Story and Image by Lehan Winifred Ramsay

A friend said to me: what kind of support is there for young people like us?
We are not young, I replied.

It is easy to fall into the mistake of assuming that change is made by other people. But really we are the ones. The ones to make something change. There are plenty of people older than us and younger than us, it is true. But we don’t know what those people are thinking. They may be thinking the same as we; that there must, or should, be some support for young people like us. Or old people like us.

There are a lot of invisible lines in the world, that we learn that we must not cross. That is often what stops us from protesting or even protecting. It is not our business. It is not our right. It is not our style. It is not our place. Even though they are invisible lines they are as clear to us as the fingers on our hands. Taking a step toward them makes them even more clear. It can be a frightening thing to do.

What you need to remember though is how they look when you have stepped over them to the other side. They look a lot more insubstantial. They look confused, disconcerted, and most of all they look unimportant. Even if you have been punished for crossing the line, the important thing is that you have done it. And you have not died or gone to hell.

Crossing the line can be very frightening. But you need to remember that only part of that menace is what you have actually done. The other part is that you have broken a taboo.
You do need to consider carefully what that taboo is before you decide to take it on. You need to consider the repercussions, the consequences, as far as you know them. You need to try to understand the reason for the taboo, from the point of view of society. And you need to understand your own beliefs. You are going to live with the decision you make.

It might be that in crossing this line, you might lose some friends. You do need to consider this. On the other hand, you might not have as much need for friends; you might find out who amongst your friends are going to stick with you.

Once you have made some investment into a life it can be difficult to take risks that might threaten that investment. So you have started in a job you want to spend a long time in, you want a better job and a better one after that. You want to have a home, you want to get a car, you want a holiday. So you will be careful. You will not speak out, you will not take action, you will not ask for more or less. That is understandable. The problem is that it becomes a habit, and from protecting your investment it can grow. And you begin to limit yourself.

You don’t think so? Find a line and cross it. Try it out. Spend some time learning where you have become overly accustomed to restraint. Take some time to notice how obedient you are. Do you have trouble with your utilities? Do you notice how averse you are to calling them? You get angry and you call the number – and the voice tells you that your call is monitored for “training purposes”. The person you are speaking to is unhelpful. But you are the one who is intimidated. Because you know that this is meant to be frustrating, and you are frustrated.

Try crossing the line. It is your training. Call up every day until you understand how to move from this situation to a better one. Cross that line. Lines don’t always have to be worse, you know.

Try another line. Take more time to get through the checkout at the airport. Linger, luxuriate. Don’t fumble; relax and meander. You obeying all the rules, named and unnamed, has made this system work. You fear the line. Not security. Your good behaviour makes for a good business model.

Sometimes we think that only unorthodox behaviour can be a protest. I don’t think that is correct though. Anyway, crossing the line doesn’t always have to be a protest. It can be a stretch. It can be a shift that gives you a little more room. It can be a life changing realization of just how passive you have become. You might not think that one small rebellion would take you so far. And you may not even want to go as far as you go. But looking back you can hardly regret the experience (the consequences, of course, are a different matter).

Go and see if you can talk to the person that you are sure you are unable to meet. The Prime Minister, and some popstar. Chances are you won’t succeed. Just try it to stretch out your intentions. See who you meet along the way. And try to get whatever message you have to move along the line. You want the world to change? Then try something and see what change is. Because it isn’t other people who change the world.

It’s you who changes the world. And you do that by making a move, and crossing a line. A line that represents something you don’t do, don’t think you can do, are told you can’t do. You cross that line by taking a chance. A chance that it will not work, not be a good thing, not help. Because you want to make a change.

A change is not always found on a line. But often is. It’s a line that is invisible but you know it’s there. That’s why you don’t cross it. To cross it, you have to make a choice, take a chance. You’ll get across it. You will. Or you won’t. Somebody else is not going to do it. That’s not how change works. Why not try yourself.