understanding opportunity and risk
| Home | Downloads and articles | |
minimising future risk creating sustainable advantage creating opportunity
A HARD WORLD April, 2009
A Muslim person said to me the other day that life is hard for them because they are a Muslim in a western country, and that it was obvious all westerns distrust Muslims.
I thought for a moment and then I said to him he was incredibly stupid and looking for excuses. I told him the world was hard on everyone. It didn't matter if they were black or white or purple with yellow spots, it didn't matter if they were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist or believed god was a great mystical cow. It didn't matter what age they were, social status. It didn't matter if they had acne. It just didn't matter. The world is hard on everyone. Anyone who uses religion or race as an excuse is simply looking for a get out clause - and looking for someone to blame for their own lack of success in one way or another.
How stupid and how dangerous can some people be?
I don't have an easier life than the next person, but at least I don't expect anyone to do me any favours. I don't believe anyone hates me because of my accent or because of the colour of my skin, or if they do I really don't care. I'm not looking for excuses. I'm looking for a sensible and sustainable way forward to feed and nurture my family.
The world is hard on everyone.
The fact is, we all have obstacles and challenges to overcome. Not overcoming them by using religion as an excuse for people holding you back is just so pathetic. Who is holding you back? You are. And let's face it ... the world is hard on everyone. And that's the best way for it to be. Because it is by overcoming the obstacles and challenges that we take small steps forward, learning how to progress, how to be better, how to achieve a brighter future. If it wasn't for these difficulties we would have little to strive for. Failing to strive forward for any reason should be an evolutionary lesson to be learned. We did not become the dominant species in the entire world simply by sitting back and using excuses to accept mediocrity. We were and are better than this.
Isn't it time to stand up and be counted? Isn't it time to rise to the challenges facing us all instead of looking for excuses not to? Isn't it time to do what we do best and that is to communicate to collectively find a way forward through the obstacles and challenges affecting us all instead of squandering finite resources in endless and pointless bickering?
If YOU do use any such excuse then feel free to hold yourself back - but I'm going forward. I'll help anyone who wants to move forward step by painful step, but I've had enough of standing still simply to placate those who use excuses to complain about how hard the world is. Consign yourself to history if you like Yet the world is changing and the pace of change is increasing. It never is the strongest that survives. If it was simply the strongest then mammoths would rule the world. But the fact is ... we survived where as the mammoths did not. It is our capacity to adapt to change that increases survival and development.
Use as many excuses as you want to stop changing, to stop adapting, to hold yourself back. That is your choice and I'm a great believer in personal freedom. But as you are being left behind just don't complain to me that you are being left behind and certainly don't say to me you are being left behind because of your race or your religion or because you have no hair or because you are overweight, or any other reason. You have choices. Just don't use excuses.
Stand or fall. Take a step forward or sit down and fade into memory. Help where it is needed or spread hate based on your own excuses. You have choices. No one else can life your life. Just make sure you do live your life.
And as for me? Well ... when I fly I want to be in a position to help people do the same regardless of who they are or where they are from. What I don't want is for anyone to hold on to my legs and tie me to the Earth, telling me I shouldn't or because they hate the colour of my skin or they hate where I come from or the way I speak.
The world is hard on everyone. What this should do is make us all try harder - together.
Regards
JS
If you don't understand the risks, how can you prepare? Can you afford to let the issues be blurred?
The turbulent 21st century
life isn't black and white