Redefining the Meaning of Wealth

Beautifiul Flowers at the Getty Museum

 The power to change the status quo is in our hands.-Nathan Winograd

I recently heard an inspiring presentation by Nathan Winograd, founder of the No Kill Nation. This group advocates for taking the killing of shelter animals in America completely off the table. Making the United States a no kill nation is a tall order but when ordinary individuals step up to the plate extraordinary things can happen.

Nathan said that when you are working to create social change to never go looking for a savior or say “someone has to do something” because that person is you. He then told us what led four ordinary people to step up to the plate and advocate change for their respective social causes. I will share these people with you in just a bit but first I want to point out that all movements are up against the status quo and the Simple Living Movement is no exception.

Living simply and minimally requires a bit of an activist streak. Although I live simply for personal reasons I admit that I do have a social agenda as I’m sure do others who follow this path. The simple living movement has its roots in frugality, environmentalism, social justice, and spirituality. All of these things resonate deeply with me and I believe the world would be a better place if we cared more about the environment, consumed less, and had policies that did not exploit those in vulnerable positions.

Just because The Simple Living Movement has no formal group that represents us doesn’t mean we can’t still advocate for social change for the “simple living” cause of our choice. Think you can’t make a difference? Think again. The four people below did not wait for anyone else to give them permission to forge ahead and work for what they knew was the right thing to do.

I want to acknowledge that the information below is from Nathan Winograd’s presentation “The Power of You” which you can be read in its entirety on his blog.

Four People who Made a Huge Difference

Thomas Clarkson was a 25 year old student committed to becoming a preacher when he was assigned an essay “Is it lawful to enslave the unconsenting? He had no agenda other than getting a good grade but as he delved in further on the topic he was horrified at what he discovered about the British slave trade. He said that if what he found out were true then certainly some person should work to end this horror. He decided that person was him. He answered the calling right away and did not wait for anyone else to take the lead.

From that day forward in June of 1785, he spent his life working and ultimately succeeding at abolishing the British slave trade. He had no idea at the time but he was creating what is considered the first human rights movement in history. We also have Clarkson to thank for all the tools of social change we use today. These include the political book tour, the consumer boycott, letter writing campaigns to legislators, and newsletters to keep the public informed.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is no stranger to any of us and his contributions to society have been astronomical. Because of him, we have the Civil Rights Act and legal equality. But did you know that at first he was reluctant to lead the fight to end segregation? He had just received his PH. D. when local activists approached him about fighting against segregation. He didn’t want to make waves so he declined.

The arrest of Rosa Parks leading to the boycott of the Montgomery, Al buses on December 5, 1955 changed his mind. Dr. King said he watched one bus after another usually filled with African American workers, pass by him empty. He realized a miracle had taken place when he saw masses of people walking, hitchhiking and even driving farm equipment to work. “I knew that there is nothing more majestic than the determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their freedom and dignity.” Although still fearful and struggling with feelings of inadequacy, he made a decision right then and there to get involved and thank God he did.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was Susan B. Anthony’s best friend and a pioneer of the women’s rights movement in the U.S. Although Susan B. Anthony played a crucial role in women’s rights, Elizabeth Cady Stanton often wrote her speeches and it was her who first suggested women should have the right to vote, even when other women activists thought that was going too far.

The deciding moment for Stanton was when her father who supported her no matter what she achieved told her “Elizabeth, if only you were a boy.” He knew that no matter what she achieved she would always have limitations placed on her because of gender. This made her more determined than ever to be the equal of any man and to work to create a society that would encourage rather than discourage female achievement. All of us women who work outside the home, run for and hold elected office, own property, are partners with our husbands instead of being property, start our own businesses, and live life  on our own terms have Elizabeth Cady Stanton to thank.

Henry Bergh is the father of the animal rights movement. He founded the first SPCA in the United States and oversaw the passage of the nation’s first anti-cruelty law. He dedicated his life to enforcing this law and was also the first to challenge the round up and killing of stray dogs.

He was born the wealthy son of a NYC shipbuilder in the middle of the 19th Century, and his ambition was to become a diplomat. He was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to the court of the Czar in St. Petersburg, Russia.  One day while riding through the city he came across a Russian peasant beating his donkey. Disgusted, he ordered the man to stop immediately. The man did due to the fact that he was a wealthy well-dressed gentleman who held an official position. This moment was Bergh’s awakening and from then on he dedicated his life to the humane movement in America.

Bergh awakened the collective public consciousness about animal rights which in turn led straight to the No Kill movement today. All of the animal organizations that exist today do so because of him. More importantly, all of our beloved pets and every other animal who has legal protection by law can thank Henry Bergh.

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.