By no means
am I a professional writer. I am nowhere close to Ira Mathur or Sunity Maharaj,
our local superstars in this field. However, that being said, I can humbly say
I have something to say which is the byline of this series of four articles I
will write over the next few weeks offering solutions. So here goes!
I am, like many of you, suffocating and choking on the tirades of negativity in Trinidad and Tobago as a whole. I actually think we, citizens, have systematically decided to keep ourselves spinning in a tornado of defeat and destruction so we simply are unable to find calm within ourselves to think and act.
I am, like many of you, suffocating and choking on the tirades of negativity in Trinidad and Tobago as a whole. I actually think we, citizens, have systematically decided to keep ourselves spinning in a tornado of defeat and destruction so we simply are unable to find calm within ourselves to think and act.
Who really
can start their day hoping to dance in a downpour of positivity after reading and
listening to the hole we have dug ourselves into first thing every morning?
There is simply no platform to share, consistently and abundantly, good
inspiring stories which any progressive country can tell you is the key to move
its people and country forward. Just pick up the Gulf News daily paper to
understand how happy stories can make you feel good….even healthy. Better yet think
about the last time you tore out anything from the local paper saving it
thinking what a great idea or how can I help this person I just read about
realize their dreams or I have to share this story or I have to look into this
further?
So what is
the solution? Well first I had to test my theory about there being mainly
negativity around us. I chose the daily papers as my medium. I took a few local papers into
one of my classrooms and I asked my students (ages 8-12) to find happy positive
words in the first five pages of each paper. A few students happened to find
one word “Fabulous” in an advertisement on page 4 of one paper. And that was it! I did this over one month and
everyday was the same except for the recent story on the young man from Hilo
which made the first few pages of all the papers. He is now forgotten of course
when in fact he should probably be paid by TDC and all the major cell-phone
companies branding fees as a “true” TnT Ambassador in their ads versus the
“infamous” ones they throw money at who do not represent the values we want to
install in our country and more importantly our youths.
It is a fact
that when you pour buckets of negative thoughts into your minds, your thoughts are
infected subconsciously. Your thoughts become your words which in turn become
your actions. And we wonder why so many of us are angry, defeated and plain vex
by 9am!
Now real
quick, think about the few happy positive people you know and go to their Facebook
wall. You will notice there is a plethora of positive quotes, happy photos,
inspiring stories etc. Did a light bulb just go off? Digest now the mindsets we
set each day for our population. What about the mindsets we are passing on to
our children daily?
So what is
my solution? I will start first with Government and offer the following idea:
First, it
should be inscribed somewhere in parliament front and center in large bold
letters the following words “ONLY SPEAK
UP IF YOU CAN ADD POSITIVE VALUE TO SILENCE”. Yes, I too have my suspicion
that we might hear only crickets for days or weeks in Parliament after this becomes
the modus operandi but at least we might get some Ministers/ Senators thinking
for the first time ever or just maybe many of them might quit after truly
hearing their own conscience.
Second, I
will do some decorating in Parliament and install a huge mirror at the entry
into Parliament chambers with a camera above it that attaches to a huge screen
outdoors that the public can watch. At this entry mirror, each Minister/Senator
as he or she enters must stop and take this simple oath weekly for the citizens
to not only see but also as a reminder to himself or herself of why he or she
is there. The oath is as follows: “I
understand my role as a Minister /Senator is not about me or for my personal
gain, I am here only to serve my country and its citizens. I have a duty to leave
my country more abundant and better than I found it for the nation’s children”.
The reason for this is that by simple repetition it becomes ingrained in the
minds of every Minister/Senator their job description and with time they will
believe it and act on it. It is a form of brain washing for a good result but
desperate times require ‘back to basics’ creativity.
Third, I
think we should require that all Minister/Senators be given Twitter training
i.e. so they learn the gift of getting to the point with the fewest words
possible. I would also add in here that each
sentence they speak out loud in Chambers or to the public must contain a positive
adjective in it. I am not joking here. We sadly have reached the stage where we
have to treat our Ministers/Senators like school children and teach them how to
be polite and positive in the way they speak with each other and to us. I am
sure I am not the only one who has noticed that they all seem to have the contagious virus of
“ignorant senseless word usage” which has resulted in “unexplainable irrational
actions.”
Here is my solution
for media houses:
I would encourage and reward all newspapers to ensure that the first five pages of their paper is at least
50% filled with inspiring encouraging news, stories and ideas that includes a
positive inspiring cover image. And if the staff writers cannot think it up
themselves, I encourage the media houses to create alliances with other foreign
papers and borrow their stories until we are ready. Some type of similar methodology would all be
applied to radio except for Marsha Miranda’s show which rocks. What this does
is at first glance is uplift our state of mind and spirits. It allows us the
choice as readers to stop reading after page 5 since we know that will be the
drama section and just like the movies we can choose to not show up in those
pages.
And finally
the solution for our corporates:
I would pass some zoning laws for all those wretched
billboards alongside the roads requiring all advertising to contain educational
positive inspiring messages. A media council will be set up and all street
billboard ads will have to pass the council’s approval. Make no mistake 75% of
those sitting on that council will be University, secondary school and high
school students and the other 25% of the members cannot be from the “family
tree” of the current Government in power whoever that may be. So an example for companies selling alcohol is
that they will be permitted to do billboards on road safety and no drinking and
driving. Food companies can do educational ads on healthy eating, exercise.
