The start of the reading really resonated with me because I often do think about how as an individual I can’t make a change. But I often correct myself by thinking about how if everyone thought that about themselves and never does anything then no changes will be made, so even if I am just one person I will be a part of the change. But this reading gave a new perspective on this. It showed how you can make an impact even when you might not realize it, so whether you are a part of the big change or not, you are still part of something. I’m not sure how well I explained this, but I really liked this new perspective that is discussed at the very beginning of the reading.
A common theme I saw in the reading was power, which connects to what I saw at the very beginning of the reading. We often underestimate the power and impact that we have which can limit us. But it is important to recognize that your power in a situation depends on how much power you think you have, so it’s important to know your power and own it. The reading had a quote that went along with this: “don’t give up the game before all the cards have been played.” During this pandemic, it is also easy to feel powerless especially since we are encouraged to stay home. But there are so many ways that we can help others like making care packages for homeless people, or delivering meals or groceries to the elderly, or even just face-timing a friend that you haven’t talked to in a while because maybe they are feeling really alone and isolated. This feels a little cheesy to be saying but it’s what I kept thinking about as the reading was talking about our power.
I agree that this reading gave an interesting perspective on how we view our power. It also shows (like you said), you can be a part of larger change in so many ways that you may never have noticed before, which I think is really cool when you think about all the small ways you can impact someone’s day.
We definitely have so much power to create change, it’s interesting to see the ways we can. Especially during our current situation, just checking up on a friend may seem small but can create a huge impact.
We have individual power, to do smaller things that can help others, but we also have collective power, to work together to address larger issues. Being aware of both is key, to give you a foundation of agency but also aspirations to achieve more.
I also felt inspired by that quote from the reading. I wrote a bit about how hard it is to step back and see the whole situation, but it is so important that we do. We may never know the extent of our actions, but that does not mean that they do not have strong effects. This reading really made me smile and reflect upon the little things that I can do to help others.
I think people having the ability to mentally say “I can make a change” is what differentiates doers and people who think their efforts won’t make a change. Although our initial actions may not produce immediate results, the cumulation of those actions will