The Curse of Choice
It's your Choice.
Choose your outfit; choose your friends; choose your social media platform to show your privilege. Choose your school; choose a dishwasher; choose what flavour gum you want to chew.
We are lucky enough to live in a country that allows us to choose: the media we want to consume, the clothing on our backs, the type of music we listen to, the banks we trust our savings with, the amount of food you want to eat, the colour of your eyes and hair.
But choices are hard: do we give the spare change to that wailing homeless woman begging outside the liquor store? Do we subscribe to magazine and Netflix or do we donate it so less privileged girls can get an education? Do we choose a pure bred or adopt an old three legged pet? Do we send support to our troops or do we use it for local infrastructure?
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -Dumbledore.
I am privileged enough to enjoy a warm latte whenever I want. I can grab a beer after work with friends. I can buy a new vinyl record, go for weekend getaways with my boyfriend, and not have to worry about keeping the lights on.
Not everybody has these luxuries. And in a world that feeds off disparity, we have more than enough to even the playing field. Now before you call me a communist, take a breath. The point here is that we are privileged, the world is unfair, and everyday, we are presented with the opportunity to make a positive impact.
Everything comes down to a choice. And when it comes down to it, we will always choose to make ourselves more comfortable over helping others. Whether it's greedy, laziness, selfishness, or if it's human nature, we must keep in mind that we are lucky enough to have the chance to change someone's life.
2016 has been a shit show, to say the least. Let's make it better. We, as a race - the human race, can choose to be better. Let's work together and choose to make the world a better place.
