Tilting at Windmills?

I recently mentioned a (probably apocryphal) ancient Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times" to a friend, who asked me of its origins. After some research, I'm still not sure, but I was 'interested' to find that Bobby Kennedy had used it in 1966:

There is a Chinese curse which says "May he live in interesting times." Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also the most creative of any time in the history of mankind. And everyone here will ultimately be judged -- will ultimately judge himself -- on the effort he has contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which his ideals and goals have shaped that effort.

Many might think that recent events in world markets, in climate change and the price of oil (for all that the last has dropped temporarily) mean that we are truly living in interesting times.

But Kennedy was really talking about not letting the magnitude of challenges deterring us from at least trying to make a difference in the world. Too often we are daunted or allow ourselves to succumb to futility, expediency, timidity, and comfort.

First is the danger of futility; the belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world's ills -- against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the world's great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man.

The second danger is that of expediency; of those who say that hopes and beliefs must bend before immediate necessities. Of course if we must act effectively we must deal with the world as it is. We must get things done. But if there was one thing that President Kennedy stood for that touched the most profound feeling of young people across the world, it was the belief that idealism, high aspiration, and deep convictions are not incompatible with the most practical and efficient of programs… It is not realistic or hard-headed to solve problems and take action unguided by ultimate moral aims and values.

A third danger is timidity. Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change the world which yields most painfully to change.

For the fortunate amongst us, the fourth danger is comfort; the temptation to follow the easy and familiar path of personal ambition and financial success so grandly spread before those who have the privilege of an education.

I'm sure that we have all succumbed to all these at some time in our lives. And when I think about that, I realise that these were the times when I felt bad - about myself, about other people, about the world. These were the times when I wanted credit for what I had done, rather than simply valuing my having achieved something.

I think, then, of the times spent tilting at windmills, attempting the impossible - sometimes simply putting a thought out there in the hope that someone else would pick it up and make it their own. I have lost count of the times this has worked. There is truly nothing as powerful as an idea that someone has been convinced is their own.

I am often reminded of this on Council - but then find myself buoyed by the small achievements. Last week, Council's draft policy on streetscapes appeared doomed by the large number of objections, despite many supporters of the policy not having made written submissions because the consultation document assured them that if they did not make a written submission it would be assumed that they had no objection. In the end, we were able to find a way through that allowed:
(a) the views of the objectors to be recognised,
(b) the draft policy to be improved in response to comments received
(c) those streets where residents were supportive to progress with streetscape protection and
(d) residents of other streets to 'opt-in' later if there was sufficient support in their streets.

My sincere thanks to my fellow Councillors for voting overwhelmingly to support this approach.