Too often I hear grizzling/ moans about individuals/ organisations not being heard. My response to these people is simply, “Did you make the effort to let your views be known ?” or “Did you give your opinion ?”
I believe that largely New Zealand is in it’s current position of near economic stagnation due to a few key variables (causation factors), among them:
a) Lack of appetite for change.
b) Lack of opportunity to innovate.
c) Strangulation by rules.
d) Politics and egos permitted to rule supreme over pragmatic objective decisions being made.
e) …and not enough Kiwis either being bothered, or inclined or courageous enough to speak their minds openly and honestly – particularly if it means challenging the status quo, or due to fearing being judged. The world around you will judge you no matter what – this is an inescapable fact of life.
When I kick-off this planet eventually, I would rather be a person who is remembered for contributing constructively to the forward movement/ improvement of society; versus being a “closed book” and refusing to share my honest views with others.
If we are to effect change for the better as individuals/ organisations/ a country then such change starts with individuals speaking their minds openly and honestly. It doesn’t matter who agrees or disagrees with your views. The fact of the matter is that no two people will ever see eye-to-eye 100 %, simply because of the fundamental fact that we are unique in terms of our senses, beliefs, perceptions, our experiences and how we process stimulus via our brain.
And we shouldn’t be striving to be the same as other people either – this is literally an impossible pursuit.
But what we should most certainly be doing is coming forward with our opinions – expressing our honest views on whatever topics one cares to choose. If this doesn’t happen, there is no way on earth (literally) that change/ improvements to how we live and what we experience in our lives can eventuate. And furthermore, there is no way that elected decision-makers can make the best (well-informed) decisions possible if these people only ever receive the views of a minority subset of the greater population that they are responsible for acting in the best interests of.
If things don’t turn-out the way that you’d like them to in life, and those eventualities related to opportunities that invited your input – and yet you didn’t speak-up/ let your views known at the time you received the invitation; then I’m sorry but you have no grounds/ justification to grizzle/ moan.
There is a Bill of Human Rights that creates the opportunity for ALL people to speak their minds/ express their views/ put forward their opinions. It is then up to each and every one of us to “choose” to use this fundamental right or not…it is a choice, no more and no less.
Are you willing to contribute your views to help resolve society’s issues/ problems/ opportunities ? If you are, you may like to consider connecting with people via the LinkedIn software platform. You don’t have to agree with everything that is exchanged as views on this platform – it’s your choice completely as to what opinion you form in relation to the ideas presented/ exchanged.
However, what this wonderful platform does more than anything is it helps people “belong” to a community – a community where the “communication” of ideas and points of view take place routinely. It is these views – when presented in a mature/ constructive manner – that are contributing to the “rich tapestry of life”.