By Arthur Dobrin D.S.W.

Arthur Dobrin, D.S.W., Professor Emeritus at Hofstra University is also Leader Emeritus, Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island. He has taught courses in business ethics, media ethics, African Studies and Jewish Studies at Hofstra University. This Red Land is his latest book is a novel set in Kenya and the US.

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/am-i-right/201110/change-better-or-worse

“Those who would be constant in happiness or wisdom must change often,” Confucius said.

Change is the way of the world. All matter is built up and torn down. Waters rise and fall again. Change can be a source of hope, for what is not good today may be made good tomorrow. Change can also be a source of anxiety, for what we love today may be gone tomorrow. In this manner, memory and change stand in opposition. Change is brought to us by nature and it is human nature to bring memory to bear as a form of preservation.

We remember the past so that we may preserve that which is good. We cultivate our values in the cradle of memory so that what we cherish may flourish yet again.

What to change and what to preserve, what to let go of and what to hold on to—these are matters of great judgment. To hold on too long may only be obstinacy; letting go too soon may be inconstancy. To keep for the sake of keeping may only be stubbornness and fear; to move on before its time may only be superficiality and fear. The former is the fear of losing, the latter the fear of being hurt.

Nature imposes its changes upon us, but our good sense chooses how much to keep and how much to shed. The inevitability of change places the burden of choice upon us.

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Now, a note from this author:

Several millennia ago, we can envisage, in our mind’s eye, how our planet must have been literally a living representation of ‘heaven on earth’, as the popular saying goes. We can imagine the world as being sublimely beautiful, magnificent, and pristinely clean – a veritable marvel that was unrivalled in all its splendour and glory. A tranquil haven where peace and harmony reigned supreme. At that time, there were, naturally, all manner of flora and fauna in its lush, green forests. The ecosystem thrived and flourished, in every possible way, on land and with its mushrooming aquatic life in the water – till human beings, walked on Earth and vowed to destroy it, for their own selfish purposes and ulterior motives. The wild animals must have roamed the jungle freely, without the fear of being killed in large numbers and indiscriminately, by greedy poachers and recreational hunters. Flora and fauna remained interdependent on each other for their survival. Flora refers to all plant life and fauna is a reference to all animal life. Fauna is still unable prepare their own food, so they depended on the flora and killed other fauna for their sustenance, existence, and survival. There was a certain equilibrium and balance in nature, centuries ago – for an absolute fact.

Then, over a period of time, everything changed, as it inevitably does.

Nowadays, various harmful chemicals are being regularly added to obtain a better yield of crops, grains, plants, etc. and they are being called as ‘fertilizers.’ There used to be a time when certain fruits and vegetables were only seasonal- nowadays, a walk through the fruit and vegetable market will attest to the fact that this is no longer the case. Why? Again, the use of dangerous chemicals to obtain eye-catching, glossy, shiny, unnaturally green and oversized fruits and vegetables- sold at a high price, as far as the downhill slide to our health is concerned, and as far as the uphill steep climb of the expense of money goes. Some people will stoop to doing anything and everything to earn a quick buck. That’s how much life has changed. People have lost their scruples, their honesty, their sense of integrity and morality. That’s why.

What about artificial prawn and shrimp culture farms? Who knows what damaging products are being used to artificially create a good and substantial yield? It has to be practically and financially viable, otherwise people would not make it literally their business to do so. Certainly, it’s the use of all manner of unwholesome and damaging toxic materials that have caused the proliferation of previously unheard-of virulent diseases, including innumerable forms of malignant cancer.

Many people tend to regularly lead an unhealthy lifestyle where smoking, excess alcohol consumption and prescription drug consumption have become the norm of the day. Certain drugs cause an unnatural “high” and produce vivid hallucinations. The date-rape drug is used often in “rave parties” by contemporary youth as an excuse to brutally assault, sexually molest, beat up and rape women, especially when they are too drunk to realise anything; when they are most likely unconscious and unaware of the rape taking place at all – till the unpleasant discovery after the fact. All these malicious activities are done to gain approval of the gang, amidst immense negative peer pressure. Some people lead sexually promiscuous lives – it has led to a sharp rise in sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, hepatitis and a rise in oral/anal and skin cancer. These are all fatal conditions – we all know it, yet some people persist in such unhealthy and often perverted activities and behaviour. They think it is a free world. Who is there to be accountable? No one except ourselves! Don’t play the blame game. Each one of us needs to take responsibility for our own detrimental deeds – actions that have serious consequences. Actions for which we are all paying a high price for today.

