The Bigger Picture: There is a lot of talk going on about litter these days. We speak of the problem in terms of strategies to deal with it, training to prevent it and enforcement of violators. However, littering is a consequence of low self-respect. And, no one can legislate for or police against that.
There are several issues that create the problem of littering. Included in these are a lack of personal and social awareness, and a lack of access to intelligent thinking. This is where things get tricky. Questioning intelligence can cause many very good people to get defensive. And yet, it is not a given in how we behave. It must be considered.
Simply having thought and taking action does not define intelligence. This is a much more specific process involving several crucial stages. The ability to first notice several dimensions of what is happening around you, and connect with them personally in terms of their effects and consequences for those around you are key. We must be aware, we must be able to notice, and we must have understanding of our fundamental interconnectedness if what we are about to do can be justified as deriving from intelligence.
Once this awareness is in place, the next step is to come up with new, positive, flexible solutions that support the growth and survival of many diverse groups. These solutions will then need to be assessed for what appears to be the best, and carried out.
Sound like a tall order? Apparently. Masses of people seem to struggle with exactly this. And yet, as technical as it may seem, these are the elements of intelligent thinking. This is the essence of human thought. And, we are capable of performing this process easily and within seconds in relation to any given encounter.
The truth, unfortunately, is that in our so-called advanced society, we have encouraged and accommodated a great deal of behaviour that is lacking in intelligence, and thus is not consistent with and true of our nature as human beings. Most of what we see modelled around us, including in much of our leadership, is not intelligent - characterised by fresh, innovative ideas that reflect our mutual inter-relationships and benefit widely - but reactive.
Everything we do has consequences. When we relate to each other in positive ways, we create a social environment that fosters good feeling, pride and self-esteem. In doing so, we also strengthen our much-needed social bonds and support networks. Thus, a community benefits, and we cannot survive without that community. When we are unaware of these simple facts and follow through with actions that negatively affect those around us, we are indeed self-destructive.
You may not immediately see the connection between the fabrics of our survival and dropping a piece of paper on the ground as you walk quickly to your next destination. But, then again, the problem is really one of not seeing. Indeed, if personal awareness of interconnections were strong, we wouldn't have this problem in the first place.
The fact is it does make a difference. It's a matter of pride. Stacking up a lot of thoughtless actions only makes it easier to continue being unaware, unconnected and generally only a shadow of what you are meant to be. What's more, it is in fact quite stressful to continue to make yourself something less than what you are on a day-to-day basis. While hanging onto a wrapper so you can put the used chewing gum back into it and throw it away when you come across a bin, won't by itself change your life to the one you want, it will allow you to become more aware and start you down the track of accessing more of your intelligence more often. Believe me, that will make a difference to who you are and what you accomplish.
It is a lack of self-esteem and empowerment that result in being reactive and losing access to our intelligence. This rather profound state of affairs is advertised in even our smallest, most mundane actions. It shows up in our environment for everyone to see. We can ignore it - consistent with the ignorance that led us here - but it is simple to apply some conscious effort into becoming more aware, even at the most basic level of our environment.
Thoughtfully taking action can increase our conscious thought. Becoming conscious will increase our awareness further. Ultimately, we become smarter people. I've never known anyone who wasn't interested in this goal.
The fact is that great things await us as we figure out how to hold onto our garbage until we find a bin to dispose it into. It shows we have pride and self-esteem. It shows we are sensitive, aware and above all intelligent. While it is not something that everyone in our society can rise to at the moment, it would be nice if a majority of us from all walks of life did choose to exercise our true nature. It would, indeed, make an incredible difference.
Shalini Sinha has worked as a life coach and counsellor and presents the intercultural programme, Mono, on RTÉ. She has a BA in anthropology and a MA in women's studies