There’s been this slogan I’ve been hearing for a few years now about how if someone weren’t part of the solution, then they were part of the problem. Regarding that claim, let me put it politely. No. I don’t know where these people get their binary logic, on something that doesn’t even have to even be a continuum but isn’t even binary. I don’t know if they realize the dramatic irony of their intrusive labeling considering all these causes they’re applying it to are to take down the unfair binary labels humans have created for ourselves. I don’t know if they realize the ridiculous irony of them labeling others the way they’re fighting not to be labeled themselves, but frankly, no… I’m not part of the problem just because I’m not part of the solution, and I will not stop at shoving that unjust and illogical accusation back into the face of anybody who will try to unfairly put that binary label on me!

How many societal “problems” do you reckon there to be in the world? Do you think you really even have a grasp of them all in estimating? What I can tell you to be one correct answer, though, is far too many for any one person to care the least bit about them all. Who’s got time and energy to attend protests, post on social media, make statements among others in talks and discussions, and, of course, counter negative actions every time they encounter them, whether in person, on social media, or otherwise. Actually, never mind who does, let me rephrase it more accurately and more effectively, who could have enough time to be part of the solution to all the “problems” out there?

Nobody. That’s who.

So is it fair to anybody to label them as being part of the problem just because they can’t be part of the solution given they can’t possibly be part of every solution?

Of course, not. In fact, those who are most passionate about one or two causes and who go accusing others of being part of the problem if they were not part of the solution, are, ironically, part of more problems than the average person, by default! That’s because under similar circumstances of time available in the day, and likely by energy devoted to their one or two passionate causes, they’ve put most of their resources into a few solutions, and neglected all the others! I’m channeling my inner Alanis Morisette here the question, isn’t it ironic?

When it comes to being engaged to try and resolve all these “problems”, it’s a matter of picking your battles with your limited resources of time, energy, income, among other forms of resources. Pick one or some and work on them, be mindful of others not to engage in the wrong way, or be aware that should you encounter it happening, if it were feasible, stand up to counteract it. Basically, do your part, generally speaking, and that should be fair.

For those passionate in their fights to resolve some of humanity’s biggest and most damaging societal problems, that’s great! I applaud you in that. It will take some of you to lead to make headways. But you can’t expect everybody to put it as priority like you do, not the least cause you aren’t putting most people’s priorities as your priorities. So be fair. Encourage people to join in your cause, but don’t go shaming them because they’re not going to, and accuse them of being part of the problem when they might not contribute to the problem, or only contribute to the solution at select times to stop things rather than voluntarily initiate action like protesting. That’s neither fair, nor sensible, and might get you in trouble with the wrong person. There is such a thing as abstention, even if someone were not neutral or indifferent about it. It’s just not possible to be part of every solution, with the final irony that perhaps those who don’t accuse others of being part of the problem by not being part of the solution, is actually “part of fewer problems” than those who accuse them.

Isn’t it ironic?

 

 

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