I had this really strange realization over the weekend, which is that it’s probably all our fault that the world is in the state it is (however you judge that state to be).

Our fault!

It’s quite a mad thought to me, that it’s our fault. Global warming, child poverty, human trafficking, nefarious politicianing, bribery and corruption – whatever it is you decide is wrong in the world: OUR FAULT.

Bit unfair, maybe?

But it was triggered by me realising how much plastic tat our two children have. Crap they don’t need, don’t play with, accumulated low-cost cheap-labour-created utter rubbish. And then I started thinking about the food we waste at home (I know I don’t look like I waste food, but trust me – I/we do . And how angry I get about the recent Guantanamo news, or Ian Tomlinson’s inquiry, or whatever, but know that I actually DON’T DO ANYTHING. I carry on.

And I thought about these words from Tom Bailey:

Work less. Consume less. Live more. Amen…. just as soon as the obscenely large job is out of the way.

Brilliant words that sum up my behaviour entirely!

How I’d love to do that, in theory, I mused on reading those words. But really? Really? Really I don’t seem to want to. I want to work MORE, have MORE, I don’t even know what I’d do if I had more time – either try and start a business or ride my bike more (I’m quite happy with the amount of time I spend with my beloved family!!). I just don’t do idling very well. So I carry on.

And if I’m carrying on, and not doing everything I can to change the world, then I have to take some responsibility - I realised.

The reason I write this is because that’s not the vibe I get from the world around me.

We don’t seem to collectively believe that it’s our fault. It’s big business, or politicians or whoever. But it might as well be Martians. Because by damning them, we’re absolving ourselves of responsibility. We are thus made powerless victims, unless I’ve misunderstood.

There are people I know that do rail against and do expend every piece of their capacity and available resources at making a difference, and I have nothing but respect for them. But I can think of one person – only 1 – that really does this. But we’ve seen around the world people exerting their power and making changes – massive, previously unthinkable changes.

So I’m starting to wonder if it does all come back to us. If it is, actually, our fault. My fault. My responsibility. Maybe by not changing it, I might as well have created it. I own it. It’s mine, the way the world is.

It’s interesting for me to think like that. Maybe one day I’ll do something about it. Maybe we all will.