OK, so firstly let me introduce myself… My name is Steaphan (call me Steve) and you can read a detailed bio here. In short, I’m an Aussie male with a mission to improve the social & psychological health of my community, especially those who are suffering the most. Right now, I’m preparing through my studies of Psychology and Sociology, and building my business plans. Secondly, I’m entering into local politics through the Australian Greens Party, so I can fight for peoples rights and for policies that insure the long term sustainability of our planet for future generations. This blog is going to be about my journey to turn my goals into a reality – my ups, my downs, my successes and failures. Here’s the question though: Why? Why this mission? Why this blog? What’s in it for me and what’s in it for you?
My mission came about because of my own issues growing up (see bio), so many of which I’m still dealing with the consequences of today. I experienced, and witnessed, the effects of societies ‘values’ within western societies; I saw how they left behind anyone who was different. Those who were disadvantaged, either physically, mentally, emotionally, or economically, were devalued and entered into a continual cycle of devaluation. Vica-Versa, those who are advantaged are entered into an optimisation cycle. Of-course, personal responsibility and choices also play a role here, but those choices are always informed, supported, or threatened by the conditions of our surrounds and our upbringings. In essence as the saying goes – “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer”; this happens in every sense of the word, and the structure of society supports it! This cycle effected me, my family, and my loved ones. While society blamed those ‘failures’ within my family for their own losses, I knew that if they felt they had a choice, or had power, there’s no way they would have ‘freely’ chosen to live like that. Logically it doesn’t make sense for anyone to choose poverty, or loneliness, or addiction etc…, above riches, love, and freedom. This is where my mission was born. I knew that I wanted to help these people, devalued and dis-empowered; help them to believe in themselves and rebuild their lives. Honestly though I still had no idea where to start…
Besides not knowing where to start I also had no belief in my ability to make it happen, and that is where this blog became vital.
Here’s what I hope it will achieve for me:
- Keep me working towards, and clarifying, my goal.
- Keep me active and motivated.
- Reinforce my beliefs in the importance of the goal; and
- Allow me to start making a difference NOW! Collecting feedback as I go.
For all of you, I hope this blog will:
- Give you experiences that you can relate to, helping remove isolation or provide empowerment.
- Open your mind to new ideas and provide you with a new tool-kit so to speak in your daily interactions; and
- If this blog generates attention, which I believe it can, I might be able to influence the way people approach psychology. Hopefully, helping people realise the role the social environment plays not only in determining peoples problems, but also the role it can play in providing solutions.
This blog will be about sharing my reflections on the community and world around me, and my thoughts surrounding these things. I’ll also share my personal stories and how they influenced my mission. Finally, I’ll try share as many links, tools, and resources as I can. At the end of the day though I’m aiming to get one message across, that being my personal belief that be you rich or poor, strong or weak, a tribal community or an industrialised nation, black or white – we are all human and all worthy of equality. Some people may interpret this as a socialist message, and I do see the similarities, but let me clarify. What I’m talking about is valuing all humans in their individualities, and inspiring all in their abilities to achieve; rather than pushing conformity and then dis-empowering people selectively. Capitalism offers great opportunities and motivators for people, but they should be equally offered to all. Any country that allows, as the old general statement suggests, 1% of the population to own 99% of the wealth, or even 10% to own 90% of the wealth; or that allows some people to earn millions and own 18 houses while hundreds of others ,live below the poverty line, is a country in serious need of reform. I know some people reading this believe that these people have chosen their destiny’s “freely”. But let me end this blog with a simple question:
If you could choose between a $500 p/week income, or an income of $2,000 p/week, which would you choose?
– Cheers,
Steve