Why 'I' is the root of the world's problems

I have often wondered why people were so happy to walk by a fight in public and raise their eyebrows but silence their voices. For years I have fought injustice, endeavored to teach others the importance of caring for others and respecting them and now finally I get it. People do not care what happens in the world as long as it doesn't happen to them. People are so desensitized to the human condition that 'my family, my loved ones, my situation' is somehow an acceptable response to solving the problems of the world. With this attitude, it is no surprise that Trump-like characters are allowed to rule over the major powerhouses of the world. The issues begin and continue to thrive due to this 'I, me, my' mentality. This mentality needs to be dumped unless we are willing to accept that we are the producers of a broken, self-serving society.

In November last year, Donald Trump was elected by the people of America as the President of the United States. It was a decision that rocked the nation and the world. Since the inauguration on January 20 individuals across 7 continents have been up in arms about the way he rules his country. While many may not like Trump we must recognize that Trump is merely the Head of self servers worldwide. He is not a lone ranger, he is not the only individual who has self-serving ideology and discourse, he is one of the millions. Society has for generations encouraged looking after your own, focusing on your success, and has forgotten that all individuals are in pursuit of happiness. Millions of humans worldwide do not get the opportunity to experience happiness because they have that stripped of them. They are treated as less than equal civilians. They are deemed as insignificant or extreme because of their religion. They are joked about what they wear, for how they speak, for how they look. These things are all normalized as ok and widely accepted as humorous practice in everyday speak unless of course an individual actually experiences these injustices for themselves. Then the corner turns.

Why does it take a tragedy to learn compassion? Why do individuals fail to see that looking at their family and their loved ones as happy is enough when others do not experience love at all. Is it simply because it is easy to sleep knowing that your family is ok? I find this mentality so incredibly jaded and I believe it has much to answer for in the current political climate. After all, why should white Australian care about Indigenous people? Why should Indigenous people care about white Australians struggling to afford housing unaided by the government? Why should men care that women are generally treated as second class citizens? Why should a man tell another man when he is being inappropriate in public? Why should women tell other women to treat men with respect? Why should other countries care about the plight of Syrian refugees? This is why.

I was born and raised in Australia. I have been lucky enough to live in another country, the United Kingdom. I have been able to go to school, to eat regularly, to have luxuries others will never have. If my geographical location was another country or I was simply born into another family I could have been running from bombs every damn day of my life with no apparent choice, the situation would have simply been thrust upon me. This is the same for domestic violence, murder, rape and all other heinous crimes except these crimes are not dependent on geographical location, they happen everywhere and anywhere. No one is exempt. Looking at a stranger and not caring for them is asking for your loved ones to be ignored when you finally need support and there will be a day when you will need it. You cannot be self-serving, you cannot be selfish. You cannot decide that 'my circle, my family, my loved ones' are safe and that is enough. Your loved ones are not safe because of you, they are safe because of a multitude of external factors and you are denying what those good decisions and graces are every time you suggest that what 'I' have, what 'I' experience is enough. Life is full of instability and danger do not add to it by choosing to only look after your own. Be humane, love all humans. Think about your own prejudices, why do you reject people? Is there actually even a reason to do so? I don't even believe God, the God of love, wanted to force people into being something they aren't just so he could be comfortable. That is simply humans trying to find a way to limit how to love others.

Donald Trump might make our head shake and our blood boil but he is a metaphor for the selfishness that exists in our society, all we have done is put him on a pedestal as we do ourselves. Be open, listen to hear not to answer, spread love not because you are asked to but because it is right and because you want to experience love for yourself. Love has no boundaries so stop being limiting. Start looking at a problem and being the solution instead of magnifying it.

Here are some uplifting actions humans took worldwide to stand up for others and to show they care. Take notice and act.

-Ashton Kutcher address the US Senate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUmfsvegMRo

-7 People who dedicated their lives to helping others.
http://www.hrtwarming.com/7-people-who-dedicated-their-lives-to-helping-others-4-is-just-an-amazing-turn-of-events/

What are you doing to make a difference? I am a White Ribbon Australia Ambassador aiming to help children and women overcome domestic and sexual violence, I also write articles like this encouraging others to serve the community.