The Tough Work of Digging Up the Roots

And why it is crucial that we do the work

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

I question myself, a lot. I am curious about almost everything. This is especially true in regard to my writing. “Why do I want to write this article? Will I be adding anything useful to the conversation, or simply adding to the ‘noise’?”

I do not write with a grandiose opinion of myself. My writing helps me to organize my thoughts into a coherent message. If that message helps one person to gain a new perspective, that’s a bonus. Especially when it comes to thinking about how our individual actions affect the world.

“ I cannot actually help our troubled world until I can understand how my action contributes to tackling the actual root causes of injustice .” Frances Moore Lappe

Yes, the root causes of injustice. Digging up the root causes is slow, painful, work. Most people are fearful of looking deeply into these issues— it’s hard, and there are unwelcome emotions to work through. The ego abhors criticism and any sense of blame.

In the United States, deeply thinking about anything is discouraged. The corporate news will do the thinking for you, thank you. Most people numb themselves with “news-lite,” i.e., a basic outline of the “who, what, when, and where (not too much of the “why”, please, that’s boring)…