“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”-Abraham Lincoln
It is the duty of each citizen to have and share a perspective to aid in the advancement of society. Government officials are elected to office for the purpose of serving the people. They cannot serve well without knowing the perspective of those they govern. Each person with perspective, therefore, has a responsibility, and to that end a purpose.
In developing a perspective one finds a purpose.
No perspective is irrelevant. Perspective is the watchman against human carelessness and apathy. Without it, indifference would consume society, leaving a planet full of life but destitute of love.
The deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner have drawn the attention of youth and underrepresented people. These tragedies have galvanized the national conversation about racism, spawning protest movements like “Black Lives Matter.” Supporters of police, conversely, have adopted the phrase “Blue Lives Matter.” Both points of view are valid. In fact, “All Lives Matter,” regardless of ethnicity or occupation.
Americans have voiced their tenacious protest with fortitude comparable to preceding generations. But protest is only a battle in a war set on revolution. Voting is imperative, but young adults waste their chance to weigh in by not participating.
In the 2012 presidential election citizens ages 18-24 made up 41.2 percent of voters, while those 30 and older represented 66.3 percent. For new racial and political ideologies to flourish, young adults need to vote.
In 2012 Curtis Gans, director of non-partisan Center of the Study of Electorate, revealed that Americans who do not vote opt out due to lack of trust in leaders, political institutions and quality of education.
In 2000 only 54.2 percent of those eligible to vote cast a ballot in the presidential election. That election resulted in the inauguration of George W. Bush, a detrimental decision for America and the world. He won a contested election by a few hundred votes. Individual votes matter.
In the 2008 presidential election America had the highest number of voters in any presidential election since 1960. But even then almost 80 million eligible citizens did not vote. People who are not a part of the solution are a part of the problem. Each person has an effect on the world whether they believe that or not.
There are about 7 billion people on this earth. Our earth is just one planet in one galaxy of an estimated 100 billion galaxies. Some think we are insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe. Others think of themselves as important because they are a part of it.
People have a choice to live meaningless lives or fulfilling lives. It all depends on their perspective. Life is a series of choices and each choice begins with a perspective.
Warped perspectives and atrocious decisions cause people to engage in the destruction of tens of millions. Hitler did not personally fill the gas chambers, Pol Pot did not bludgeon millions to death and Leopold II did not personally enslave and mutilate the people of the Congo Free State. People who shared their perspectives did. One person’s perspective when shared with others, can change the perspective of those who hear and in due time agree. Those who chose to share in these mad men’s perspectives contributed as much horror to the world as they did.
Thankfully, the men who fought against these evils also had a perspective. It was valiant perspective that gave them the courage to sacrifice for the improvement of the world.
Perspective should bind humanity together by accounting for the various views of all people. From multiple perspectives comes awareness and knowledge. Life experiences exclusive to each person create progress through enlightenment, trials and tribulations. Sharing perspectives increase wisdom and intelligence and lead to better decisions that result in the improvement of quality of life.
Individual perspectives on sexual assault, gender equality, racial profiling and marriage laws collectively contribute to how society attends to, and account for, these controversial issues. Society is an imperfect existence full of flaws, but the flaws are not the root causes of societal shrivel, people choosing to ignore these flaws are.
A thorn bush or a rose bush. One perspective shunts beauty, the other allows it to grow.