On Change

Dear Michelle,

The world is a constantly changing place. Even if we ignore the changes that we ourselves create, such as new technology like computers and mobile phones, the very fact that people age and die is a form of change. We can discount humans entirely, and we realise that the world continues to change: plants and animals affect the world, and the earth itself is constantly shifting and changing. Nothing is truly permanent.

And yet people behave as though permanence is assured. In reality, people are very much afraid of change. Across America, there are cities and towns where money and work is constantly being poured into "revitalizing" the old, decaying parts of town to "save" them from the onslaught of modernization. Where the downtown area once was the centre of a city's shopping, it is now falling into disrepair as people instead choose to buy at large super-centres like Wal-Mart and Target. Those negatively impacted by this shift in shopping habits, like the shop owners in the downtown area, complain about "unfair competition" and insist on wasteful programmes that are intended to revitalise the area, but in the end, have no real effect on where people go to make their purchases.

The fact is that smaller speciality shops are obsolete, but the shop-owners aren't willing to admit it. Just as there is no longer a need for coopers, since nobody uses barrels any more, there will soon be no need for small specialty shops, because their function has been subsumed by a newer alternative.

Another example is the current health care debate in America. Part of the reason that many people resist the idea is because it's a major change, and they're not willing to accept that. I saw an interview with a man who said "Americans like their health care system the way it is." Which, in part, translates to "Americans are afraid of changing things."

The fact is, the world is a large and often overwhelming place, and it can be difficult to understand it and your role within it. This is only complicated by the fact that it is always changing and inconstant. Once you've learned how things work and where you fit in, something changes, and you have to start learning all over again. But unfortunately, change is inevitable, and so it's better to accept that the way things once were they will never be again.

Don't get me wrong: not all change is good. But no matter what, change will happen. It's best to be prepared for it. Don't be like the old nostalgic folk yearning for a better time; there was no better time. It only looks better in memory.