Evolving Folks Project

In my twenties, I was idealistic. I firmly believed our generation could create real change through advocacy and direct service. As an anti-war protester, an Occupy Wall Street organizer, a soup kitchen volunteer, a food deliverer to the elderly, and a social worker, I saw the value of collective action. Now, as I reflect on the world, I realize the systems shaping our lives are all made up. This means they can be reimagined and improved.

This realization shows that the world endures immense suffering: genocide, war, wealth inequality, racism, climate change, harmful beauty standards like looksmaxxing or BBLs, and sexual violence. These challenges extend from enduring human struggles, making unnecessary suffering still prevalent today. Why do so few enjoy vast wealth while so many live on just a couple of dollars a day?

Reflecting on these issues, I’ve concluded that human society isn’t static. Instead, it’s dynamic—always shifting and progressing. Despite this, many people continue to believe the world is unchangeable, forgetting that we invented the very systems we live in. Race, gender, money, political philosophy, and the economy are all human-made constructs. Society is a flexible set of guidelines and expectations agreed upon by a community.

When we realize that human society is all made up, then we must ask an important question. What agreements have we truly made in the modern era? The stock market is one example of a system built by people.

“The stock market is the collection of physical and electronic markets around the world where investors can trade shares of companies.”

In plain language, the stock market is made up. Investors’ and the public’s opinions of a company’s products affect the stock price. Some companies have no product yet or are just starting to sell. Some have not reached profitability.

“After a decade of losing money on its ride-hailing and delivery operations, Uber finally started turning a profit in August 2023. In that month, the company finally had a net positive result of $326 million. “

After more than 10 years in business, Uber’s ridesharing service only turned a profit 3 years ago. Uber drivers use their own vehicles. Uber takes a share of their earnings. This system is a human construct. Since we created it, can we also improve it?

Race is also a human invention. Humans invented the racial caste system. Scientifically, there is only one race: humanity. Different skin tones, eye colors, and hair textures come from where our ancestors lived. Race is a false idea in science, but it is real in society. Although humans invented race, our made-up racial categories can lead to real-world consequences, like police brutality, mass incarceration, and racial profiling. White supremacists base their entire ideology on a false premise that political systems must constantly enforce.

Dr. King, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, and Angela Davis challenged ideas about race in our society. They showed we are all human.

“More than 100 years ago, American sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois was concerned that race was being used as a biological explanation for what he understood to be social and cultural differences among populations. He spoke out against the idea of “white” and “black” as discrete groups, claiming that these distinctions ignored the scope of human diversity.

“It’s a concept we think is too crude to provide useful information, it’s a concept that has a social meaning that interferes with the scientific understanding of human genetic diversity, and it’s a concept that we are not the first to call upon moving away from,” said Michael Yudell, a professor of public health at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Many people these days struggle to believe in positive change in our world. It’s worth noting a key difference: Earth is where we live. The world is an abstract idea. Our world is a set of nation-states created by human beings. Thus, the world is an idea. Ideas can change.

Because of these ideas, our future can still change. My fellow millennials and I face many uncertainties and deal with existential dread daily. I hope the next generation sees the chance for transformation. Growing problems like climate change and major political movements may open the door to change. If you’ve ever wondered whether our world is all made up, you are right; it is all made up. To quote the late, great comedian George Carlin, “It’s all bullshit, and it’s bad for you.”

I have tried to make the world better by helping others and serving my community. Every day, people have the power to make things better. At one time, in the United States and Europe, corporations forced young children to work in dangerous factories. Most working-class adults had to work 16-hour days, six days a week. This was common at the start of the last century. Many brave people fought hard to start the labor movement.

Workers’ rights and unions made work safer and ensured that injured workers received compensation. They also provided protection against child labor. It’s still not perfect for all people. Many people around the world are still fighting for these rights. Eugene V. Debs, Mother Jones, and many unknown people risked their freedom and lives to improve conditions. We stand on the shoulders of giants. The world can change if people come together to help shape it, even amid many challenges.

The book The Dawn of Everything shows that ancient societies were highly creative before the arrival of colonialism. I believe people can make the world a better place. We all just have to work towards that better world. Another world is possible. A world that provides for all people.