How to Act, the Importance of "Time Constancy" and "Stubborn Ounces"

An analysis of the following quote referenced in the following article

What Can We Do? Becoming Part of the Solution by Allan G. Johnson

"It is in such small and humble choices that oppression and the movement toward something better actually happen" (Johnson, 507)

      As humans, we inherently strive for perfection, and since that isn't possible, we perpetually settle for the next best thing. Upon realizing that the world is filled with problems revolving around issues of exclusion, harassment, privilege, and discrimination, we are slowly beginning to understand that societal views need to be improved. Although there are many who believe the world is far better than it was in the past, there is still plenty of work to be done.

      Analyzed from a sociological perspective, this article delves into the inherent hindrances that humans face when attempting to implement change. Fully acknowledging the fact that there are many issues in the world today, the author describes what is holding us back from our true potential - and no surprise - its ourselves...The article describes how it is important to understand that change occurs gradually over time, and this certainly doesn't satiate our need for immediate gratification. Often, a person will do something, hoping to alter the course of the future, (whether on a large or small scale), and unless the effect is immediately perceived, the individual believes that they have had no impact whatsoever. This obviously leads to feelings of inadequacy and ineffectiveness, ultimately lessening the chance of that person trying again in the future. To address this debacle, the author contends that humans need to develop "time constancy", and describes how it is important to understand that change still occurs whether we see it or not. The idea of "time constancy" is analogous to the idea of object permanence, (an understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be observed). In addition to this idea, he also delves into the importance of modeling behavior. He exclaims, "...the simplest way to help others make different choices is to make them myself, and to do it openly" (Johnson, 506). Making an observable difference in your own life can have a major influence on the lives around you. Even if it seems to be an extremely small change, due to the social nature of humans, the concept will change, and potentially, begin the restructuring of a new societal norm, and this time, one that is beneficial. Further exploring the concept of changing behavior, the author also describes how change is more prevalent across generations, bolstering the argument that change happens slowly. Although we may not see the immediate effects of an action today, people two or three generations down the road may have extremely different views about something (having been influenced by our behaviors today). Although he makes several important points in the article, one of the most salient is that it is imperative for us to continue to try to implement change in the world, even with small acts, because no act is truly insignificant, as every act has some influence down the road.

      To be honest, reading this article was truly enlightening - not just because I absolutely love sociology and psychology - but because it helped to tie in much of what I've learned about in this class thus far. When learning about diversity studies, one is always left with the question, "Okay, now what can I do? - and many times during some of my analyses, I found myself thinking that exact thought. I enjoyed this article because it addressed many myths and inherent fears that deter people from trying to influence society, and also showed ways to overcome them. By restructuring the way we think about change, and how to implement change, we can begin to believe that we have a significant impact on the world.

I also enjoyed the "stubborn ounces" reference, as it is extremely important to know where to place your "stubborn ounces", because they can certainly influence your future health...

Stubborn Ounces by Bonaro W. Overstreet

To One Who Doubts the Worth of

Doing Anything If You Can’t Do Everything)

You say the Little efforts that I make

will do no good: they never will prevail

to tip the hovering scale

where Justice hangs in balance.

I don’t think I ever thought they would.

But I am prejudiced beyond debate

in favor of my right to choose which side

shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight.

As I was reading this article, and really connecting to what the author was saying, I was reminded of many things that I had seen in my life that related to what he was discussing... Several are below:

One of the movies that I always show in my Leadership class to show the power of a single act and how one person can truly make a difference:

A quote that I've seen relating to the power of one small good thing:

And...two of the quotes that I leave my students with at the end of every class:

"Change is not always better, but in order to be better you have to change. You can't be better by staying the same"

&

"The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say 'I was wrong'"