Little Drops of Water

A normally sensible bvn, had a difference of opinion on my previous post He said "individual solutions and that too insignificant ones at that, to bigger systemic problems..." I know he also wants to see a better place...The only difference is in the approach, I feel...He thinks (rather I think he thinks :P) that only revolutionary changes (rather a change at a big scale) can resolve systemic problems...
Now, I always believed (note the past tense) that individual solutions are very powerful even to systemic problems....and that we shouldn't wait for revolutionary changes to happen before we act in our own small way...
However, that comment set me thinking... Are individual solutions actually insignificant? Should I be trying more for a massive change rather than begin with smaller first steps?
And like a pleasant coincidence today my firm organized a meeting on corporate social responsibility and how each one of us can make a difference....But, the speaker didn't give me any hard facts, so I have decided to do some research on my own...to verify whether my optimism is idealistic and Utopian or is it just a slightly painful but do-able solution I hope my research will help me come up with something that will motivate me to remain optimistic...
For starters, here is a poem dedicated to all those people who believe that whatever little bit they do makes a difference...for those who believe that every long journey starts with a single step....
Little Drops of Water
Little Grains of Sand
Make the Mighty Ocean
And the Pleasant Land
Little Drops of Water C. Grant Loomis Western Folklore, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Jan., 1964)

Comments

Alex said…
Tinkerbells,

:)

Each one of us are different in our own ways. Some people try. Some don't.
b v n said…
I was not suggesting a total denial of individual solutions in that comment :) its kinda out of context here

btw nice poem, then again its when these individual drops become conscious of there "oceaness" that a ocean is formed. when millions of drops move together, thats what an ocean is :)

neways will wait for yr research :)
Tinkerbells said…
@alex:I agree...I was just tryin to see how to optimize the efforts...by workin towards mass awareness or leadin by example...or a combination ...or which should come first...BTW, I have never seen anyone incorporate soo much into a smiley :)
@bvn: mmm, i agree with you....individual solutions at some stage have to reach that critical mass...but until that happens we need to keep doing something...should that be actions or thoughts or a combo...that's what you have made me think abt :)
Tinkerbells said…
@bvn: and in my previous article i was referring more to ppl who jus idly talk...if that talk is atleast aimed at creatin some kind of unrest or thought as you said then it's fine..there are quite a few people who do that...but the ones I was referrin to in my post don't even feel any unrest themselves...they jus talk...in short plain simple double standards...
Alex said…
Tinkerbells,

:)

The smiley comes when i smile. And, yeah a lot of emotions go into it. Language can either be used extremely superficially or 'from the heart' too.
Anonymous said…
ISnt it better to Create a Massive Wave , than small multiple small ripples?
Or Maybe the ripples make the waves afterall?
Ironic?
Tinkerbells said…
@alex: :)
@anjaan: ironic...well, thought provoking , i say :P welcome to my blog

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