Did you ever just wanna....

[koan]

I've been wondering lately at the number of times me or my friends say "I just wanted to...do something" then didn't. Or you're telling a story and someone asks "what did you say?" wow. "what did you do?" and the answer is "well...nothing". What is the level of self empowerment in our society?

If you had an idea that could change the world somehow, what would it take for you to do it? Would you assume it will happen, why bother, or do you feel you can make a difference in the world? You. As a single person. Do you have power?

[viscousmemories]

I have the power to influence other people in small ways through my words and actions, which may or may not ultimately have a net positive effect on me, them or humankind.

[HighOnHotSauce]

If you had an idea that could change the world somehow, what would it take for you to do it? Would you assume it will happen, why bother, or do you feel you can make a difference in the world? You. As a single person. Do you have power?

Do I as a single person have the power to change the world and what would it take for me to do so? I don’t think it takes much “power” if any to change the world. That is assuming by world you meant the human condition or human history. In fact, by complete inaction the world can be changed. My not doing anything at all could change the world in a given situation. So, yes I have the power and it wouldn’t take much of anything.

[Ari]

"I just wanted too... ...but I didn't" seems like self control in many instances.

"I just wanted to flatten that bastard to the floor... ...but I didn't because they could mean jail time, etc."

[MooseIBe]

It would depend for me on what my idea was and how possible it was to implement it but yeah, if I thought it was doable I would make every effort to do it..

[seebs]

I have one, but no clue how to go about it or get the resources together for it.

(It involves collecting donations to fund a check-cashing "business" which doesn't rip people off.)

[Fencesitter]

I have one, but no clue how to go about it or get the resources together for it.

(It involves collecting donations to fund a check-cashing "business" which doesn't rip people off.)

If you want to do this badly, there's a forum in the barbarasher.com website where people do brainstorming about how to get ideas started.

Some amazing things have happened. The wishes/obstacles thread is where you post your wish to be solved along with your obstacles for solving it. There have been some amazing breakthroughs. The obstacle is generally said to be money but there are a lot of ways around that. And there is also a forum called "Doing good in the world" where people share good things.

As to the OP, I think everyone has power but we sometimes think that the action has to be monumental so we discount our power. We can do little things that really make a difference. I'm sure you make a difference all the time. You probably just don't realize it.

Fence

[koan]

As to the OP, I think everyone has power but we sometimes think that the action has to be monumental so we discount our power. We can do little things that really make a difference. I'm sure you make a difference all the time. You probably just don't realize it.

Fence

I agree. Often the answer to "why didn't you?" is "why bother?" In the case of a violent wanna do, it is a good choice to not bother, but hopefully it is followed by an attempt to peacefully resolve the issue that invoked the violent feeling. Unfortunately I find the why bother attitude also prevents the attempt at resolutions. Why didn't they say something? "It wouldn't make a difference anyway" is usually the opinion. I wonder if the world's problems seem too huge to tackle and if people are giving up, feeling powerless. There are the valiant and the cause seekers but it seems, to me, that the masses or majority feel like they waste their time trying to improve the world.

I, personally, feel that every effort grand or small is worth the time but I also feel like I am surrounded by people too numbed to care or too fearful to say anything about it. My observations may be wrong in percentage and I'm hoping that is the case. A good seminar will get people "fired up" about making money but what would it take to get people "fired up" about ending crime or poverty?