Research is quite clear that certain metals and chemicals in air, water, food and those in health-and-beauty aids is damaging human fertility worldwide, especially in industrialized countries – this has adversely affected the fertility of both men and women. It has led to the sharp rise in artificial modes of reproduction, such as in-vitro fertilization.

In the name of ‘so-called’ advancement and scientific research, who knows how many deadly toxins surround our lives – seemingly helpful in the shorter run, but largely harmful in the longer run. Let’s not forget about the unforeseen, catastrophic exposure to radioactivity on the health of all living beings – what with the constant expansion in nuclear plants and in the rise of the production of nuclear weapons among many powerful nations, all in readiness for war and in preparation for yet another spate of destruction and catastrophic disasters.….the list of negativity is endless, isn’t it?

There was a time, several eons ago, when the water of the seas and the oceans was pure, unsoiled, and unsullied in any way – till various forms of pollution came along – to create a blurry haze in an otherwise clear and untainted picture. What was initially immaculate, unspoiled, and undamaged, was turned irreparably into a total disaster. Pollution has caused the crystal clear, blue, virginal waters of the seas and oceans to become brown, muddied, filthy, dirty, stinking, and damaged by oil spills, indiscriminate throwing of human waste, litter, plastic bags, glass bottles, tin cans, etc. that are neither recyclable nor reusable. Such a pity – really! Such behaviour is nothing short of criminal – truth be told.

At one time, the mountains stood tall and proud, in all their magnificence and pristine glory – untouched, unharmed, and unblemished. Then, humanity came along wanting to prove their prowess as mountain climbers and spoiled – for all posterity – the unspoiled splendour, grandeur, and sheer presence of the mountains. A glaring example is Mount Everest in the mighty Himalayan Mountain Range – the tallest peak in the world. It is the dream of innumerable mountaineers to scale this unattainable pinnacle. Has anyone stopped to think that the mountain never needed – or wanted – to be scaled or climbed in the first place? Mount Everest is strewn with waste, litter, discarded mountaineering equipment, oxygen tanks and the dead bodies of not only the failed mountain climbers but with also those of the brave, dead Sherpas who are forced to climb the mountain – again and again- as guides and rescue operators for the sake of earning a meagre livelihood to support their families. A seasonal livelihood that is based naturally on the whims and fancies of the weather and the sudden onset of deadly storms. Mother Nature will always have the Last Laugh – make no mistake about that!

Who are we to mess around with the sheer might of Mother Nature? Just try standing, all alone, on the deck of a cruise ship, in the pitch darkness of the black night and look out at the immensity of the ocean before you. I can assure you that you will feel so insignificant and so small – just like a microscopic speck of nothingness, a tiny being standing out as an unseemly blotch, in the sheer vastness and enormity of it. It is scary and even eerie, to say the least.

Was there ever a time, in our living memory, when destructive storms like hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, cyclones, tsunamis, typhoons and massive earthquakes were the order of the day? Yet, it is happening in front of our eyes today. Mutating organisms, virulent microbes, harmful bacteria and viruses have caused a sharp rise in the incidence of deadly diseases and epidemics, especially in contemporary times – recently, the Corona Virus pandemic brought the entire world to its knees. It was not just a coincidence that it happened! Was it man-made? Who knows? Who cares? Nobody, frankly.

Indiscriminate construction of buildings following a huge worldwide population boom is taking place after destroying life-saving mangroves, uprooting trees, disseminating lush green grasslands and forests, without a thought to conserve nature. Corrupt politicians, dishonest contractors and builders look towards their own needs – they are motivated by the greed for power and money. These are just a few causes of such disorganized, haphazard and ill-thought out construction work. We live in a concrete jungle. There are no real open spaces left anywhere, anymore.

