To live harmoniously with our environment, be it our immediate neighbours or our fellow citizens of the world, we shouldn’t only know about the consequences of our activities. We should also be accountable for them.
Our planet has become a tiny place – in social, environmental and political conditions – with episodes and developments in one sector of the planet rapidly affecting the whole planet. The awesome Internet has transformed our communications into moments. A decision taken by our world leaders may lead to turbulence in the entire world and influence the lives of ordinary citizens like us. A generous contribution from wealthy nations can help improve the conditions of natural calamity victims or starving children somewhere in Africa or third world nations.
This century is a stressful time of unprecedented challenges and changes. Not just for our world leaders but for us ordinary individuals. We’ve experienced and seen vast changes in the world financial system. Yet some who reside in wealthy nations are only vaguely conscious of these changes. How many people realize, as an instance, that the financial crisis in some countries has more than doubled the number of people in these nations living in poverty? Because of this, we hear of children that are malnourished and will develop health issues, with pathetic problems.
The principal responsibility for these developments lies with our world leaders, particularly, the authorities of the world’s wealthy countries. It’s these authorities that set the laws and rules for international trade through associations, among other things.
If we vote for these politicians or government leaders that are responsible for the deterioration of the global environment, we’re as much responsible. In addition, we share responsibility for the worsening economic situation of countless people. The fact that we might be ignorant or understand little about global economics doesn’t exonerate us of responsibility.
The press, including the world wide web, bring us the news, our main sources of information. The truth is that the mainstream of the info may present limited views of what’s actually going on in the world. And how about the half-truths, sensationalized and biased coverage we must contend with. We don’t need to believe or accept each news to be true.
Yet it’s the very same media that also play a very important role in precipitating positive change. As an example, a Daily News with a broad flow can expose a corruption and crime by conducting a serialised story or follow up a lead about an important event. Such stories, once taken seriously and formally investigated, can create productive results for the community or the world generally. Even if demonstrators take to the roads they do this in part with the objective of creating their needs gain publicity, thereby placing pressure on government leaders, leaders, in addition to corporate decision-makers.
We don’t have to be passive consumers of information either. An assortment of information channels is present involving magazines published by social-justice oriented businesses. Some articles and books with well-known commentators have subjected realities under the shine of corporate or political propaganda. Sections I always take into consideration are the ‘letters to the editor’ and ‘opinion’ pages of newspapers, magazines and Internet websites which alert us to problems, insignificant or relevant. Some local authorities leaders schedule a meaningful conversation with their constituency. We could even listen to talks by visiting speakers or see our Civic Community office for statements.
Being mindful of our environmental actions, at exactly the exact same time taking responsibility for our actions, could have a far-reaching impact beginning from our own backyard to our worldwide system.