Energy companies can do green and environmental campaigns etc. You don’t have to do a hard sell to build a
brand and develop customer loyalty!
And yes I
know, you are all thinking my solutions are simplistic and a bit off the wall
but I know for a fact after having spent thousands of hours with many good
decent Trinbagonians volunteering to grow leaders in this country for the last
two years, that with a few tablespoons of encouragement, positivity, inspiration
and hope we can change mindsets. When we change mindsets, we are changing the
way people “see” themselves and their role in society which causes them to act
differently. Change in action will alter the course of our country’s future.
And make no
mistake, the track we are on is transporting our nation’s children into a dark
tunnel where the only light is that of an incoming train. So let us make the effort to speak out loud to
the Universe words that add a positive value to silence and even though we
might not enjoy the fruits of those words, our children will and I cannot think
of a better investment and legacy of our limited time here. Can you?
And sorry folks for the differet size fonts and other design issues.....first try so need to figure out how to work this better;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat first attempt blogger! Love it!!! Bold, honest, sincere...refreshing! The irony is this continues to be the approach of the visionary, often initially misunderstood, viewed as idealistic and simplistic, it's their genuine belief that anything's possible, their ongoing commitment to the end result/big picture, dogged determination to follow through and childlike enthusiasm in the pursuit of their vision that keeps them trying anything until they succeed, enjoying the process every step of the way, learning and growing with every mistake, never being daunted by same. That's the beauty of working with children, pre-negative conditioning by adults, children come from a place of genuine belief, desire, sincerity...simplicity. They approach things practically, as such they can often make any problem sound so easy to deal with, because their mindset and approach is not "this is hard", but rather "it's so easy", "there's got to be a way" and "I CAN and WILL figure it out", even if it means completely srapping something and re-creating it! They approach things with sincerity, belief, innocence and simplicity. EXACTLY what's required today. Simple, basic steps, common courtesies etc. Those quick to condesend, ready to speak of what they believe is overly "idealistic and simplistic", ready to accuse the optimistists and idealists of seeing the world through rose coloured glasses, living in a bubble etc., are mere products of their conditioning, they live in the past, see things as they were, are (or appear to be) rather than what they should or could be. It's positive outlooks that keep us forging ahead, believing in self and others, believing in what's possible. It's the simplistic view of life and approach to life's challenges that keep us true, humble, genuinely committed to change, not afraid to stand up and speak out, to challenge the status quo. Our young people definitely need THIS kind of thinking, they need NOT to be "TOLD" by others how it's always been done in the past, ironically what they need a whole lot less of are leaders constantly "TELLING" them anything at all, and rather more leaders growing leaders by "ASKING" them what THEY think! Allowing them to come forward with ideas/solutions. Our young people and quite frankly our nation needs to be engulfed in a see of positivity and new thinking! We can't achieve positive change with the same mindsets that created the problems. Any individual/organisation/nation genuinely wanting and committed to positive change, HAS to create that typically misunderstood "bubble" that many visionaries and positive people are accused of living in, it's really about creating an environment that nurtures/fostures/reinforces hope, creativity, positivity, belief in unlimited possibility, an environment that empowers, builds self-confidence as opposed to destroy it. I wish you success with this blog, I wish you success PERIOD!!! Keep spreading your positivity. Let's trust that this is yet another of those baby steps you take that quickly results in a giant leap forward (you're so great at that). Trust this will get many more working together towards specific, meaningful and sustainable action. To the Media Houses, many writers/columnists etc., Sal's definitely on the right track, working together we can all help create a more positive environment, your commitment to positive media would greatly assist in this process.
ReplyDeleteSo got some feedback saying I should hide my blog behind a pen name and then a few folks agreed. Why would I want to do that? My suggestions are not aimed at anyone in particular but directed at the situation we are in as a country and as a people at all levels becasue we fail to speak up and act. I teach that it is important to always speak up about anything as long as it is done respectfully so who would I be if I did not walk my talk? However, thank you to all of you who are concerend that my speaking up somehow exposes me to folks who may take this personally....I know said to me with much love. It reminds me of a quote I once read that said " if you think my post on my facebook wall is about you, get over yourself!". And I guess I will apply this here.This post is not about any one company, Government or person.....so please carry on;-)
ReplyDeletei sense a bit of anger and passion on this topic, and you have all just cause for feeling that way! our children feeds of off what is presenting to them, be it media, at home, at school, on the street, etc..corrupted, selfish, unhappy, miserable, hurting, disloyal, arrogant ppl reflects negativity and they wonder why their kids end up in jail, detentions, on drugs, or on the street. it starts from home with us as parents, loving and teaching our kids to love ppl regardless of their difference. once that is instill in our children minds, and we as adult stand by i, the younger generation will get it. And no matter the media say, the younger generation will not be swayed. this does not guarantee all things will run perfect with families and individual but that seed we sow, the future generation will reap great benefits. what a joy to share in someone progress in life and victory. we need to praise ppl when they do good just as we chastise them when they do bad/evil...it goes hand in hand! stroking someone ego can be nice and helpful to an individual. it give them a confidence like never and change the way we see things. Life is short let us build up, encourage, edify rather than to break down and hurt one another. no wonder why we have so much hate! In all of us we have good and bad...encourage the good and and help correct the bad in a positive way!
ReplyDeleteHaffiza