Global warming is hard upon our heels, and it will soon overtake us unless remedial ‘climate change’ policies are immediately implemented by all nations, on a priority basis. The scorching heat of the burning sun drains us of all our energy. The burning heat of the Sun is causing the Polar ice caps to start melting; huge glaciers are coming loose as they melt slowly and surely – it has caused, more and more, catastrophic disasters to occur – disasters such as avalanches and landslides, in recent times. The weather worldwide has changed drastically – for the worse. Need I repeat it?

We are paying a high price for thoroughly disrespecting Mother Nature – she is, after all, The Great Leveler and nothing less than a formidable enemy, in such a fatal scenario. Things have certainly changed, haven’t they? And not for the better either!

All this – certainly – is all part of the essential element of Change because nothing can stay static and unchanged forever – that is true, for a fact. Everything needs to change, adapt and evolve, if it is to continue surviving, growing and living. People need to change too, otherwise, sooner rather than later, we shall all become fewer and fewer in number, till the human race itself becomes an extinct species that once inhabited this Earth.

My point here is – Change is noteworthy and remarkable if it is for betterment; not if it occurs for the worse. Not if Change continues – unabatedly – in a negative, downward spiral. It’s like – knowingly and speedily – falling into a bottomless abyss of nothingness.

Human beings are their own worst enemies. I doubt very much if anyone can refute this fact. How much more self-absorbed, arrogant, egoistic, greedy, callous and shameless can we become? Doesn’t anyone care for what kind of legacy we are leaving behind for future generations? Or has it always been about ourselves? Think about it.

People change in the same way, as do things that change. While it is possible for change to occur for the better, let it not happen that someone ever feels the need to tell us, “You’ve changed.” The latter is rarely implied as a compliment, if ever – it is a bald statement that fails to inspire confidence in that person. It is an expression of sadness, despair, disappointment and regret for how things used to be and it rings the knell of mistrust – no less.

Nothing in life remains static – changing circumstances and situations force people to undergo a total change in their personality and demeanor and it is hardly ever for a positive purpose. Various factors can cause such drastic changes to occur – a chaotic family life; a toxic work culture; negative peer pressure; feeling forced to conform to the destructive ways of street gangs; being a victim to substance abuse and drug abuse are just a few elements that can cause a drastic change in personality – for the worse. If something, or the negative influence of a person, is so harmful and destructive that it causes us to alter our entire personality and behaviour, then it is synonymous with taking galloping steps down the ladder of degression. It is contrary to everything that signifies growth and change for betterment.

A true friend will never expect you to change your ways to suit their hidden purposes – never lose sight of this fact. Forever be true to yourself! Never change your entire personality to suit another person’s hidden, ulterior motives. Never depend upon other people for your own happiness and peace of mind – such persons are there today, but will have disappeared completely from sight tomorrow. Such ulterior-motivated individuals are the least dependable; often largely destructive, and tend to be distinctly unreliable. Learn to be content and happy with your own company. Do not seek unnecessary approval from others. It means little- or nothing – believe me!

The world is no longer what it used to be – that much is quite clear. Have you changed? Think about it. If it was for the better, then be sure of making great strides on the road of progress and self-fulfillment.

However, has it happened that you have changed for the worse? Have you become dishonest and deceitful? Have you turned into a pathological liar and a cheat? Are you devious, sly and cunning? Have you become untrustworthy, unreliable, and irresponsible? Are you filled with an all-consuming vengeful anger, hatred, and bitterness? Are you a violent, mean-minded, fickle, rude, obnoxious, cruel, and vindictive person? Were you a good person before these changes occurred? Were you someone else entirely – a long time ago – before you became all – or some – of the above? If yes, then stop immediately, right where you are. It is imperative that you make a radical change for betterment from within yourself , without further delay – a noticeable change that will inspire confidence in the opposite party, as much as it instils, once again, a sense of trust and faith in you and your new-found ways.

Just think about it. Carefully. It’s crucial and extremely vital. Nothing more. Nothing less.

How can we expect the world to become a better place to live in, if we do not make an active decision to change and become better people ourselves first? We cannot be arrogant and expect the world to change for us. Change for the better needs to come first from within ourselves.

Will we ever live to see a better tomorrow and a better future? The answer lies in our own hands and in our own choices – that’s all I can truly say.

Let it never happen – for our own sakes – that Change itself continues to be so negative and so fruitless that it implies a sharp descent into regression, perversion and rot. That – in itself – is the Road to Hell – believe it or not.