youth is the engine of the world

It's 7AM and I watched the sunrise. I just got done meditating and I had a small and simple revelation that I want to share with you. As friends of mine I am going to ask you to do two things. The first is a personal favor that acts as a metaphor for the second.


I'm going to ask you once again to vote for Moxie on the website http://lollapalooza.mp3.com/feature/2007lollapalooza/?band=MOXIEPLEASE so that we can play at Lollapalooza.
And I'm going to ask you to change the world, starting with yourself and in baby steps.

Let me explain before I lose your attention. In this Lollapalooza contest, we only need to get in the top 100 to make the next round, which means we only need around 1500 votes. If only half of you vote and also convince someone else to vote, and you do it every day for the next 10 days before the contest ends, we'll easily make it. 1500 votes seems like an insurmountable number, but if I can convince most of you to help us, and if I can convince most you to invite others to do the same, the task will be completed with ease.

In the same way, if I can convince most of you that together we have the power to make massive change in the world, we can do it with ease. It doesn't take all of us doing massive things, in the same way that this contest is not won by one person casting 1500 votes. We only have to take a few small steps together, and MOST IMPORTANTLY to invite others to take those steps with us. Like dominoes or a spark or ripples in a pond, if we can incite those around us to act differently in small ways we WILL make a big impact.

What do you think is wrong with the world today? Where can we make a difference? Depression, obesity, poverty, energy crisis, civil rights for women, gays, minorities - the list goes on and it all seems too overwhelming to deal with. Just like 1500 votes in 10 days seems impossible. But there are two very small things we can do that will make all the difference in the world.

First, make the change in yourself. (Cast that vote, in the metaphor). Depression? Smile. Obesity? Choose for yourself to only eat organic. Poverty? Donate your change to the beggar. Energy? Turn off your lights and computer when you're not using them, etc. There may be better ways, but start small!

Second (and this one is by far the most important), you have to encourage other people to do the same. If you can get one other person to make that small change, and they can get only one other person, who gets one other, it will end up being huge. This step is deceptively simple, so I suggest this. Make a public declaration somewhere of what you think needs to change and what tiny act you will do to change it. Then invite others to join you. Put it on your answering machine, your away message, your facebook profile, your door, your hallway. You can post it on my blog as a comment, you can send me a message and I'd love to talk about it.

My revelation was simple. I realized that we, as youth, are the most powerful people on the planet today. I realized that we are on the brink of a million possibilities and we're letting opportunity slide by us ignored, or shunned by apathy and a false sense of helplessness. Maybe we all think it's impossible, maybe we all think someone else is already taking care of it.

So here's my small change: I'm getting vocal. And I'm asking you to do the same.

If we don't do something, someone else might. They might not. On the other hand, if we take small steps, I guarantee you something big can happen.

peace and love to you all. Enjoy your lives!
jordan