Success & Self-determination

What distinguishes a healthy successful human being (or animal for that matter) from apathetic pathetic creatures who make excuses for their failures in life? At our Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability we take care of many animals (rehabilitation of wild animals and a few domestic ones). On weekends and holidays I spend more time observing them and also observing human activities in the streets of Bethlehem and globally. I can’t help but compare and contrast and notice variation. For example we have two lizards of the same species, one is rather shy and freaks out in presence of humans the other is calm and collected. Our hamsters shape their own environment and place their waste in one corner, their food in another, and their babies and sleeping quarters yet in another. This got me thinking about human success: those who succeed are precisely those who have self-confidence to decide to work hard to change their circumstances and not take things for granted. I think that is the essence of self-determination: it has to do with self-confidence and not accepting your surroundings as given but shaping it to the maximum possible (which in the case of humans in the interconnected 21^st century world is limitless). We need to get rid of mental colonization first. As said before: “free your mind and your ass will follow”-African-American saying, the best weapon in the hands of the occupiers is the mind of the occupied”-Steven Biko.

Come to think of it what makes a “hero”? The stereotypical stories is that heroes win against difficult odds but the key element ius decision to take on these odds not the winning part. Indeed does a person who tries and “loses” become less of a hero than one who wins? How many indeed are martyr heroes. Here in Palestine we have utmost respect for those who resist (who fight injustice) because it is natural. We disdain those collaborators and those who watch their own narrow selfish interests. Real losers are not who work to change circumstances (even if they are jailed or killed) but only those who stay in their comfort zones. The latter are those who make all sorts of excuses (US is powerful, “Saudi Arabia” has to much leverage to challenge, “Israel” controls the US). What they fail to realize is that the biggest fear of repressive powers like those is that the people develop self confidence that they can change their own circumstances. Apathy empowers tyranny, resistance undermines it. I tell students, staff and volunteers: what you change in your mind you can then change your world. No God or others will save you. Be the change you want to see right now. Power is available to those seek it. Your choice is to be that fish that swims even against the stream or the dead fish that flows with the stream. This seems elementary but it is remarkable that we see more resilience (self-confidence and ability to push positively forward) among animals and plants than among fellow human beings. Even self-declared “leaders” suffer from the lack of self-confidence to RESIST and simply go with the flow. That is why politicians are corrupt and greedy. We have utmost respect to those who are active and work hard positively for the sake of others (society, the enviromnment). They are truly alive because they resist. For the others: for your own sake please liberate your mind and you can then liberate your body from bondage. You can do anything you put your mind to do. I ended my earlier messages with “stay human” but perhaps we should wish to “go wild animal” – reclaim freedom in our mind… resist. To resist is to truly exist! It is the essence of happiness to be determining your own future not to let others do it for you.

Our motto at the museum and institute is RESPECT: for ourselves, for others, for nature. It works.

Now those of us who never take vacations go back to reading, respecting, recycling, reducing (waste), reaching out to fellow living things, and resisting. If you are in the area of Bethlehem, where a guy named Jesus also resisted 2000 years ago, and want to share success then stop by for cup of coffee or tea. We are located here: palestinenature.org/visit

In self-confidence and utmost respect

And in an animal spirit!