How to effect change – by one of my readers Zarheit

As many of you may already know. I usually commune with my readers privately though they may post a comment on my blog. Recently Zarheit wrote to me about concerning: how to effect change?

Reading his comment – my feel is, it would be a criminal waste if I just left it unread. So here goes.

The words went through a few times in my head. No sense was made the first few attempts to. Then, it finally did struck me – Change from within. In order to affect change, one had to first successfully enter the group, be part of them, be an insider. Human nature dictates anxiety of outsider-unfamiliar groups. Similarly, one would be more susceptible to influence or advice from a confidant, a member of the family. Never mind what words I said make perfect sense, who was I to barge into their scared home turf, making disparing remarks of their taste in furniture? Who was I to comment about decade-long traditions never in their minds thought possible? Who was I?

The outsider.

Then again, before anything happens, change must come from within me. Within myself, the very fibre, the essence. Something deep down inside. Falsehoods and truths. The passive and the active. The favorable and unfavorable. The thin red line separates them apart, ultimately allowing for flexible interpretation with an adaptive mind.

We are only merchants of convenience, products of our times. The irony mocking, of having forgotten the writings Sun Tsu, only to be reminded again.

Like all physical forces of nature, the interactions of the mind of man and subsequent actions has the effect of inertia. No one would change the way of doing things until proven favorably so. Even for the accomplished pianist, to fine tune fingerings of habit would prove difficult. Hence, I can see where this incremental factor comes into play. Slow change is better than no change, better received than fast change and can ride on the euphemistic labeling of ‘progression’.

Zarheit

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“Any idiot can propose and effect change – take the case of that super duper idiot and his “dream” team mini Lee – what we have here is a man who has changed every aspect of Singapore as we know it – on paper it looks good, stellar and even admirable – its so good that even many have praised Singapore.

But when you tabulate the invisible cost to shattered dreams, missed opportunities and what I can only describe as a life without any prospects of hope – then you will begin to see that the benefits of these changes came at an exhorbitant cost – a cost that is so high that I do not believe any sane government elsewhere will even consider for one moment emulating what Singapore has done. On this I have absolutely no doubt.

But the true genuis – the statesman, not the cheap used car politician will do the same. ONLY he will effect change by respecting the space, dignity and hope of those who he leads.

I think if you want to change a thing – anything, then it pays to first consider whether this can be done with incurring ill will, mistrust and shatter lives – on this score. I would have to give Mini Lee a fail! Wonder no more why when he says, ‘we are in this together.” No one believes him except his gin gang.”