COURAGE TO STAND ALONE

 

“It is easy to stand in a crowd,

 but it takes courage to stand alone.”

These words by the great Mahatma Gandhi, pre-eminent leader of India’s independence movement and the architect of the principle of non-violent civil disobedience that has since dramatically influenced the world, have become a universal banner for commitment and courage. For as long as recorded history is available, the world has witnessed acts of individual courage, where committed individuals have stood out against tyranny and unacceptable social conditions, submitted to untold pressures and suffering, only to succeed in their effort to improve their world. They stood up alone, whe the rest were content to cower in fear and apathy!

But when we chose to take an unpopular position and speak out against unsatisfactory prevailing conditions we must recognize there may be a price to be paid. We must be prepared not only to find ourselves standing alone, but very likely be exposed to ridicule from friends and others. We must also be prepared to face the onslaught of embarrassments and criticisms likely to follow. It means having the courage to stand on our beliefs, to hold steadfastly to the truth as we saw it, and resolutely express it. It means being prepared to move away from our comfort zones if this is needed, and push ourselves further beyond our safe limits. It means also, and above all, being prepared to accept that we might not be always right, and when that happens, be honest and willing to accept responsibility and learn from the experience. These are the criteria that are absolutely necessary to make sure that our efforts can be successful. They bear no relations to our natural ability or physical or intellectual endowment, but every thing to our innate character and spirit. U. G. Krishnamurti, the renowned Indian philosopher, very wisely and simply explained this in the following manner:

“You can have the courage to climb mountains, swim lakes, go on a raft to the other side of the Atlantic or Pacific seas; That, anyone can do. But the courage to be on your own, to stand on your two solid feet, is something that cannot be given by somebody.”

Consider the following outstanding examples of people who chose to stand alone and in doing so, succeeded in effecting major social changes the world:

Mahatma Gandhi: an excellent example who he led India, his nation, in non-violent action against British rule. Even though he was jailed several times for his protests, he persisted to eventual victory with total independence in 1947.

Nelson Mandela: who gave up a chance to enjoy a privileged life, to fight against the unjust system of apartheid in South Africa. He persisted even after a 20 year prison sentence was pronounced. But before this was completed, as a result of world pressure being brought on the government, he was released to lead a free Republic of South Africa.

Martin Luther King Jr.: an ordained minister, who will always be recognized as the symbol of the non-violent fight against racial discrimination in the US. He faced extremely virulent opposition and blatant discrimination by certain sections of the American population. His efforts eventually forced a change in the US law and led eventually to the election of a black president in 2008.        

Malala Yousafzai: the young Pakistani schoolgirl who chose to defy the dictum by the Taliban Muslim extremists and to campaign for the rights for education for girls. Despite being almost killed, she has become a global symbol for education and women’s rights and was awarded the Nobel Prize.

These are but four of the endless number of people who have chosen to stand apart and to fight on their principle. They had chosen national issues and as a result have gained national recognition. But every day in so many ways, people have exercised this principle of standing apart from others, and have exhibited the courage to stand their ground. Even in our mundane day-to-day living, when you stand up against cheating, when you show courage to remain faithful in your relationships even after others urge you otherwise, when you refuse to drink beyond a reasonable degree even in the midst of celebrations, when you chose to work on, when others urge you to join them in protest, these are all examples of special people in special occasions exercising their right to stand alone. This is courage at its best. As Eleanor Roosevelt, the accomplished author, poet and wife of America’s longest serving president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, so wisely observed:

“When you have decided what you believe, what you feel must be done, have the courage to stand alone and be counted.” 

Unfortunately, society as it presently functions is intent on resisting any change that disturbs its status quo, and as a result does not easily accommodate dissention. Indeed society works best by encouraging the majority rule, and discouraging any attempt by individuals to be different. Added to this is the fact that people in general prefer to follow the crowd and relinquish the responsibility to the few chosen among them as de-facto or designated leaders. It is clearly a lot easier for the establishment to maintain uniformity and control by maintaining this status quo, since it does not have to deal with objections or disagreement. In like manner, it would appear that it is preferable to the leaders if the public follow the crowd in the direction laid down by them and avoid doing anything that “rocks the boat.” But doing what is needed to be done at the right time, to the right people, in the right manner, especially where the stakes are high, takes confidence and courage. Haldór Laxness, the internationally respected Icelandic poet and Nobel Laureate brilliantly and precisely summarized this position in the following manner:

                             

“A man is not independent unless he has the courage to Stand Alone!”

 Each culture or society or organization functions with certain core values, beliefs and objectives. In the natural state there are dynamic processes constantly operating that, on the one hand try to encourage the acceptance of new ideas and concepts while the others insist on not changing but continued stability. It is clearly a lot easier to maintain the current status and many will go to great lengths to do this. Most people are inherently predisposed to resist change or to accommodate any change in the environment without objecting, even if they consider the change helpful. Any one therefore who stands up to object, or to try to introduce disruptive change will undoubtedly have a negative impact on major segments of their society. This is the reason why so many are discouraged from standing up, even if they felt it necessary, and risk the possibility of resistance and ridicule from society. As E. Arnold Bennett, the highly respected English poet and author so wisely noted:

   Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.”

    

 Friedrich Nietzche, the famous German philosopher, social critic and author who found himself in repeated situations of having to stand up against social and religious inequalities during his lifetime made the following observation:

“The individual has always to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes even frightened.”

There is indeed great truth in this statement, since the road to be traveled and the struggle to be endured is invariably a lonely, difficult one, strewn with boulders of disgust, disdain and disrespect designed and engineered by those who resist the change. It invariably demands a great deal of courage and forbearance to survive the storms that gather from friend and foe alike.  As J. K. Rowling, the greatly acclaimed author of the world’s best selling series The Harry Potter Fantasies, writing from personal experience, noted:

 “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies

  But it takes a great deal more to stand up to your friends.”

Indeed, there is often a very steep price to be paid for having the courage to stand up for your beliefs and ideals, but equally, you will pay a similar and difficult price in the subsequent regret and remorse you may feel for not doing so.

But history has shown however, that in the end each one of us at some time in our life, will be called upon to stand up and defend our principles. We are the only ones who will decide whether to answer the call or not. We will always be faced with two choices, either to remain seated and let others do the fighting, or do as the late great Jamaican Reggae exponent Bob Marley strongly advised us all in the chorus of his very popular song entitled “Get up, Stand up:”

‘Get up; stand up for your rights.

Get up! Stand up! Don’t give up the fight.”

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