goosebumps

it's time for those again. the last time was in 1989. that time it was accompanied by a bit more of an uplifted feeling. this time it's still to be decided. and yet. they just returned and with good cause.

we are so self-obsessed with our little worlds, look at what we are concerned with here. all of it is perfectly reasonable and needs to be voiced. and it is important, don't get me wrong. but there are times when we need to look outside and consider what is happening and how this will effect our little worlds and the way we go about.

uprising of the people. so far away right? in Afrika and the middle east - gosh! they are only run by tyrants anways - about time there is an uprising. and yes for sure it is. but this is not the whole story now is it? looking back now we often ask why did the Germans not uprise against Hitler for example or still don't really get why the Chinese have not yet hit the streets in big numbers. we ask this because we have a lopsided view (i.e. a Western) of the world. we think we are living in - if not perfect at least - rather fair (or as fair as it gets) democracies and find them to be the most "fair" of all systems. and we have come to terms with it. sure, we complain. sure, we have ideas what to change and what not. sure, we think we believe who is actually behind it. TPTB and the likes. but in the end we do not know. we are not fighting for our liberties, our freedoms. we may complain and we may come here or go elsewhere to either rant, discuss (in theory most of the times) a different way, point out what needs to be looked at, adhered to in order to better our lives (and sometimes those of others too).

and yet. this all does not matter. we have surrendered. as we will not stand up and hit the streets and demand to have our freedoms reinstalled. we are not brave enough.

i know - and i am one of them - many still argue that we need to start change with ourselves and then slowly spread out if we can. and yes - i just noted this also in a recent post. but this has been written - as i believe many others write down their ideas on this - from the "safe ground" from within a "democracy". we are still able to communicate. we are still able to share with whoever we want, whenever we want - globally. there is no threat (really) to us if we were to completely challenge the system. we are not being shot in the head by mercenaries (not like the Libyan people are). not yet!

i wonder whether the common view by those who did seek change inside Tuensia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, etc over the past years and decades was as well - put your head down, start with yourself and one day it will happen. whether they ever thought they would hit the streets, fighting with all they got to get what they want. did they wait just like we seem to be? and if so, what was the straw that broke the camel's back?

it does not matter that the regimes in Africa and the middle east were/are not democratic. this is not the sole reason why the people are uprising. i believe. at some point enough was enough and there was no reason to wait anylonger. for that slow change (we are hoping for still here). this uprising that started there will not spread to the "West" (maybe it will spread to other places across the globe that are not "democratic" yet i.e. China). but it will teach us a lesson. it will show us that people still do have the power. be it with regards to an uprising to get rid of a tyrant or be it with getting rid of an (un)democratic system here in the "West".

we need to start remembering. it is us who are in charge. of our lives. our communities. and our earth. we need to start taking responsibility.