Soapbox: 3 ways to advocate and activate

This post originally began as an introduction to some cool "green" sustainability resources. While I was browsing and researching I came upon yet another prominent environmental site last week that I was hoping to link to, and the blog was filled with hate and anger, blame and cynicism. I imagine this person feels deep frustration and anger at the state of our planet, but for me, the rhetoric was doing nothing to inspire me. It made me feel bad about being a human and not doing enough. Now, I don't remember a word of the content --just that tone.

In response to this experience, I wrote an impassioned post about people on environmental soapboxes--not a box of environmentally-friendly soap, but the proverbial soapbox. After letting it sit a day, I recognized the irony in me writing an impassioned diatribe about people who write impassioned diatribes. This wikipedia definition of soapbox includes bloggers. So we're all on a soapbox, it appears, when we're blogging to heal the world. The question for me is: what kind of media--or soapbox--can help generate the changes we all long to see in the world?

As I was thinking about this, suddenly, everywhere I turned I heard stories of activists or advocates whose very energy--anger, disappointment, desperation, frustration--had a jarring effect (sometimes even the opposite effect) on those they wish to influence. Yesterday a friend talked about moving through a crowd of Free Tibet protesters who were nearly violent in their protestations against China to free the country we all associate with peace, tolerance, and non-violence. And, most of us have seen the footage the media is always eager to capture of violent peace protesters at one time or another in our history.

Though a serious activist might argue, especially in the west, that many of our big turning points in history seem to have come about a massive violent demonstration of will, there are Ghandi and Martin Luther King, and now the Dalai Lama, to argue against that as the definitive solution.

It's encouraging that we get angry at injustice. I'm curious about what part of me comes up that wants to be on the soapbox (even the 10% media for possibility soapbox). I think its the part of me who longs to share my compassion about using media as a powerful instrument for influencing people for postive change. Those wildly acerbic and angry environmental bloggers feel the same, I'm sure. But, when I visited a few of these sites, I felt wrong and criticized, or I felt like it was impossible for me to make the leap they were talking about for sustainability. Free speech is not the same as effective speech.

In coaching or teaching work--whether at the corporate level or the individual level, one of the most important fundamental ingredients for change is mood. People are most likely to open to the idea of change, and most importantly, take action toward change, when they feel appreciated, respected, hopeful, and inspired--and, like they belong. Also, change is not a 0-60 proposition in most cases. Long-lasting sustainable change, in my experience, happens in increments: thus our 10% more media for possibility, 10% less media about impossible problems. It's easier to make big changes in steps than in leaps, and usually, more sustainable.

That's my diatribe (quite different from the first writing). I'm hoping over the years it will become passe to rail and denigrate to inspire change--that even the soapbox people (myself included) will become ever more skillful at honoring our own longing, loving our audiences, appreciating what is happening in the world that is working, and encouraging people to make that small next shift--creative speech for the creative changes we want to see in the world. What would 10% (or another 10% if you've already begun) media for possibility look like in your life? What would 10% more sustainable living look like in your life (even if, like me, you're not the model of sustainability right now). What would 10% more of any quality or behavior you're looking for look like? Start where you are, and do what you can. Your starting will inspire others, too.

So for me, and my fellow bloggers, who are equally passionate about their ideas for healing the world, I came up with these 3 ways to share your passion.

3 Ways to Advocate and Activate
1. Find out what you're longing for under the indignance and try to speak from the longing rather than the indignance.
2. Imagine the common place you and your audience (or those you're trying to influence) share and start from "we". Try to create a mood of curiosity, trust, inspiration. "We want this, but we feel like it's impossible" is my favorite place to start.
3. Promote kind speech in your medium. The questions "Is it true, is it beneficial, is it kind?" are oh-so-useful everywhere. In many wisdom traditions, these are (more or less) the rules for speech. As a result many wise people are frequently silent. :--)

If you were reading this post really wanting some tips or ideas on more resources for sustainability, here are some I have found interesting and enjoyable. Each has doses of passion and a little railing at the machine, but mostly with their desire to make a difference showing nicely:

Eco-Worrier - I love this column from a UK journalist. Many interesting posts and she loves a good video like we do.

My friend Leah told me about Sustainablog a great blog on all things sustainable, and the "green" aggregator GreenOptions.com, where you can find your favorite "voices" about sustainability. Careful, though, you can be lost for hours (I'm blaming it for the lateness of this post--check out this cool article on what to do with jeans).

If you haven't seen YES Magazine, by positivefutures.org, I think you'll love it. Worth subscribing for its well-written articles and thought provoking series on a sustainable future.

My personal interests in sustainability are the Slow Foods movements around the country and the freecycle.org or ReallyReallyFreeMarket (read their creed halfway down the page--I love it). I'm interested in ways to step out of the cycle described in The Story of Stuff.

What pieces of the sustainability puzzle are you concerned about? If you've got some ways to add to these two lists, e-mail me at chris [at the at symbol] humankindmedia [with the dot and the com] or leave a comment below.

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Comments

[Skye Kilaen]

Thanks for the link love!

I think your three ways to advocate are completely correct. Often people trying to change the world only appeal to fear and anger as motivators. If that's the only kind of speech about a problem, it's exhausting. Starting from hope and love is a welcome change.