What a single person can do…

…if he or she has the courage to stand up for him- or herself and at the same time perceive the world around him or her well, instead of blindly trusting what everyone says or what is spread everywhere as a preconceived opinion … is an extraordinary great deal. It is even necessary if we don’t want to collectively succumb to an obviously manipulative and destructive power. Evil dresses itself in the robe of good. It uses the deep inner desire of most people for peace, health and well-being for destruction. For instance, we don’t have to “all pull together” as the German Chancellor preaches in front of the international press. Nor is anyone automatically egoistic because he or she isn’t prepared to sacrifice his or her individuality on the altar of an apparently superior power for the common welfare.

The destructive potential of this self-proclaimed “power” over all others is already evident and yet it continues to progress. Everyone must apparently pull together and “Only together are we strong!” Whoever dares to be individual becomes in this kind of logic the guilty party for the destruction, which in reality is caused by unseen rulers.

Individuality is the highest value of man. Every single person contributes to the whole and to a constructive development of true, humane ideals through his or her differences and through his or her personal background, knowledge and experience. The German Chancellor speaks of unity (“We are one world!”). (1)), but the measures imposed bring above all destruction, isolation and divisions. It seems to be of great importance to note that the “one world” can only reach its full potential if each member of it takes an individual role with responsibility. One could also say it like this: everyone contributes something and plays an authentic, individual role in enhancing the whole.

Edward Snowden once said to his two interlocutors in a conversation on democracy: ” We three have above all one thing in common: that we are completely different!” (2). He himself is one of the many examples of people who, as individuals, have taken courageous steps to achieve astonishing things for humanity, for the world and its progress towards desirable ideals.

drawing (Julian Assange) and text: Christine Richter

(1) Angela Merkel in a video message (2:44 min.) on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations – spoken on 21.9.2020

(2) “Meeting Snowden”, ARTE (video YouTube 48:49 min.) Edward Snowden in conversation with the American Larry Lessing and the Icelandic Brigitta Jónsdóttir on the subject of “democracy”.