The blame game

When we were done [protesting], I started wondering if we had accomplished anything. I started wondering whether we could actually change the world. I mean, of course we could -- we could change our buying habits, elect socially conscious representatives and that sort of thing, but I honestly don't believe we will be solving the greater human conflict with our efforts. The problem is not a certain type of legislation or even a certain politician; the problem is the same that it has always been.

I am the problem.

I think every conscious person, every person who is awake to the functioning principles within his reality, has a moment where he stops blaming the problems in the world on group think, on humanity and authority, and starts to face himself. I hate this more than anything. This is the hardest principle within Christian spirituality for me to deal with. The problem is not out there; the problem is the needy beast of a thing that lives in my chest.

[...]

I don't have to watch the evening news to see that the world is bad, I only have to look at myself. I am not browbeating myself here; I am only saying that true change, true life-giving, God-honoring change would have to start with the individual.

-- Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

I usually wait until I finish reading a book, before I pick out the good bits to post, because it may well be that I might start off loving the book, but end up hating it when I'm done; I try to keep an open mind. But this struck me hard, simply because this has been on my mind for a while now, and it makes me cringe to see it put into words, only because of how true it is. I'm guilty of playing that blame game too -- if only people were nicer, less stupid, cared more.