Belief Systems and Needs

That whole "1 person can't make a difference" is simply a belief system to get you to not try to make a difference. It's easy to buy into because it requires no action on your part.

Belief systems in general are extremely effective. You reap what you sow with your beliefs. Plain and simple.

Acting on your beliefs creates the intended consequence. Getting the other 99% on board means helping them recognize what their belief systems are and helping them change that. The desired action will happen.

@Andy: your belief system is that you believe in futility, looking outwards to others. Don't take that the wrong way please because I don't mean it in a judgemental, critical way. I've been there too. The only recourse is to keep on plugging away. We WILL see the change in our lifetime. We're seeing it already with a forecast of 25% retailers (church of consumption) expected to fail in 2009.

It's too bad Congress chose to bailout Wall St. The whole concept of free market needs to go bye bye along with this ridiculously unsustainable/suicidal culture.

Krugman says 2009 will be really bad. Sure, but for who? For those who choose to partcipate. I choose to participate in my local economy, thank you very much, rather than believe in Krugman's no-effort-required pessimism.

People still have needs, and as Colin mention on Democracy Now!, most of what we label as needs are actually wants. Lots of needs are unmet and those who choose to participate locally in meeting their neighbor's needs are going to change their entire community!

So, keep on being the change you want to see happen.