch a movie over read something that they're sceptical about every time. A plethora of excellent documentaries have been produced in the past couple of years & the number available is growing quickly.
Films can be found on topics ranging from sweatshop labour (see Amnesty International -- an excellent resource) to Wal-Mart (see "The Corporation," fantastic Canadian film), to the dangers of modern agricultural practices (see The Future of Food, wonderful doc) to of course American foreign policy (two films I HIGHLY recommend are 'The Power of Nightmares', & 'Why We Fight,' both produced under the auspices of the BBC [& the latter, the CBC, to a lesser extent]). SEE THESE TWO FILMS, I implore you. Check google video. This is just scratching the surface -- seek & ye shall find almost anything you like. Some of these films will be better than others (I really can't stress enough how fantastic the BBC ones are), they are not impervious to criticism by any means.
After the film, hold a forum for discussion; open up the floor to anyone's comments. Giving out free food will entice more people to come and by inference create more awareness. Encourage people to be critical as well as positive about the films.
Check out ethicalconsumer.org. Explain to your friends that virtually every article of clothing they are currently wearing was likely produced in a horribly unjust environment. Encourage people to boycott commodities produced under such conditions -- not only is this ethical, it also benefits American industry. Again, there are films available on this, as well as a world of literature.
Encourage your school cafeteria to alter its unethical practices: serving Fair Trade coffee and abolishing sales of Coca-Cola are two important ones. Companies like Starbucks & Coke routinely engage in monstrous human rights violations that are well documented.
Ask your teacher if she might incorporate activist issues in some way into the course curriculum.
Sponsor a child -- personally or as family, class, etc. It costs pennies -- for me something like $35 a month.
Participate in those programs that send clothes & packages to developing countries. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter.
Keep reading. Literature is exploding right now. Go buy 'The End of Poverty' by Harvard economist Jeffrey Sachs; "Race Against Time" by Stephen Lewis; and countless others. Tell your friends about the ideas contained therein; loan them your books & your ideas. Don't be discouraged by people that brush you off. Countless people will shrug & say they don't give a shit -- that's something you must be prepared & willing to accept. But there are like-minded individuals out there. Find them. Make a difference.
NT
Wow! This is, for me, a whole host of replies--I appreciate them all! Particularly your detailed suggestions, tokencanadian, thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction.
It'll take a bit, but when I start getting some success-or hey, even if I fail-I'll post again and let you know how it all turned out.
Thanks so much for the support!
--
~I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.~
I dont think that motavational speakers help. Motivation has to come from within. Sure it can get people all riled up for awhile, but its not true passion and it dies just as quickly as it comes. For instance I have a boyfriend who went to college for awhile and then quit because he doesnt know what he wants to do with his life. Now he is at a dead end job two years later still wondering the same thing. I am majoring in journalism and communications, I am a state finalist in persuasive and informative speaking and I cant get him to get a life! When we talk and I come up with ideas, he gets excited, but then never really follows through. Why? because its my excitement rubbing off on him , not really him being excited. You have to find out what each person is interested in indivdually and get them to lend a hand in that area. IE my boyfriend is really into phorography, so now instead of focusing on how I can convince him to go back to school in any way I can, Im only focusing on photography. It helps a lot becuase its an incentive for him.
Francesca Chambers
I agree with jznavy's suggestion about starting small. I know that in my town, people collect soda cans and take them to the animal shelter where they then use the money to buy things like food, cat litter, etc. Start asking around for small projects. Another idea (and I know it's a ways off yet) would be to start talking to people about getting something lined up for Earth Day, some type of clean up, or the like. Continue with trying to get things organized like tree plantings on Arbor Day.
I understand your struggle. I am a former AmeriCorps member and part of my job was to find volunteers for different projects. The biggest turn out (and sometimes impact) was when events were one time projects. Sometimes you can spark enough of an interest in a few people to keep the spirit of progressiveness going.
Just remember, start asking around and keep going! Good luck!
This is the time to both engage and study.
Find a way to engage those around you in this coversation with your peers. Even if it's a small circle for change at your school. See if you can't come up with something to do over the holiday season. Create trust and an easy win among that group. What you do should be promoted so others should feel invited to get involved but not acosted. Once you have success under your belt, you will have that to start bringing the next group into the next project. When deciding what kind of project to pursue, come with a few ideas and examples, but leave it open for a vote so everyone can have ownership. Also get as many professors/teachers invovled, aware, and promoting yoru group.
Meanwhile, subscribe to the most high level information to keep your brain informed. Heiffer international has a great newsletter, there are several great philantrhopic organizations trying to erradicate poverty and make social change on a global scale. Begin getting familiar with the ideas that are being explored in the world. Once you are in a university system, you will have so much more access to information and resources, but be proactive of staying on top of what is happening. keep your reading list fresh. Always dig deeper and keep asking questions.
Good luck and stay passionate!
Good for you for wanting to make a difference....I have found it is hard to get others to help or care too. I would say- just go for it. Take it on yourself and hope that others will join it. I am in the process of getting people to help me prepare holiday goody packages for our troops- keep on keeping on!!
Peace n Bike Grease~Sara
Please forward your name along with region you are in (State, City, etc.) We can help connect you with a Regional Field Organizer with ONE who can help get you started with outreach at your school. Contact Joan at onecampaignfla@aol.com
Take care,