You. Are. Being. Watched

Apparently Britain has the most CCTV cameras in the world.  Apparently the average person is captured over 300 times a day.  We are being watched and monitored and scrutinised in our daily lives.  Now the issue of whether these ‘preventive measures’ actually reduce crime or displace crime is contentious, but what I do know is these cameras make me feel very uncomfortable.  It highlights how we are in a society that does not trust, builds an atmosphere of fear and reduces humanity to pixelated images on a screen.

Fear creates fear.  Violence creates violence.  Suspicion creates suspicion. 

The tabloids shrieks in their headlines that each day you’re likely to be mugged, murdered or molested.  The Government want to tighten its grip around our throats and squeeze the voice of reason from us.  Muffle us and marginalise us.

When did we become so afraid of our own shadow?  Only the other day a colleague of mine got worried about giving a customer a plaster just in case she wasn’t allowed.  That may seem absurd, but we are watched in our every move, we get worried about the smallest action

I long for the day when we understand community again and aren’t afraid of fellow man and woman.  I long for the day when people are given the power to decide what’s good for them.  I long for the day when government guides us and empowers us, not controls us. 

Love creates love. Hope creates hope. Faith creates faith.

Trust Me

I trust you.  I believe in you.

Unfortunately the word trust appears synonymous with the word naive.  To trust someone is seen as a little silly because ultimately others are out to get you and figuratively screw you over.  I'm saddened by this assumption because it places so many misconceptions on others.

I'm not in the game of trying to deceive others and get what I can from them to the detriment of their happiness.  I'm sure you're not either; so why should everyone else be?

"They won't help you."
"Put some pressure on them and then you might get somewhere."
"Don't be too honest, it'll be used against you."
"You can only trust yourself."

We all use these (or similar) phrases at times and yes, sometimes they are justified.  Some people are simply on the lookout for easy ways to make their life "better" by taking from others.  We have a government and many off-shoot organisations that seek to exploit us by taking money from us any way possible.  Many places no longer give us customer service; we have to do all the hard work and when they fail to deliver, we are henceforth blamed, even though we are paying THEM money.  So I do understand why we are very tentatively walking in the footsteps of trust.

But, as a vast amount of individuals, we are seeking a community feel, a sense of safety and trust with each other and those around us.  I don't want to live in a world where we accuse and doubt all the time.  I don't want to find the creeping sensation of mistrust crawling through my stomach.  I like to give people the benefit of the doubt because I know most people would like to do the same.  At work, if a customer forgets to bring cash (we don't accept cards), I'm happy to send them up the road to get some money and then come back.  99% of the time they do.

In New Zealand, the hostel owner at a place we stayed let me borrow her truck to drive into the village and get some beers and food.  She'd known me for a few hours.  There was a natural sense of trust for others.  Some may find this absurd, but I find it wonderful.  I find it uplifting.

Sometimes we need to listen to our instincts (our 'gut') because most of the time people don't have a secret agenda; those who do I tend to find my 'gut' gives me warning signals to be a bit more careful.

Trust those around you more.  Do you even know the names of your neighbours?  They're probably lovely people.  Get to know them.  Trust them.  We know our neighbours, talk with them, help them out if we can. It builds a wonderful sense of community and BUILDS trust too.