Fairness, Justice and American Politics: Dismiss Apathy and Continue the Good Fight

Fairness. Justice. These are things I contemplate as the week ends. 

Photo by Ronak Valobobhai on Unsplash

This wasn't the article I was planning on writing but it's the one shouting the loudest.

As we watch American politics play out, it seems there is a sense of hopelessness. 

The world — humans seem to be on a continuous loop, damned to repeat the ills of the past forever more. 

Yes it's bleak. I feel bleak but I also feel a spark of something else.

I'm in the middle of reading A Beginner’s Guide to Dying by Simon Boas. Yes, if you've noticed, I have an obsession with death because I have an equal obsession with life and living. The yin to the yang. You truly can’t comprehend one without the other.

He succinctly makes a very valid observation about life. The life we all live. At 46 he was facing a terminal cancer diagnosis with only a few months to live. He recognised that while his years may not seem long, he'd lived far longer than the majority of the human species. When I read that, it stopped me in my tracks. It's very big scope thinking but there is a huge clarity in those thoughts. 

You may not agree with everything but later in his book, he goes on to say and I quote 

'We are wealthier, healthier, happier, kinder, cleaner, more peaceful, more equal and longer-lived than any previous generation. More kids reach their fifth birthdays, more women are educated, and the chance of dying in a war or a robbery or a storm is lower than before. The death rate from natural disasters has declined by 99 per cent since 1920. A car travelling at full speed today produces less pollution than a parked car in 1970. Almost 85 per cent of people have access to electricity. Over 60 per cent of girls in low-income countries now finish primary school, and the average woman had been educated for nine years — just one short of the average man. The proportion of the world's population living in extreme poverty has halved in the past two decades.'

Yes, there is so much wrong with the world. 

Yes, it seems never ending. 

Yes, there are those who truly and utterly suffer, who lead incredibly tough lives and will continue to do so regardless of any intervention.

This isn't about diminishing that or not acknowledging these awful, terrible things that are happening in the world around us. This is about acknowledging and finding gratitude in what we do have and what we have achieved as humans. It's about acknowledging the place and time in which you and I exist, the privileges we have by living, where we are, right now — in this moment in human history. The luck or kismet or whatever you call it.

Does it make the world more palatable? 

I think, it makes me hopeful. That in amongst the bleakness, there are snippets of light. It makes me want to continue to strive for better. It keeps me moving in the right direction towards the light. More importantly, it stops me from giving up. The world needs people to keep striving for better. More than ever we cannot fall into permanent apathy. The weeds grow in amongst apathy. History has shown us time and time again: we must fight hard against individual and collective apathy. We can't turn away from the uncomfortable truths and wish them away or think they won't ever reach our doors. We must be ever vigilant.

We need time to contemplate and then we need to dust ourselves off and continue to fight the good fight. We need to carry on trying to do the right things, voicing our opinions, having those, possibly, difficult conversations and being positive role models for others. 

Each and every one of us has so much to offer and our individual and collective efforts can make a difference. Don't dismiss what we are able to achieve at the grassroot levels within our friends, family and communities. That's where change truly begins. That's where the ripples start. 

Finally don’t give up. Don't be disheartened. The next generations are counting on us to step up and, at the very least, hold the line. I intend to do my very best. I am very optimistic that you will too.

Fortnightly Update

I got a place on a part-time, primary PGCE teacher training course, specialising in STEM, starting in September 2025! I am extremely happy, if not a little daunted by it all. I am looking forward to relaxing now, after the build-up to the interview process.

After the week break, I continue to write and I am keeping to the word count. I've written about 18,000 words.

I'm back at the gym after having the half-term off. I've struggled this week, just because the interview has been on my mind but it's been good for me. I think it does help me manage stress and the many things I'm juggling. Alas, swimming just doesn't happen anymore. I can't fit it in.

I'm tutoring 2 hours every term time weekday. I'm constantly turning down additional work as I have no time.

I am spending 2 hours a week volunteering in the kid's primary school and thoroughly enjoy it.

Meditation has not happened but I'm always meaning to do it, if it's any consolation.

Finally, I wrote my first letter to my new pen pal, through the charity Omega. It's lovely to put pen to paper and write a good old-fashioned letter. I highly recommend it. I'm really looking forward to receiving a letter back.

Thanks again for reading this far. It means a lot that anybody reads these posts. I genuinely never thought anyone would. The feedback I get keeps me going and keeps me writing. It brings me such joy. Thank you for all your kindness.