Let's get radical

Recently a few people called me RADICAL which I perceived as an insult. Then a good friend explained to me what radical really means... Now I want to be more radical.

In everyday use, a radical person is associated with disobedience, extremism and violence. It's someone who is not good for society, someone who is dangerous. But in truth? Another word that has been misused...

rӑd´ῑk-әl – from Late Latin radicalis (“of or pertaining to the root, having roots”); from Latin radix (“root”). Meaning “going to the origin, essential”.

On Wikipedia, the adjective radical is described as “favouring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter”. Isn't this exactly what is missing in the world? Change at the deepest possible level!

“We have come to a point in time where using common sense, speaking factual truths and asking honest questions have been deemed radical behaviour. While in turn, manipulation, thoughtlessness and dishonesty is often rewarded and rules the day.” (Gary Hopkins)

Plenty of good things are happening but on the whole our system is seriously sick. It's a system that allows war and starvation instead of choosing peace and food for all. A corrupt system that is destroying the planet and distracting us with commercials and dividing politics from the fact that we, the citizens of the Earth, are actually committing suicide. A sad ending for humanity is unfolding on the horizon of tomorrow. It's there, right in front of your eyes. You just have to look.

If we're honest most people are ill too. Some more, some less, but few can be called sane and wise and healthy inside out. We're functioning and getting by but we've long stopped living in true harmony with nature – and with ourselves. So much dissatisfaction, fear and hatefulness; so little love, kindness and understanding. And those moments of feeling alive and blissful and connected to everything, shouldn't there be many more of them?

Antonyms for radical: ignorable, trivial

Ignorance and superficiality won't help us to live in peace, nor will they make us truly happy or help us to survive. We need awareness and depth! And since being radical means exactly that – to look deep within and finding the real cause of our problems – the thing we all ought to do is to become more radical. To listen to the heart, rise up and change everything for the better.