What Are We All Voting For?

I actually don’t believe there is a real democracy anywhere in the world.  If it was real everyone would have a say over their society.  We get to tick boxes and we call this democracy.  We say it is representation of the people by the people.  Is this true?

In my life experience I have lived and experienced dictatorship where I don’t have a say.  Most workplaces are not democratic.  Most families are not. So why do we say we live in a democracy?

I do understand the essence of it, it is when I accept diversity, it is when I listen to differing views, it is when I allow others to have their say without shutting them down.  It is when I speak up and speak my truth without violence.  I see that as democracy.  I personally live it.

I felt inspired in the middle of the night to write this, I am pondering homelessness personally and contemplating those I see on the streets.  The right to poverty?  So I am publishing it.  I did send it to a journalist but he didn’t respond, thank goodness we can publish ourselves in social media.  Finally we are having a voice.  I guess it is for us to claim not to wait for others.

WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR?

What are we voting for?  This is a question that goes through, not only my mind, but I believe the minds of many Australians.

This article is prompted by the extremely cold temperatures here in Melbourne and my immediate thought of the homeless huddled together in the CBD and unknown elsewhere, unable to find warmth not only physically but from the hearts of over 3 million people.  I think how many spare rooms are there?  How many buildings are empty at night?  What has happened to our society that we can continue to walk past the things we can’t face.  So I will excavate for answers.   Let’s start with homelessness and work our way through this maze we all take for granted.

Is homelessness not having a roof in reality?  The issue of poverty is the net we can cast worldwide and examine how we group those who do not have enough to eat or in the eyes of society have failed.  Is that true?

Is homelessness and poverty the same thing?  For me poverty is when I walk down a specific supermarket aisle and look for 2 minute noodles.  It is the recognition that I can’t buy most items on the shelves as I simply do not have the funds.  Poverty is not being able to participate in the Comedy festival, go to the theatre, go out for a night on the town or invite people home for dinner.  Poverty is the stress of knowing you don’t have enough to cover your basic expenses.

Let’s have a look at homelessness.  Firstly what is a home, is it a roof over your head and a sense of a family around you?  Is it a place where you feel you belong and people love you?  What if you have the house but not the home?  For me homelessness is not knowing where I belong.  It is applying for thousands of jobs and never getting an interview even though I’ve worked in 400 companies over my life.  It is standing up and speaking your truth to find you are alone.  It is when people judge you and move away.  It is emailing and not getting a response.  It is the invisible walls of a society indifferent to your needs and concerns.  Those walls are not physical like the Israeli wall around Palestine or the former Berlin Wall, but psychological walls the very mindsets that exclude you, that are undemocratic, that ignore you so that you get the message.  I have literally been in my car with nowhere to go in absolute desperation.  Even when you know people nearby you won’t ask them for help. That is the feeling of homelessness.  Homelessness is to be cast adrift in a sea of indifference and uncertainty.  This can be philosophically envisaged as ‘indifference quarantines difference’.  So how does this translate into the modern world?  It is walking past ignoring or judging what upsets you rather than investigating what it is that you fear.  I see the armchair critics who have never been homeless or unemployed.  Who sit like the proverbial judge believing their thoughts and casting judgement on those they don’t know.  How can one throw stones at drug addicts, alcoholics, single mothers, disabled people, unattractive, overweight, entire religious groups and so on.  This is the mindset that looks for enemies.  As a Vietnam veteran told me recently the only way wars start is to find an enemy.  So those who do not agree with us or who are different become the enemy.  We don’t stand back and look at the negative feeling we are believing and reflect on the truth of a matter.  We may point the finger of blame but seldom do we wonder why there are three fingers pointing back, at us.  This is what it means to be unconscious.  To move through the world as a robot, sitting on the train looking at the iPhone, playing on the iPad, refusing to look at the world for fear of contact, for fear of something out of our control happening.  We sit in a universal silence, in a universal sadness and we call this normal.

