Che or Chai?

25 May

I was doing some thinking yesterday about which is a more effective way of bringing about change. Is it from within the system or from without? The argument for affecting change from within a given system, is that you have access to “the strings or the gears that make that system move. In this way you are able to make changes more easily because you can fix what is broken while leaving functioning portions working. The argument against this usually charges this idea as being too weak, and not radical enough. Better to have total revolution and start from scratch.

I have always felt an internal struggle myself with where I stand regarding this. I have a desire to be a radical or revolutionary. But when it comes time to do this, the people-pleasing side of me holds back, at least somewhat. Sometimes I have big ideas but when someone (who I gauge as not on board, or not able to understand my sheer brilliance) asks about this, I may water it down or scale back, for fear of a blank stare, or an Ohhh That’s..interesting (cuckoo!).

So I was thinking, I often end up feeling somewhat moderate I guess. Big idea fuel in a Ford Escort. I say to myself, ‘This is because you are afraid to be really revolutionary!” and while there may be some truth to this. I do believe there is value to this position, so long as you stay true to your ideals. Really, I think that the trick is not to be afraid to be within the system and use something that works and toss away what doesn’t. Be experimental, but don’t reinvent the wheel every time you need to put something in motion. A wheel is a wheel, its round for a reason. Just don’t let it continually take you to the same old places all the time.

So with a local coffee shop closing, the now familiar conversation comes up again. Did you hear about Koffeeheads? Yeah, its a shame, it was a cool place. Great coffee. I just found it easier to go to one of the 5 Starbucks on the way to work. There are those who talk about Evil Evil McStarbucks and their corporate coffee. But I think all in all, they do a pretty good job of providing something necessary. Something that was missing from many companies in America. They provide well for their employees and offer good opportunities for advancement. They try to be environmentally and socially conscious, etc. I am sure that they aren’t perfect. No one is. But I am sure as most companies go, they are not the worst of the bunch.

So is it better to be a revolutionary a la Che Guevara, or to be like Starbucks serving up Chai Tea and providing opportunities for improvement to those around you in some way? Maybe this is my 30 year old Dad of 3 stance, but I think if we truly pray for the wisdom to discern when to revolutionize and when to revitalize, we may find revitalization the more valuable option more often than not. Not all the time, mind you, but maybe more than we would imagine.