by Xypher Pino

As someone who has always loved stability and predictability, the world we live in today scares me. The individuals we have put in power are unhinged, stubborn, and unwise—possibly the worst characteristics for leaders to have, particularly leaders for a country already divided. Whether it is the economy’s downward spiral into instability or the fracturing of relationships with our closest allies, things are as bleak as they have ever been.

Everywhere I look, there is always something new that disappoints. Our society has become increasingly polarized, with people deeply divided on almost all political and social issues. Negativity has absolutely thrived and fed everyone’s frustrations. Long gone are the days where constructive discussions could be had between individuals with different opinions on a topic.

Nowadays, everything devolves into insults: facts are irrelevant and knowledge is useless since whoever can belittle the other person more is declared the winner. This “if you are not with us, then you are against us” mindset unfortunately dominates our society and has led to the most turmoil we have experienced in decades.

Change needs to happen. To break this never-ending wheel of division and frustration, we must adjust our expectations. If we continue to follow the same paths yet expect different outcomes, nothing different is going to happen. Let us look beyond the norm and embrace unconventional approaches as we analyze the numerous problems of our fragmented society.

Regardless of what you believe in or the amount of influence you think you have in your own community, no one has more power and control than those in leadership positions. There is nothing more that we can do as individuals than change our personal beliefs during these times of uncertainty. It is up to those with power to realize what needs to be done to help prepare everyone for the unexpected.

Thanks to incompetent individuals in power allowing negativity and foolishness to run wild and loose, our expectations regarding leadership, respect, and engagement have drastically changed for the worse in less than a decade. The ability to adjust expectations is becoming more and more of a critical skill. It is essential for us to be able to adapt accordingly; it has been this way since the dawn of man, and this ability is even more vital today than ever. A change in the political climate could not have come at a worse time—with numerous conflicts happening around the world and internal frustrations increasing exponentially, we need strong and decisive individuals to lead us. Unfortunately, we did not learn from our mistakes in the past, forcing us to shift our mindsets just for the sake of moving forward.

We must combat conventional beliefs if we hope to make any change in our society. Rather than letting differences drive us apart, we need to adjust our expectations towards others, particularly those with whom we disagree. We all need to engage with one another on a human level and understand each other’s point of view if we want to be ready for the unexpected.

The idea of earning and gaining respect should be changed. Is it wrong to think that we should all have mutual respect for one another regardless of background or one’s actions and that no matter what happens or changes, respect must always be present? This idea may seem absurd in today’s world, but it should not be. Our job as individuals is to change the negative norms we see in our society.

All we can and should focus on is ourselves. Our little lives have no impact on the world whatsoever, so let us act selfishly and forget about everyone else. At least, that is what the dominant mindset of our society believes. Who is to say that this is what we should expect? Who is to say we cannot change and adapt?

Change does not solely come from the top; it begins with those willing to challenge the status quo. There is no stronger influence in the world than when like-minded individuals come together and perform through action. If we accept the idea that we are powerless, the wheel of negativity will never stop, and nothing will change. We must shift the narrative ourselves and come together; we must be the reason for positive change in this world.

In a complex world at odds, where predictions are nearly impossible and where the unexpected is to be expected, we must not be afraid of going against the grain and changing the norm. Creativity and willingness are key but, most importantly, we need to rely on one another, regardless of differences, if we want to change the narratives of our world.