Change and adapt to a new situations but never go against the evolution of things is to go against yourself

The principle of adaptation

«To go against the evolution of things is to go against yourself»

This principle of active nonviolence and valid action explain that when we know clearly before had the outcome of a situation, the correct attitude to use is to accept this outcome completely as possible, and take advantage even of its unfavorable aspects.

Given theses situations we can freely choice to work with others to change theses unfavorable aspects of our life and our future. For my self I got involved in various popular and community group at a young age and most significant work I did was my involvement in a community newspaper. Mainly because we work directly on daily neighborhood issues and transmitting new ideas and projects.

In fact principle of adaptation become clear for me if I remember situations in my past when I acted against it and others time when I work with the principle. Through my involvement in the community newspaper I had the opportunity to work on local issues. Issues that had common ground with the neighbors such as adding a « stop » sign to prevent accident. I could had choose to do nothing about but than we know the probabilities that an incident would occurred was higher. Finally after a couple of articles the city installed the stop sign. For 11 years I participated as a volunteer in the newspaper. Many times we had articles linking the local to the global issues. We had the opportunity to demonstrate how violence and discrimination at the neighborhood level were link to global issue. 

When social media took over the traditional medias, it seem obvious that we needed to change our way of doing things. I started to write blog in participated on social medias with the dissemination of opinions, articles etc. I adapt my volunteer work to the new moment. I feel it more interesting to study the situation we live in now, and realize what would happen if we don't apply the principle and if we choice to do nothing.

The first thing to mention about this principle, is that we must not oppose those situations which are truly inevitable. On the other had, if people had believed that all illnesses were inevitable, medical science would never have progress. 

If a scientist like Galileo, had believed without any doubt the conception of the universe of the Catholic Church, he would've not proposed the "heliocentrism" in XVII century. Maybe science would have progress on a different path. Obviously Galileo met with opposition from various astronomers and with the church, but it didn't stop the evolution of astrophysics. Moreover after four centuries of space exploration through telescope, human beings were able to observed the vastness of the universe. 

If the Russian Leon Tolstoi had not wrote about meaning in life and nonviolence at the end of the XVIIII century, maybe the american author Henry Thoreau, would not have wrote his book "Resistance to Civil Governement" (Civil Disobedience). If we go on, maybe Mahatma Gandhi would not have be inspired by nonviolent civil disobedience, since Thoreau book would not have existed. Finally maybe Martin Luther King would not have started a civil disobedience in Montgomery Alabama, after Rosa Parks decided to not change seat from the whites-only section to "colored section" because Mahatma Gandhi would not have been inspired by civil disobedience.

If Mary Wollstonecraft wouldn't have written  «A Vindication of the Rights of Woman» in 1792, maybe the right to vote required by suffragettes movement in the 20th century  wouldn't have be won through peaceful acts of civil disobedience and hunger strikes. Maybe women rights wouldn't have advances. 

What about the progress and evolution of a Nation?  Maybe the American would not have gone to the moon, if they had not develop this ingenious ability to work together, surpassing the fact that they had different religious and political views and believes. Than everyone saw pictures  of our fragile planet flowing into sidereal space. These images awake deep experiences and « ancestral connection » of the human being with mother earth. In fact few years after a global ecological movement was launched. 

Climate change & wars

In life we need to resolve problems. If we do resolve problem than we advances and humanity advances. Obviously today we have complex situations to resolves and we shouldn't give the responsibility to find solutions to politicians.

Because we understand that the corrupted economical and political system will never truly address the alarming social and climate crisis.  We also know that the social and economical model discussed on the television are not the central interest of the people and the new generation. 

Today most people are looking at new alternatives. They look for progressive elements. We understand that the climate is changing faster than what was planned by scientific. We understand  that the confrontational  « discussion » among the power state may generated more problem, such as conflict and war all theses events may add many problems to an already complex situation.  Will we do nothing ? Well we should not give the responsibility to resolve theses  complex situations to politicians how already lies to us. In fact very soon it will no longer matter who is the president or the prime minister as our living situation get more and more complex.

What will we do ? Since ancient times, human being has struggle do change situations of violence  that were blocking evolution and his future. So they, he, ( human being) will  find a way out. Because, we  know that for human being contrary to ´fish’.  It’s possible to change and adapt to a new situations. In fact, the possibility that they will find a way out will be much greater if they make every possible effort.

We find our personal future tied out to our collective future. Climate changes, individualism, possible nuclear war or incident, war between geopolitical power, concentration of money in the hand of a few. We know that  theses issues have terrible impact on our life.But at the same they are opportunities to do better things, better conditions.  If we want a future for ourselves and for humanity many things has to changes and we must find a way to adapt. Obviously that means that we had to let go on things that generated conflict in ourselves and others. Let go of those beliefs that generated in

We could pay attention where we put our energy, our actions is this difficult time,  there is a need for a certain growing adaptation in which one acts in favor of evolution rather than momentary concerns and where one is turning away from all forms of human involution.

There is a fable which illustrates the principle of adaptation  (1)

"To go against the evolution of things is to go against yourself"

In a lake lived a turtle named Turtleneck, who had two wild geese as friends. There came a drought which lasted twelve years, The geese finally believed that the lake was going to dry up. 

"Let us look for another lake, they said, "unfortunately, we will have to leave our friend Turtleneck."

When they said good-bye, the turtle replied, "I am a native of these parts and I can always find water, but you may not have enough, so I understand you have to leave. Nevertheless, life would be boring without you. So we should all leave together".

"We are unable  to bring you since you are a creature without wings." said the geese.

"But, said the turtle, "there is a way to make it possible". Bring me a wooden stick.", said the turtle. The geese did this, and the turtle held herself by damping her mouth to the middle of the stick.

She said, " now hold the stick firmly with your beaks, one on each side. Take off and fly smoothly, through the heights, until we find another desirable place where the three of us can live."

"But they replied, there are two obstacles to this nice plan. First, you do not really need to go to another place and for us it is a matter of life and death. The stick and your weight would endanger our flight as well as yourself. Besides, if you followed your habits and started to talk you could lose your life."

"Well" said the turtle, "you need water and company. So we are all in the same situations. As for my conversation, from this moment I am taking an oath of silence, and I will remain this way as long as we are in the air."

The friends then put their plan in action. But while they carefully carried the turtle above nearly village, the people noticed  them and a confused murmuring arose.

They asked, "what is that object like a chariot which geese are carrying in the space?" Might be a Maharajah or some other powerful being ?

The turtle, remembering the stones that the children had thrown at her in the lake, wanted to show off to the people that she could fly. She cried out proudly, "it is I Turtleneck".

But, she had scarcely spoken when the poor thing lost her hold on the stick and, fell to the ground. And the people, who liked her meat, took her home and ate her.  

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source (1) : The book of the community

Image: https://theejbm.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/marathon-running-the-macroevolution-and-continued-adaptation-of-a-uniquely-human-trait/