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The Collective World
We live in a world with an array of issues, problems and conflicts that face the ongoing welfare and wellbeing of humanity. Far too many of us are turning a blind eye or waiting for someone else to fix the problem or tell them what to do. Far too many of us are denying or ignoring the contribution we make to the collective reality in our daily work.
Everything each of us does daily contributes to an outcome and the collective reality of the world. Everything.
“You’re just doing your job” does not cut it any more, when it’s directly or indirectly contributing to destroying people, other species and the world.
It is beyond time for everyone to take responsibility for your actions and the world YOU are creating.
Natural Versus Human-Made World
The natural world is what exists without and despite humans. It is filled with wondrous things. Valleys and mountains, rock formations, streams and rivers, forests and jungles, sunrises and sunsets, animals, plants, insects and birds.
The human-made world is everything that exists only because of humans. Yes, we have an array of incredible creations. Cities and structures, art, culture, sculpture, stories, dance and stories of hope.
However, much of what humanity creates is toxic and destructive to people and the planet, plants, animals and other species. Wars, terrorism, toxic materials, processed food, pollution, inflation, drugs, debt and consumption.
Much of the human-made world and the daily way of life is not conducive to the health and wellbeing of people, other species and the planet.
Cog In A Wheel
We have been led to believe the reality on planet Earth requires us to work to earn a living. We must study hard to get a good job and a career to pay the bills, buy a car and a house and pay off a mortgage. We must work even harder to impress our boss to get a promotion to get a fancier a car and a bigger house.
We must work so we can pay tens of thousands of dollars along the way in income taxes, and then pay more taxes on every product or service we purchase.
This is the world humanity has collectively created and maintains through actions and behaviours that conform and comply with what we are told to do, think and be. We are each a cog in a giant wheel that keep the economic machine of humanity turning.
We are led to believe we work in a job because we must.
Learn more… ”6 Reasons Why It’s So Hard To Find Work With Purpose And Meaning”
Co-Creating Outcomes
Everything each of us does daily contributes to an outcome and the collective reality of the world. Everything.
For some, the job you do seems harmless but is indirectly contributing to a negative outcome.
If you are the receptionist for a cigarette company, your time and energy contribute to creating products that knowingly kill people.
If you are the accountant for a logging company, your time and energy contribute to destroying rainforests.
If you are an architect who designs detention camps, prisons or army barracks, your time and energy contribute to imprisonment, death, war and human destruction.
If you are a consumer who ignorantly purchases from unethical business your time, energy and money contributes towards child labour, pollution, and exploitation.
You may not be the one directly pulling the trigger, locking the doors, cutting down the tree, packaging the cigarettes or exploiting but your time and energy contributes to creating these realities.
“You’re Just Doing Your Job”
For others, the job you do has a more direct and obvious connection to a negative outcome.
Bankers and financiers who foreclose on individuals who cannot pay their insane mortgages or loans, rather than helping people get ahead… because you’re just doing your job.
Journalists and the media, who manipulate, lie and sensationalise the news for headlines, rather than research, question or search for truth… because you’re just doing your job.
Those who work for pharmaceutical, drug, alcohol or processed food manufacturers or distributors, creating and providing products that poison and kill humanity… because you’re just doing your job.
Police and law enforcement who interrogate, fine and arrest your fellow human beings over not wearing a mask or standing too close to another human being… because you’re just doing your job.
“You’re just doing your job” no longer cuts it. At what point are you going to stop blaming the job, your employer, the need to pay the bills for your actions and behaviours you are choosing?
At what point did Hitler’s Gestapo go from “just doing their job” to committing crimes against humanity. At what point do you go from “just doing your job” to doing the same?
Learn more… ”Cognitive Dissonance | Why People Seem Stupid And Cannot See Facts And Truth”
Your Job Is A Choice
Getting up and going to work every day in a job that directly or indirectly causes damage or harm to the planet, people or other species is a choice.
Getting up and choosing to ignore the ultimate impact of your actions and behaviour is a choice.
Getting up and choosing to ignore the real values, ethics and agenda of your employer is a choice. Because it exists right in front of you, in the products and services they create, their manufacturing processes and their impact on humanity and the planet.
For those who work in a job that contributes negatively to the world, because you must, rather than a job that makes a positive difference in the world, it is time for this to stop.
This may be confronting for some. This may not be what you want to hear.
Self-Responsibility
It is time for every human being to stop listening to what we are told the world is, and instead, look at it for what it is.
It is time for each human being who is just doing their job to look beyond your paycheck and need to pay the bills.
It is time to look at the ethics and values of your employer, your job description and your actions and make a choice to continue or to not.
It is time to stop giving your personal power away to someone in authority and blaming them for your actions.
It is time to consider how the daily actions and behaviours you choose in the workplace contribute to the state of humanity and the world. Deeply and honestly.
It is time to stand up and speak out and try to make a change. Or maybe walk away. Why ‘ You’re Just Doing Your Job ‘ Does Not Cut It Any More
The only way the world changes is if every one of us makes a conscious change and stops maintaining the status quo.
What Next?
We are at a time where the whole of humanity must face the truth and make some difficult decisions. If we do not we are on a collective path of destruction.
We must each choose whether we want to continue contributing to a world of suffering and pain, or whether we want to help create something else.
We must each choose whether we want to sell our soul for the cars, the mortgage, the money or status. Or downsize to a simple life, fewer overheads, and work that makes a positive difference in the world.
We must each choose what is important to us and the future of humanity and the world. Then, we much each take the first step to make a change. We must choose to stay in a system where you’re just doing your job, or step out and take a risk and make a change.
Because deep down, a part of you already knows either way whether the work you do serves well or does not. When you choose to honour your internal compass and make a different choice and a different job, or a different way of life, everything changes.
The choice is yours…
…Liz Watt