I reflect on those born around the Second World War and how they see the modern world with its busyness, materialism, impersonal attitudes, selfishness and avoidance mentality.  As grandparents they observe how we all sit in front of televisions or computers escaping from reality and no longer talking about our day or life.  They see a world that has changed markedly from the community based societies they grew up in.  Where you spoke to your neighbour over the fence, where children played outside, where families ate dinner around the table (without television), where handicrafts were made, where jobs we relaxed even with tea breaks.  They remember a time admitting it had its problems, ignorance and discriminations but by and large it was a society of innocence.  Today the violence pumped out over television, movies and internet is so common that many desensitise to it believing this is normal.  People wonder why there is violence but forget to look into the domestic violence issues in their own homes, where they have bullied others or have been bullied, where they have judged, criticised and abused others.  The growing indifference to suffering is evident in respect of the war in Syria, how long it took governments to respond, how long it took people to react to the deaths of innocent refugees epitomised by the child washing up on a beach.  The child could be my child.  The society ebbs and flows in atunement with the mass media not sitting down and really taking responsibility for their life, suburb, their area, their state, their country and their world.  Not researching the political parties, the corruption, the social issues that need our attention and offering solutions.  Instead reacting on cue to the next broadcast and then forgetting the issue in the next breath.  I see the problem not as uncaring politicians but the widespread apathy of a community who have lost their way.  They are caught up in busy lives where they won’t stop and say ‘I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore’ and then get to work on solutions.  Yes Shaun Micallef comes to mind as the town crier looking through the prism of comedy at the tragedy.  How bad do things have to become before people take responsibility.  For when they do their world will indeed change.

So this brings me to my own life.  I’ve been working on changing myself and changing my world.  I dreamed I was teaching peace in 1998.  I was a market analyst and trained economist.  I found myself with my hands on a keyboard asking – what do I truly want?  The only word that came to me was peace.  From there my vocational life started to emerge from the hard shell of ambition, career path and material success to expand into complete uncertainty, venturing into the world alone but full of curiosity and different questions.  I became inspired by a doctor and nursing teaching humour and happiness to hospital staff and in workplaces.  They awakened me to the Fool in all of us and the importance of humour, stepping out of your comfort zone and learning to think and see funny.  I was inspired to clown in a hospital and I saw the ripple effect of smiling and acknowledging every person as of the highest value.  I learned to create friendshipism in a lift, as Patch Adams clarion called.  I found myself feeling inspired and realised there was a peace course I could enrol in at a university.  Around that time I drove 2,000km on a whim and credit card and met with Dr. Helen Caldicott the famous anti-nuclear activist. She had clowned in New York naked with Dr. Patch Adams (played by Robin Williams in the movie) called the naked truth.  I thought that was funny, brave and I could see the point of exposing truth. She inspired me to continue with peace which appeared to me a dead end career.  I saw no money in it but an inner urging that I should take the risk and go for it.  I enrolled in the peace course and discovered my lecturer was one of the foremost Gandhian scholars in the world.  I learned about the importance of social and principled activism and the importance of living democracy and the power of standing up in love and truth.  I learned that nonviolence was more powerful than violence. That violence was indeed a call for help and repression was fear masquerading as power. Powerlessness causes the seeking of power. There was no power or strength in hurting people and it would never change their minds.  It just bullied people into submission so they would comply with what the dominating party wanted.

Violence flew in the face of a genuine democratic society where representation was by the people for the people.  The idea is that governments would not be working against the interests of society but seeking to understand and reflect/mirror those needs and concerns in actions that serve the people.  This is what it is in theory.  In reality we have power issues, emotional disconnectedness and cultures of dysfunction that distort reality. These issues are what most people in this culture grew up with and are unresolved at the political level. We have specific interest groups buying favour undermining one vote one value.  We have many in political processes who do not represent a cross-section of the demographic of the society (see Australian Bureau of Statistic census data).  How can a lawyer understand what it is to be in a middle class family, an unemployed person or a youth trying to figure out the world? A lawyer will understand legislation, crime and control.  A social worker will come from an empathetic perspective, a accountant from a bottom line numbers perspective, a tradesperson from a practical hands on perspective, an artist from a creative imaginative perspective and so it goes. These fragments when balanced in forums of inclusion can become the sand that creates the pearl not through winning or fighting in debates but through contrasting ideas that push us to expand our visions with respect and understanding in lateral ways. The contrast and tension is the teacher that smoothes hard edges, for we are the pearl our environment is skilfully crafting, as change is inevitable.

