Walking Away From The Status Quo

A website I visit once in awhile had a viewer write in, sharing another experience of yet another American Corporation screw over their employees while the head honchos receive millions. This particular viewer was mad as hell. Understandable.

The owners of the site asked viewers to write in suggestions as to what could be done. The following is what I sent.
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Hi Kate~

After watching this sort of criminal behavior go on, year after year, I've been thinking the same thing. What can be done?

I've come to the conclusion that this is simply a part of a larger problem: A System built on fear and control. Similar behavior is seen in government, schools, the church. People in charge, dictating policies that are short-sighted, utterly selfish, completely lacking in decency, respect and concern for others. People in charge who are out for their own gain. In short, a System that has completely forgotten the connection we all share, or if they are aware, they simply don't care. A System that also wants us, joe and jane smith, to depend on it, on them, for our survival.

That's where we the people come in. It's time to create a new System. It's time for us to expand our ways of thinking, our ways of living. When it comes to this particular problem, it's time to create new businesses on our own with those who value equality and human worth and dignity. It's time to join together with like-minded folks who are tired of working hard to ensure the wealth of someone else. It's time to look for what is missing in our corners of society, time to determine what is needed for both the survival of our species and our planet, and build businesses around those ideas. I was given some information on Worker Co-Operatives. They're based on some very interesting principles, really based in democracy. I would encourage others to look into this business model.

I once wrote you a couple of years ago about determining, as individuals and as a collective whole, just what it is we want. What kind of a world, a society, a community do we wish to have? What does that look like? These questions are every bit as pertinent today as they were back when I wrote you. We must, we absolutely must address these questions if we truly want something different. We must begin to work on breaking free from our dependence on the System, in this instance the System being corrupt corporations, instead of trying to fix something that is already crumbling...instead of trying to change the mindsets of those dictating how today's corporate culture is run. We don't need to do that. Let them have their millions. If we break free from them and create something anew, on our own, create a way of working and living that is sustainable and independent from them, who will they have left to work for them, to depend on them?

Sometimes, perhaps, the best force for change comes about not by fighting evil, but by assertively resisting the evil, saying "no more", remembering our own power, connecting with others to build something new. Create anew, based on our values, our truth, our way. This change would be messy and scary. It would take a lot of time and energy. But I believe to the depths of who I am that we must build a new System that works for those of us who embrace human worth, dignity, equality and respect. And we can do that, together.

I know my response offers no quick fix solutions. I know it doesn't encourage an attitude of "fight the man". I used to embrace this attitude, but something has been happening to me where I am realizing such fighting is, often, futile. And it also, in a way, violates my own idea of freedom. If people want to run organizations, businesses, etc. on principles of fear and control, have at it. I simply choose not to be a part of that. I choose to focus on what it is I want and need instead and seek out others who want the same or similar things and as such, work to create those very things. And to be honest, I don't hold much faith in the idea that government is going to do what it needs to be doing, what it should have been doing all along and that is protect the workers for corporations such as the one as described by Mr. Morgan, to hold the people running these criminal enterprises accountable. Afterall, the government not only operates under similar principles, it also benefits from such a System.

I know this brings up practical issues such as how do you pay the bills and feed yourself and your family once Corporate America has screwed you over. I don't know. As someone who was let go from the University, my position being replaced by a damn computer, I'm wondering this myself. My spouse has employment, but we're still barely making it. All I can think of is the answer lies in relying on one another. And working to build something anew as I outlined. And hey, if I ran the show, I'd have an unlimited trust fund to hand out to people during such occasions. But I don't so that just remains a pipe dream.

We're all creative individuals. Some are followers, some are leaders. But all are visionaries who have something to contribute to creating new ideas.

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I would also add if we are to create such a society, we need to drop the labels. We need to stop the attacks, left and right. This only divides us, people! We're all in this same boat together. The question I would pose is this: Do you want change? Or do you simply want to engage in labeling and name calling? You can't have both. Not in an authentic way.