The Secret to Changing the World!
Every year Sylk Magazine dishes out unique and profound advice for the holiday season. Last year we dismantled the asinine and empty practice of wishing for peace on earth. The year before that we gave you the secret to really giving the perfect gift. So what do we have for you this year?
Not much… only the formula for changing the WORLD!
Although a few of the Sylk Girls are working on evil plans for World domination, for now we are going to tell you how to change the World for the better.
How are we going to do this? Well first we identify the problem with the World, or one of the problems at least.
THE PROBLEM: People don’t care about each other. There is a progressively worsening attitude of “One For One and All the rest can eat shit.” I see it more and more all the time as people become more distant and have less interaction.
For example, we don’t go in to the bank anymore, we use the ATM. We have the option of checking ourselves out at the grocery store. Then you have cell phones, MP3 players and laptops.
This is the problem! As we lessen our interaction with one another people become dehumanized and begin to treat each other as nuisances, not people. Respect for our fellow man/woman is dying.
Go look for yourself. Sit in a coffee shop for a few hours one morning. Count how many people come in on their cell phones, bark their order, get their coffee and go without so much as acknowledging the people behind the counter or anyone else.
A more extreme case, where I actually witnessed a woman’s purse being stolen in a public place. The woman comes back and freaks out of course and starts asking if anyone saw what happened. Not only were the people who witnessed the theft unwilling to speak up, many actually left to avoid being involved.
You may say the woman was an idiot for leaving her purse on the table. But what kind of World have we created that you cannot walk away from your property in a public space and have the confidence that your fellow citizens will have your back for 30 seconds. Without a basic level of trust there can be no community and without a sense of community, society will crumble.
THE SOLUTION: The solution is simple (in theory). Rebuild a sense of community! I am not talking about your neighborhood watch, I am talking about global community.
This is how we do it! The first step is, hold your head up high. The second step is to smile. It’s that simple!
When you walk into the coffee place tomorrow, or whenever, flash a big grin at anyone with whom you make eye contact. When you get to the counter and are greeted, smile and say hello before ordering. Same goes for everywhere you go everyday. Even if you are just walking down the street, smile at people you pass.
This is very important! I don’t care if you are on your cell phone, or have had a really shitty day, just smile. You don’t have to say anything or even nod your head, just freaking smile.
You may not even get a smile back but I guarantee that person is walking away thinking about what just happened, and eventually will return the grin to someone. Regardless you are going to feel good because you just made a positive emotional connection with a fellow human being.
If enough people are smiling at each other and making that positive emotional connection, it will spread and eventually society as a whole will become better for it. It is basic emotional physics. A positive emotion in motion tends to stay in motion.
Soon as people start seeing each other with humanity and compassion again they will be more compelled to helping each other and watching out for each other. This will create a sense of security and comfort thereby rebuilding and strengthening local communities, then spreading to regional communities, and eventually globally.
So there you have it. Go buy some teeth whitening strips and make this world a better place for all. 