As a market analyst this experience for me was probably the closest I ever came personally to participating in real democracy.  As a researcher I would develop a questionnaire that would be understood similarly by 500 people.  To ensure representation the methodology was to select a cross section of society. The sample would be randomly selected to ensure everyone had an equal chance of selection.  They would be interviewed, their words taken down and analysed.  As an analyst my job was akin to standing on a balance beam making sure that my words on balance reflected the true expression of people.  I had to be sure that I didn’t over emphasise some and under emphasise others, I had to reflect the truth of what people were saying and then report this back accurately without losing their voice.  I developed a healthy respect for the so called ordinary people, acknowledging in reality no-one is ordinary, each extraordinary and with a wealth of experience from their lives.  The talent in representation is aligning with truth and then collecting and assessing the information.  If you have particularly filters e.g. unconscious leanings, biases, vested interests, interpretations, personal ambitions then this will distort the truth. I see this distortion as the overlay in our society.  I don’t believe we have ever lived in a true democracy.  Think about it – is work democracy? school? family life?  So I ask people to please help me to find true democracy as I am searching.  How can military’s go overseas promoting war in defence of democracy when war itself is really bullying but on a larger scale using violent force to effect change?  How can we then sit back and say why is the world violent when we still haven’t understood the bullying and control paradigm in our own world?  The words ‘a culture of compliance’ come to my mind, this is to comply with authority unquestioningly. I realise we have learned to tick the boxes to terms and conditions we have never read.  We have allowed the recorded voice to say ‘please note you are being recorded for training purposes’ no longer asking permission.  We allow surveillance cameras believing this is security yet failing to understand privacy issues.  When we take ownership of democracy and as a community take responsibility for our society, then crime will fall as we will know the people and talk to them.  When we speak up for what we actually want we may actually get it.  We are good at critiquing what we don’t want but can we really come together and say what we truly want?  Do we want less hours working?  Do we want higher pay and better conditions?  Do we want to live in ecologically balanced society that is a clean environment for our children?  Do we want free energy?  Do we want free education and medical care?  Do we want to learn about natural remedies that we can grow in our own backyards?  Do we want to have community gardens growing fresh food and getting to know neighbours?  Do we want cooperative workspaces where everyone has a share of the profit? Does society want to evaluate the political process way before elections happen?  Can we set up a community think tanks that are comprised of balanced, diverse, unbiased community members able to give us the facts of what is happening in our name?  Can we look at the detailed costs reported in the budget and look at how we can spend our money in more efficient and cost effective ways?  Can it be spent in accordance with collective needs efficiently?  Do we want to live in happy communities where people walk past each other smiling and waving rather than avoiding social contact wearing headphones?  Do we want children to develop their talents, to learn democracy, to integrate universal values, to feel peace in their lives and to co-create a world worth living in that actually thrives in harmony with nature?  Or do we continue with business-as-usual, listen to other voices, believing whatever we hear from the experts as true and just following the crowd?  Do we meet up and discuss the melting icecaps, the violence, the corruption, unequal resource distribution, inequality and predictions of a civilisation collapse in the next two decades[1].  Rather than symbolic or political forums designed to look democratic. Can we actually hold regular independent forums with knowledgeable persons on both sides (they do not have to be academics) who can give citizens and idea of issues and as a collective so can we look for ways to change that benefit everyone? There needs to be input from society as many brilliant people can be single mothers, unemployed person, drug addicts, home duties or retirees.  Often people talk about the real world but no-one actually knows what the real world is, we have 6 billion little worlds that believe their world is the real world.  When others don’t conform to their world they move into conflict to try and tell them their world is the right one.  They cannot understand why others don’t think their way. In truth no-one knows the real world.  However, if we move from the head to the heart we will see the world differently and if love becomes central to our decisions, a new world will definitely arise.  If only love is real, then this is the real world that survives.

It was Einstein who said ‘You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it, you must learn to see the world anew.’  Did you know ‘what you resist persists what you look at disappears’. What does this mean?  Do you realise that ‘the love you withhold is the pain you carry’. What behaviours emerge from pain?   

