Point to Ponder:
“If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good.” Thomas J Watson
Story Line:
Throughout history significant changes in society have come about because some people saw great disparities, problems or opportunities to take mankind to the next level and did something about it. Advancements have happened in many areas: social (equality, diversity, fairness), religious, art, science, technology, environment and many others, with still more opportunities.
Initially there is a lot of resistance for change in most of such cases and the person or a group of people who identify, speak up and fight for the cause are criticized, labelled, punished, held back by all kinds of different means and in some cases killed. The System and the administrators of it try various excuses and means to stop the change, and the majority of people play it safe and continue to conform to the unjust, outdated and bankrupt systems. This is true for government, religion, education, technology, art, family and corporation as well as any other area where there is an organization.
But the world has continued to change for the better because of The People
Who brought awareness by speaking or standing up
Those who wholeheartedly and unconditionally supported the cause
Those who stayed on course despite great resistance and personal sacrifices and brought about the positive changes.
It is important to understand that some people play a role in few of these three stages and some play role in all. The courage and contributions of each one of these people is admirable. Without them there would not have been progress and we would still be living in stone ages.
Reflection:
Friday Reflections has published stories of such people around the world and will continue to do so. To all the change agents who fought for what they believed in (to name a few): Erin Brokovich, Dr. Bennet Omalu, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Galileo, Deng Sio Ping, Mandela, Gandhi, The Traitorous Eight and all the others who refused to conform to: The System.
To all such individuals in any field and any country, whether widely known or not widely known: Thank You.