Today’s Solutions: September 27, 2023

Failing sucks. The lousy feeling you get after you fail is unavoidable. But it’s this experience of negative emotion that drives improved performance the next time around.  Activist Courtney E. Martin broadens this concept when she examines failure in the context of political activism, in Lion’s Roar that makes sense in the context of students striking to provoke action against climate change.

She asks, “What does it mean to succeed or fail when it comes to matters of justice? How do we measure the effectiveness of work as messy, epic, and complex as activism? On an individual level, how do we make daily decisions that close the gap between values and actions? What does it look like to be a person operating where, as theologian Frederick Buechner puts it, one’s “deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet”?”

For the engaged citizen there are no fireworks, no guaranteed rewards or results. There is just consciousness, intention, community, celebration, perseverance, defeat, burnout, self-care.  In the end, even if the entire system fails to change, it’s a good failure if you’ve made life a little kinder or more beautiful.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

The Supreme Court of Brazil upholds indigenous land rights: a victory for con...

Brazil's Supreme Court maintained Indigenous communities' land rights in a landmark decision, putting an end to the prospect of potential rollbacks on these critical ...

Read More

This kind of exercise is a surprising blood pressure-lowering solution

Exercise is a personal experience, with various incentives prompting people to engage in physical activity. Whether you want to live longer, improve your mood, ...

Read More

Be intentional about respecting wildlife by keeping these 4 things in mind

This year, if you are striving to be more considerate of wildlife while on your summer travels and hikes, but still want to enjoy, ...

Read More

Artificial photosynthesis helps plants grow with no sunlight required

Plants use a special natural process called photosynthesis to grow, mature, flower, and produce fruit. Photosynthesis is the way in which plants absorb energy ...

Read More