For Data Connect’s Tim Hobbs
Our actions and behaviors have a much greater effect on the future, than on the present.
Think for a moment about the erosion of mountains. Rain and wind slowly removes very small amounts of dirt and sand from the mountainside. In our lifetime, you and I would be unaware of the changes made to the size of the mountain, yet over the course of time the mountain becomes a flat plain.
In human behavior the changes are much quicker, the historical effects much shorter. Consider the events of the last 100 years due to Nikoli Tesla or Thomas Edison. Our lives would be much different had they not been born, or decided to invest their time in something else.
The same is true for each and every one of us. We have no idea what effect we will have on the future of this world, our community, or more obviously our families. Just like mountain erosion, small changes can have major effects over time, and we won’t be there to see the consequences – good or bad.
The decisions we make today – moral and ethical; our behavior toward others – considerate and respectful; and our consumption and production of goods and services, all play a role in the future we create. And we create it together. Unknown to each other, the cumulative effects of what we do and how we live have a greater impact on what the world will be like tomorrow (and next year).
Other than our personal behavior, one of the most powerful ways we can affect future events is by voting. No, I don’t mean as a Republican or Democrat, but as a consumer. Your voting power comes from the dollars you spend. Each and every purchase you make is a vote for the products and services you receive. It’s a reward that reinforces corporate behavior.
If you continue to buy low quality products and services because they’re cheap, you reinforce that behavior, and companies will produce more of the same. If you spend your dollars at the big “box” stores, you can be assured more of those stores will appear in your town. If you vote for independent stores and the variety and choices they offer, and their personal service, they will grow and prosper.
There are many technological and cultural changes that have occurred over the last decades. Some of them are amazing and wonderful, others are disappointing and disheartening. Yet in the final analysis the responsibility for what our future can bring, rests in our hands. We are the determining factor, the fulcrum of change for that unseen future ahead. Remember to consider this as you go through your day, creating a world for those yet to come.
Recent Comments