In truth we live in a world full of diversity, creativity and wonder, that is why it is wonder-full.  We live on a planet that is stunningly beautiful filled to the brim with wild life, a rich tapestry of diversity and breathtaking to explore.  Having travelled to more than 20 countries I’ve seen the true beauty that we are same same but different as the Thai’s say. Can we see through the eyes of a clown and give a big bright smile to bring joy to a moment rather than criticism and judgement recoiling? Can we learn to laugh at our weaknesses rather than carry guilt and shame? Can we give encouragement and empowerment to those who feel weak and invisible rather than degrading them with bludger, loser, druggy ignoring their humanity?  Can we make friendshipism on the streets with strangers to discover new friends as Patch so wisely encouraged?  Can we bring REAL HOPES to this world through owning self Responsibility, feeling Empathy, being Aware, sharing Love, communicating Honestly, realising the Oneness of all life, finding balance Peace (yin/yang), allowing Enjoyment in each moment and lastly, Serving the world selflessly as yourself?  For we are indeed One world, One breath and One family. When you walk passed the street person, you walk past your – son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father indeed your very self. When you criticise the addict you forget your own addictions to materialism, to gossip, to drinking, sex, luxury, computers, gadgets, phobias, work and so on.  When you hate those who exploit remember your own exploitation of others and how you benefited.  For it is an undeniable truth that what we see in the world is a reflection of us. We get what we vote for! That vote in truth is a choice conscious or unconscious. We vote for the world we want in every moment. That may be a hard truth to swallow but I can assure you at some point in your life you have been all the things you judge. As you judge you will be judged becomes the mirror many won’t peer into for fear of the truth. Your thoughts are the pebbles thrown into the pond literally creating the world you see. So can we come together and face the reality of the world we have created together, stop the blame game, and start to envisage what we truly want?  Let’s feed and house the homeless give them the spare room if you have it, put together a hamper of food, get colleagues at work to crowd fund to find them accommodation, imagine if it was you freezing on the street.  Would you want someone to do that for you? Let’s not only give jobs to people who have lost confidence or feel alone but a space where they belong, include them in society so they can truly shine and use their talents, for not only the betterment of themselves, but society. There are no losers in this world only those who gave up on their greatness. As we give we start to live, for it is in giving that we truly receive the experience of our own real wealth, that is, we have something to give. Get behind those who want to improve the world, stop talking about what should change and be a change maker.  Poverty is not about lack of material wealth it is created by attitudes of disempowerment that says you are a loser, worthless, have no rights, less than, just a number silently excluding people from the equality they were born into. The poverty mentality is not in having no money to buy food or living on the dole it can be reflected in the materially richer spheres where people take more than they give (economics), count every penny, quietly increase profits at the margins, cry poor to enjoy bail outs, polluting nature as a garbage dump, harbouring attitudes of meanness that won’t share, judging others as uneconomically viable or lazy because they only see money as success. These are the Gordon Geckos drunk on greed masking addictions and a desire for more (ego). These attitudes mask the many faces of the diamond of society.  These attitudes undermine the value of democracy and the positive values that are the hallmark of an evolved civilisation.  Yet what many don’t understand is that there is incredible abundance in enthusiasm, opening to possibilities, optimism, generosity, talents and living values that can enrich the world 1000’s times over. The very wealth we crave is not in cost accounting Gross Domestic Profit but truly expands from Gross National Happiness.  Think about how you feel when happy, do people not buy everyone a drink when they win lotto? They naturally share, care, reveal and heal.  Happiness is the love expressed in random acts of kindness.  In this type of culture there is no poverty, no discrimination, no bullying, no crime, no class and no privilege.  In this world view we see anew that there are no limits.  We create abundance in opportunities and naturally say yes, then let life take care of the details.  We are enriched when we help each other, we are keen to return calls and answer emails as all are friends, we give others a fair go, we resolve disputes to heal relationships as this benefits everyone.  We understand the opportunity cost in selfishness.  We respect rights and give people the right to say a honest yes or no without bias or forced compliance.  We give society a real say in shaping the world that affects them valuing their opinions without standard letters and clichés or slogans. We have to learn to see that what we do to others we do to ourselves, some call this karma or energy response.  What goes around comes around is true.  What we send out reflects us and what we value, it plants seeds for the next generation.  It is our vote by how we choice and the way we live and treat others. We are not separate islands but joined by a common humanity and it is evident this is true, for remember the times someone walks in the room you literally feel the atmosphere change (negative/uplifting/neutral). You may think of someone and they ring in the next moment, you may bump into someone you haven’t seen in years and realise it was by no mistake, they had an important message for you. When you are down someone says something to give you hope again.  This is the way of a world that knows there are no mistakes, no victims and no boundaries.  That the world is not out to get you but to inspire you onto a path.  The most difficult people you meet are in fact your teachers.  They show you what to do or not to do.  Either way they leave an impression. Life is contrasts, it is designed to make you choose (vote) to decide who you are – a sheep or a lion?  We can be whatever we choose and the only limit to that is the fears we unquestioningly believe an act on.  If we think the world is full of terrorists, guess what, more pop up (in the media).  If we believe the world is a good place for of opportunity (Richard Branson comes to mind), guess what? you witness kindness, wellbeing, wealth as life is the evidence supporting your belief (the pebble you threw comes back as a ripple).  Like attracts like!  This is the Law of Attraction, it is a real universal law that few realise. We create our reality 100%.  We choose to believe what we believe.  No response is a response.  When we start to awaken the fool within, we will empower ourselves, step off the cliff to find there is another step, take responsibility for the world we see and decide to ‘be the change’ as Gandhi inspired. You will indeed change your world, with or without the politicians. As you change your world literally changes, in every moment.  Perhaps consider moving from being mad as hell to being happy as heaven.  I wonder which is the real world?

So – what are you really voting for?  What are you waiting for?