Poll time

[kellinator]

My mom and I were having this argument last night...

[Poll #114931]


My mom says I'm only one person and I can't change anything, and I have to stop being so passionate or I'll drive myself crazy.

I say if I stop being passionate, I'll lose the best part of me. And I'm already crazy, so it doesn't matter.

Comments

[senchen.livejournal.com]

I had to say a qualified no. What you probably are asking is whether one person can make a difference in the Way of the World or somesuch thing, to which the answer is "no, with the exception of assassination." Assassins are the only ones who work alone to change the flow of time. Ghandi had a movement, Hitler had a movement, even Mother Teresa had a ministry and of course the press to publicize her so that we all know her name. Only the assassin is alone.

That doesn't mean it's impossible for one person to make a small difference, though, and small differences can be huge in microcosm. As per the starfish story. Or an argument I just made in another post; it's sensible to feel that you're not making a difference as a protester, because protesters don't make a difference and they don't know who they would be helping even if they did. But if you make a friend in Iraq, and you send them bottled water and gas masks, fruit and vegetables and hard American dollars, you will KNOW you made a real, appreciated difference for real, specific people.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm going to try to carry through on that in some way.