"When Change starts from the Self only limits to the Self"

"When Change starts from the Self 

only limits to the Self"

(A rambling on how today's order of things

 limit the idea of change to those of lifestyle 

at the expense of societal matters)

At first, it is worth convincing to an idealist that change starts from the self, for knowing that from focusing to ones personal improvement, or to make character be well-rounded with intellect, focusing on the self as a basis of change is enough for a stepping stone for a societal change.

Especially when after reading notes from various so-called self-help writers if not those of self-proclaimed gamechangers in social media pages, that focusing on the self (or rather say Self with the capital "S") tends to stress more on making a person settle in choosing better if not best choices, including those of trying to be upright in a time of failure and of inconveniences in its surroundings. However, as time goes by, the more did they emphasise the word "self" in the message, it seems that change is less of being driven by purpose such as those of "equality, liberty, and justice." It becomes blatantly driven by selfishness with the latter becoming a virtue in some people's eyes.

It is unsurprising, for as people gone living through it: all alongside the abundance of mass production, with its subsequent ideas such as replacing cooperation with those of competition, of replacing ensuring people's needs with those of profit, the idea called "change" is less driven in pursuit of those words like "equality", "freedom", "justice", "fraternity", or any other words, except plain simple stability, and even longevity.

Quite helpful isn't it? However, on the other hand, by hearing those words throughout are as if dissuading people from seeking truth from facts, as it becomes an attempt in diverting the attention from questioning the status of the world, and instead emphasise rather the individual alone and it's character.

***

For knowing that it is easier to draw attention on the world's issues, people would dare to get concern, if not complaining on what goes on in the society; what more of asserting for a better world as any other philosopher would think and thus willing to offer something.

But for these so-called "self-help" peeps, they just debunk it altogether as they admit and remind people that the world is much older than the people whom they preach, and as they tell the people that they should focus more on their self-benefits, they just tell that a utopian paradise needn’t exist for everyone in order to be happy; but instead that people can still thrive despite the unrest in the world thinking that outside conditions aren’t as bad as you think they are, in other words: comparing one to another to justify being contented in a world that's unfair.

Yet nevertheless, that as time goes by and seeing the same order as it is, seems that the word change is increasingly becoming an illusion let alone being spoken by self-help experts trying not to question society and instead deemphasising it in favour of the "self". Okay then, given that the people improved themselves, but since the situation remains the same, did change really happen? Nope; they did change themselves as individuals, but the society? It end stays the same while someone claims that it is being guided by an invisible hand. And most of those who did improved their lives, sadly to say are simply forgetting how to change their surrounding beyond their safe spaces, of how to improve the lives of others except during holidays, of how to make their society having it's place in the sun: 

for they just simply left it to the "invisble hand" to dictate its direction except during elections and leaving those dreams to the elected beings if not anointed ones like kings and queens. That by economists preaching neoliberal capitalism is the future; that by politicians, liberal conservatism is the better direction; that by those in the culture and in the arts, hedonism and whining goes "in"; and anything that invokes radical form of action is anathema to their view of a "peaceful society" which involves obeisance to the "law" and limiting the perception of "social change" to those of "reform" and "evolution".

Sounds like a "Revolt against the Postmodern world" isn't it?

***

Sorry for this kind of venting, for thinking about these things or situations be like they don't want to hear about questioning society and telling about being themselves as persons. They do make solutions, but in the almost absence of just people to guide if not to help those who seek or make solutions, the situation remains the same: and it could be worse.

Perhaps to conclude this note, that instead of telling people that "change starts from themselves", its better bluntly to say that "forget that social bullshit, just work 'hard' and get contented", "accept that there are things that are impossible", that "life is unfair, just enjoy", or worse: "deal with it"- especially those who think they cannot let go of this actually-existing bullshit.