What is the lowest rated ‘commodity’ at this very current moment in history?
- human beings?
- the natural environment?
- respect towards ‘the other’?
- mutual support?
How dare I label any of the above as a ‘commodity’?
The answer is:
I do, not because I believe the term is appropriate – it is definitely not.
But because this is the harsh reality we are experiencing.
- Human life has had a price for while in many geographies: relative to the need of national economies to ‘grow’, as well as relative to the investments needed into healthcare systems.
- The natural environment has always been treated as a free for all ‘all you can eat buffet’ or at marginal cost. A cost typically born by people (i.e. human life).
-
Respect towards ‘the other’ has fallen short the moment the ‘me
first’ of survival kicks in. Either that person still has a job,
or I have. Either that person has some toilet paper, or I hoard it.
Respect was one of the first items to go out of the window even before the global healthcare systems creaked under their pandemic load. True respect always has been a rare good to come bye, and precisely its rarity made it so valuable. The manifestations of its absence should maybe not be as shocking. -
Mutual support, particularly within neighbourhoods, has no doubt
flourished over the last few months in the face of adversity. How
many have been moved to tears by the help they received? Thousands?…
Tears of relieve no doubt, as they had been given hope. Because in
the ‘old normal’ there was little chance for support, never mind
‘last minute miracles’.
Yet it is extraordinary times. The presence of mutual support in the current times only underlines its blatant absence in the ‘old normal’.
But as I said in a recent posts: We have a choice. We have a choice to define, to embody, to live, how we want the ‘new normal’ to be.
Because, far from perfectionism, doing, being and actioning is what makes a difference.
This is why, I herewith propose a ‘Pledge of tiny actions’.
Actions of which each and everyone is a small drop in the large ocean of changes that I would like to become reality on scale, in the months and years to come.
In other words: every tiny action is a representative of the ‘new normal everyday’ I envision and hope this global society will embody in the (not so?) far away future.
Being this public though no doubt has a couple of disadvantages: In doing so I accept that I may very well get a lot of stick. Either because each individual action is just a tiny drop in the large bucket. But also because I am not perfect: I will fail invariably. All I can promise is to do my best.
This is my (first!, as at publishing) version of my ‘tiny actions’ pledge:
I pledge that, as from today onwards, I will incorporate the following ‘tiny actions’ into my life, every day, consistently, to the best of my abilities:
- Speaking up:
For diversity and against discrimination; for businesses that genuinely try to make a difference, and against those that are outdated and have no longer a right to exist ‘as is’; for the planet and the climate, and against those that merely want to pursue the ‘old normal’ because it suited them well. - Pursuing the quest to truly understand.
Listening, asking questions, and amicably questioning. The rational of how we do it; why we do it; how we can do it better. - Support, help, champion, but also practice friendly challenges if appropriate:
to those that genuinely try to make a difference for the better in SDG-terms in their geographies, communities, their industry, in their business, their employees. The innovators, the social engineers, the scientists, the designers, the business women and men. - Walk the tiny talk ‘at home’:
pick up the rubbish others discard; recycle all waste possible; travel on ground wherever possible; take public transport not the car; live frugally and reduce consumption where possible; cherish friends, colleagues, family in who they are and where they are. - Recognise the importance of our political systems and engage:
vote, lean on elected representatives to support climate action, SDGs, and future fit businesses; demand decisions be taken for the generations to come, and not for the generations gone.
This is my pledge as of today May 5th 2020 (date of publishing).
What is your pledge?
