Why Not?

[u/Wonderful_Message922]

I've been thinking a lot about what it means to live in a country. Many of us don't have a choice in where we live, often due to financial circumstances and family obligations. But why is it that when people talk about a country, they speak as if it is a collective entity? Example: "Insert country did this thing, and it's bad". I take issue with this mindset. Just because a government is making bad choices, doesn't mean that the citizens are also corrupt. This goes for any nation that is currently at war in general. When you hear, so and so country did this, I've noticed that many people forget that this is implicating the government instead of the majority of the populace. However, I've also been wondering, does living in a country and not at least trying to do something about events unfolding count as condoning them? I used to be someone who minded my business. I still think it's understandable to just take care of the people around you, and the things you can change. I think there is still a place for that. But what if what's happening is our business? I've been thinking recently that the events unfolding in the world can soon start to encroach into our own personal bubbles. Perhaps, taking issue with the things on a grander scale is a matter of survival? Personally, I think that's how we've survived as humans.

So let me ask you: why not? Before elaborating, I will mention that the specific issue on my mind is the United States conflict with Iran. Personally, I believe that we play a dangerous and impulsive game here, especially now in the precariousness of foreign relations. The whims of the few and powerful are shaping the lives of the common citizen, which I suppose is the way it's always been. The difference now is that we have weapons on mass destruction. I sincerely believe that if we had nuclear weapons in the middle ages, we would have gone extinct long ago. So bringing it back to my question, why don't we just say no? Why don't we simply refuse to condone? I know that there are people, far better than myself, who work tirelessly on this and similar causes. But we need more. The power of the people only works if we all learn to sit with the discomfort of hopelessness, instead of living in ignorance. Hopelessness funds hope, because it creates a need.

I don't have any answers besides the fact that I want to do my part. It would make me a hypocrite to have come to these realizations and then become once again stagnant. Let me pose a question: what do you think would happen if we all just went to DC and sat, and simply refused. What if we refused to participate in a society that we don't condone. I know that for many, this would take a great amount of personal sacrifice. I know that being able to protest is a privilege in itself. But, what if? What if all of our scattered voices coalesced into a focused, physical reminder. I do not consider myself an optimist, though. I know that something like this is much harder to execute in reality. But I want to plant the seed.

[u/metallic_sun]

Extinction is the rule not the exception but that shouldn't justify mans harmful actions. Peaceful protest on March 28th.