Organic Change is Upon Us
Are You Ready?
Change is hard. For some people, it’s impossible unless some outside force pushes them into acceptance. There are at least two kinds of change, orchestrated change, and organic change. Orchestrated change requires the passing of laws, education, and long-term implementation plans. Organic change is a natural occurrence that literally forces people to alter their behavior.
Orchestrated change takes many years.
From the time the idea is presented until normalization takes about 30 years. Let me give you a good example. Health food stores started popping up where I lived in the 60s. I lived in rural Maine, in a tiny town with few choices. However, we had a health food store. Now at the time, organic gardening was often considered the domain of those dirty hippies. Hasseltine and Hershel Hendershaw loathed the hippies down the road that had started a commune. They cursed at them every time they saw one of the members hitchhiking at the side of the road.
They also thought that organic farming was a waste of time and effort. If they had had their way, we’d still only have one type of farming taking place on the planet, big agriculture with plenty of chemicals and poisons. It was good enough for them. They’d lived through the Depression when food was scarce. They were repulsed by the granola crunchy crowd.
So, they fought tooth and toenails to keep things just as they were.
Fast forward to today, and every big chain grocery store in America now has a large organic section. You might even find Haseltine standing in the aisles reading food labels. Something she never did in the past.
Want to know something even funnier?
Haseltine can’t even remember that she used to fight the organic movement. She honestly believes she’s always been on board. Herschel, however, never made it this far. He died of cancer several decades ago still resisting change.
Maybe you know someone like Haseltine and her hubby, resistant to change even if it could save their lives.
Their kind is common. Not just in America either. Maybe the world could be divided between those who welcome change and those who resist. Thankfully, there are change-makers as well. People who not only welcome change but have creative ideas that later benefit the world.
Organic change is a little different from orchestrated change.
Organic change is a force of nature, impossible to ignore, and unwilling to compromise for the resistant. It can bring us to our knees.
I happen to think that we’re going through a period of organic change.
The increasing number of catastrophic weather events all over the world should be an eye-opener. And even though the resistant are still beating their chests and cursing the science behind climate change, it’s getting harder and harder for them to ignore reality.
The world is finally standing up and paying attention.
Change is being forced upon us. How long can we sink tax dollars into rebuilding that which has been destroyed? How many insurance companies need to pull out of states before we are forced to change our behaviors? We’re still in denial but that’s about to change. More and more people will be forced to admit that the new normal is unfolding before their very eyes.
If they want to survive, they will be forced to adopt different lifestyles.
I freely admit that the challenge before us is huge and worldwide. We may or may not have what it takes to save ourselves, but I guarantee you that those who resist change will be brought to their knees. Eventually, they’ll come on board and not long after that they won’t even remember how resistant they had been for decades.
Which type of change do I prefer?
Well, considering that I’m a person who tends to welcome change, I was into health food stores back in the sixties, I prefer orchestrated change. Why?
Because with good information gleaned from ongoing scientific studies, we have a chance of putting our big brains to the task of avoiding future calamities.
Cooperation and collaboration are key to the survival of tribes. I prefer to avoid catastrophe if at all possible. Plus, it’s exhilarating to be on board with a progressive idea that has the potential to move societies in the direction of evolution not revolution. Whenever we can escape our natural tendency to go to war or destroy ourselves, I’m impressed.
It’s interesting to observe the behaviors of human beings.
Much of it is completely predictable. In the case of climate change, well, let’s just say that what’s playing out on the human gameboard is a scenario that any psychologist could have predicted. Humans struggle mostly because they often prefer to try the same thing over and over even if it isn’t working.
We are our own worst enemy, sadly.
That’s why we can’t have nice things, even clean air and water, sunny days, and gentle rains. People. It’s because of people.
It’s always been a battle between those who welcome change and those who resist even if it kills them.
Teresa is an author and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
