Be the Change You Want to See in the World
Gandhi is often credited as having said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”; a quote that’s circulated via social media, is seen on memes, t-shirts, and other apparel throughout the world. People share it, suggesting that they know what it means to take action to effect positive change in the world. Unfortunately, what some fail to see, is that taking positive action, means to do so through the very means, by which they wish to see the world become as a result of their actions; through love and compassion.
Gandhi is credited with this quote for a variety of reasons, one being that he seems to have either said or written similar things with this theme in mind, in reference to his activism revolving around ‘non-violent resistance’; resisting oppression and injustice through compassion and love, versus through violent means. Which, I suppose is probably why he is so often given credit for this quote.
There are multiple sources that do not attribute this quote to Gandhi, but give credit to other authors, who have said similar things throughout their work, over a period of several centuries. One such author is, Arleen Lorrance, author of, “The Love Project”; who wrote, “For seven years I served my sentence and marked off institutional time; I complained, cried, accepted hopelessness, put down the rest of the faculty for all the things they didn’t do, and devoted all my energies to trying to change others and the system. It came in on me loud and clear that I was the only one who could imprison (or release) me, that I was the only one I could do anything about changing. So, I let go of my anger and negativism and made a decision to simply be totally loving, open and vulnerable all the time. One way to start a preventative program is to be the change you want to see happen. That is the essence and substance of the simple and successful endeavor known as THE LOVE PROJECT”.
In 1913 Mohandas Gandhi published an article, including a passage that matched the same theme; “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do”.
Whether it was Gandhi or Arleen Lorrance, or someone else who said it, the theme of such an idea, of “being the change you want to see in the world”, is one in the same. Like with Gandhi; not only was he suggesting that we speak up and take action when something was unjust or unfair within the world around us, but was suggesting that we do so from a non-violent perspective and through non-violent means. He was endorsing non-violent resistance. And, it seems, he was also endorsing creative thinking and doing things from a different perspective than most do during times of conflict or civil unrest.
What we need to know to understand this kind of activism, is that violence isn’t always manifested in physical forms; on the contrary, violence can be physical, but it can also be psychological, emotional, spiritual, and so on. Violence begets violence. Hate begets hate. And, interacting with others through these means, not only increases the conflict between us but creates a divide. Or, it exacerbates the existing division. If we truly wanted to be the change, we would be looking at how we respond to this violence, hate and division, and start inventing creative solutions to the problems at hand. I’m not saying don’t resist, I’m saying don’t do so from a place of violence, and don’t do so at others expense. And, in the same way, if you don’t resist; if you comply, whether you do so for self-preservation or because it’s in your nature to do so, do so from a place of compassion and understanding, as well.
In his case, not only was Gandhi suggesting that we resist oppression and injustice without violence but was also suggesting that we do so with and through compassion. To respond differently than most people react when met with injustice and conflict. Instead of reacting with hatred and anger, or through violent acts, to think outside the box, and change our response. To find ways of speaking up, fighting for rights and for people, without increasing the conflict or furthering the divide. Finding ways of uniting people for a greater cause than that which was separating them, in the first place. And, doing so through non-violent, peaceful and compassionate means. Like the restaurants that I’ve seen this week; after the vaccine passports were instituted here, in Ontario.
Restaurants who are taking a stand, both to protect their staff, and to show respect to and for all of the loyal customers who have supported them throughout the pandemic. Customers; many of who aren’t willing, vaccinated or not, to have their privacy and autonomy violated just for the purpose of a sit-down dinner, indoors. These restaurants, instead of ignoring and refusing to comply with the restrictions, have decided to shut down their dining rooms until the vaxx passports are no longer required. Opening instead, their patios and take away services. Creative thinking that will not only make a very important statement, but do so from a place of peace, love and compassion. Non-violent but not passive resistance, while still complying with restrictions that make sense; restrictions that keep their customers, their staff and themselves safe and well. And, customers are supporting and compensating some of these restaurants and their staff in a way that they would be compensated were their indoor dining open; like tipping like they were served indoors, or loaning or donating supplies that help them keep their outdoor dining open longer; heaters, blankets, umbrellas, etc.
Regardless of their vaccination status, or their stance on the vaccine passports, they are finding creative ways of meeting each other in the middle. Ways of bridging divides; safely, respectfully and legally. Instead of arguing and fighting. Instead of discriminating against others based on vaccination status. Or, from another perspective, instead of total non-compliance that creates further problems. Instead of creating chasms between us.
Instead of creating chasms between us, we need to start bridging divides, like these restaurant owners are doing. Opening the gate on the fence so, that each person, on each side of it, can safely integrate and unite, again. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you’re on, what matters is your behaviour on that side. Hate spreads more quickly than the virus, itself. If we want to heal, we need to spread love around, instead. We don’t have to agree to love one another. We can find creative ways of bridging divides like those these restaurant owners have so creatively invented. This doesn’t have to be ‘us or them’. We can still make a statement. We can still create change. But in order to do that, we need to BE that change. And we need to do so through non-violence, love and compassion.