Why isn’t this world getting better? The question returns whenever I see the same conflicts, injustices, and decisions whose consequences are borne by people who did not make them.
Technology gives us new possibilities, but it doesn’t in and of itself change our attitude toward responsibility. A faster tool can help a good cause. It can also accelerate a bad decision if we aren’t ready to reexamine it.
We see so much of this today, right away, through the news and social media. It’s easy to piece together a picture of the world based on what upsets us the most. This doesn’t mean we should downplay the problems, but rather that it’s worth examining what we’re seeing and what’s missing from that picture.
In business and everyday relationships, short-term gain and long-term responsibility often clash. We know something needs to change, yet it’s easier to protect the status quo or our immediate interests.
I don’t have a simple answer to such a big question. I do have a more specific one: what can I do differently within my own circle? Which commitment can I uphold, which injustice will I not condone, and which person can I help?
This is not a substitute for systemic change. It is, however, a part of my responsibility that I must not put off while waiting for everything else to change.
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