We in this country hold many beliefs, but we rarely act on any of them. We have a variety of excuses as to why we are not activists: We say we are too busy. We will become activists later. We will wait until we are in college, out of college, married, or get a job. Until we begin our career, buy a house, have kids, enough money, our kids are grown, or we retire. Maybe these reasons are legitimate, but I think we are simply selfish – and I can say that because I am the most selfish of us all.
Excuses that may sound more legitimate are centered on notions that we do not know enough, are not smart enough, educated enough, rich enough, wise enough, respected enough, trusted enough, or established enough. But these excuses only sound more legitimate because they sound more sincere, and these excuses only sound more sincere because they do not make their speaker appear lazy.
While the first kind of excuse is summed up in the phrase “not yet,” the second kind of excuse is summed up, “not me.” Both kinds are preposterous. Why would we put off activism until the next stage of life if we do not put off the very stages? If it is soon enough to get married or have children, it is soon enough to make a better world in which our marriage and children can thrive. Similarly, why should we think ourselves qualified to do anything if we cannot believe that we are qualified enough to be activists? How are we good enough to be spouses or parents if we are not good enough to be activists?
Ultimately, no one in this country has any reason not to be an activist. The only person I can respect for not being an activist is the one who is satisfied with the way things are, and I can only respect that on a very shallow level, for anyone who is satisfied with the condition of life in this country and around the world is at least borderline insane.
On the other hand, I can see how the rich are satisfied with their riches and therefore willing to watch the world burn while they spend their easily earned money on new yachts. I can see why the politicians do not mind watching the world burn so long as they can govern the ashes. I can understand why the clergy are content with watching the world burn because it gives them, like it did Jonah, the chance to say, “I told you so” and revel in the damnation of others. What I cannot understand is why the common man will sit inside the burning world.
Why do I accept the status quo, work forty hours a week for my relatively minimum wage, go to my college classes multiple nights a week so that I will not always make a minimum wage, and engage in the common practices of everyday life without ever questioning why, or for whom, or for what cause? I am not satisfied with the mundane, with the boring, with the tedious and the low, yet even the most grandiose of business ventures is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. I am not satisfied with the current crop of politicians, yet I do nothing to change the political scene. I vote every couple of years and feel great about myself because I am a good citizen who does his civic duty.
And honestly, I doubt I have the guts to do anything otherwise. I do not have the guts to quit my job because I do not know where I would live or how I would eat. I do not have the guts to not get a college degree because I do not believe that people will take my intellect seriously if I do not have a piece of paper verifying that I do indeed have a brain. I do not have the guts to challenge political authority because I fear that I am not well voiced in rhetoric. I am a coward, plain and simple. If I were not a coward, I would cease to be so many things that end up defining me. If I were not a coward, I would change the world. And so would you. And so would all of us. Welcome to Humanity.
Matt Brumit is a senior humanities major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
