Change The World

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People always use the phrase 'changing the world' as if it's a good thing. But what if it turned out to be a bad thing? Why doesn't our received idea of 'changing the world' include changing it for the worse as well as for the better?

Is it because we all think our world is a dystopia already, so any change can only be an improvement?

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My goal is to change the world for the worse, one person at a time, actually.

― Ally, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think 'changing the world' is generally used in a value-neutral way, actually pf. Look at all the 'this has changed the world forever' stuff in the wake of 9/11.

― N., Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ally = Lloyd Cole fan after all, hooray.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm just looking for another girl.

― Ally C, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

BLOW UP THE MOON!

― Steve.n., Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

N - no, I don't really agree. I think you know the kind of talk I'm thinking of: people saying 'It's true - you can change the world', etc. And they never mean 'You can ruin the world'.

96: Bragg as response to Lennon?

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

OK, so agree that's usually the context in which it is used, but you said 'always'.

I guess it's just that:

a) most people think there are problems in the world

b) most people assume that if someone they're talking to is going to change the world that they will try to do it for the better cause one doesn't tend to associate with known evil geniuses.

Also, it's a kind of implicit jokey reference to hippy 60s ideals and activism.

― N., Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is the phrase used differently of events or technologies - where it is more neutral, i.e. 9/11 changes the world, the Internet changes the world, we don't know whether it'll be for good or ill, it's all out of our hands - than of individuals, where it's assumed that individual change will be beneficial? Is this part of the cult-of-the- individual originally promoted by the Romantics and now the motivating cultural force of, well, everything.

― Tom, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What about stupid movies like "Pay it Forward" that introduce a lame, soppy way of changing the world? Sadly enough, I actually know a few people who say that movie "changed their life"... they "payed it forward" about two weeks and then forgot about it.

― Mandee, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That's because they didn't get much back in the way of interest.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Did anybody see those dancing robots on the news the other day, the ones that cost 'about as much as an expensive car'? I was absolutley terrified, once I'd stopped laughing at their dancing. A lot of change the world things are two-edged swords, aren't they? Like Dolly the Sheep.

― PM, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I never understand why Dolly the Sheep was quite so dangerous, but this new 'two edged sword' information is certainly worrying.

― N., Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes - it sounds like it could kill us all. Esp. if wielded by a robot dancer.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, have you seen the robot dancer in Metropolis?

― youn, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm writing this from behind the sofa.

― Ally C, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't know why Dolly the Sheep is dangerous either, but she has aged quickly. I suppose they can put it right, but in the meantime it's a NIGHTMARE scenario. And robots can just push sofas out of the way.

― PM, Thursday, 21 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Damn, now you've made me want to seek out this robot dancer.

― Nicole, Thursday, 21 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Using Dolly the Sheep as a two-edged sword won't get you far. That's like a regular sword -2 (d6-2) and you have to use both hands, so you can't use a shield at the same time.

― Alan Trewartha, Thursday, 21 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They were in Metro yesterday and looked very cool indeed, they're scarily clever though, and have fully manipulative fingers apparently.

― chris, Thursday, 21 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i wanna heal the world, make it a better place - lots of 12 yr old boys for the entire human race.

― Queen G, Thursday, 21 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Gandhi said you have to BE the change you want to see occur in society. That thought consoles me when I meet aggressive, narrow- minded, mean-spirited marxists.

― Chris Sallis, Sunday, 24 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

five years pass...

The Pinefox talked about this thread last night. I'm pleased to say that my immediate response was almost exactly the same as Ally's first post.

― G00blar, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 09:50 (eighteen years ago)

We were discussing the phrase 'the world is your oyster' and debating on what the fuck it really meant.

I mean, the world is never your oyster. Unless your stinking rich.

But my mate then enlightened me that the phrase refers more to 'attempting' anything rather than 'accomplishing' anything you desired.

― Ste, Wednesday, 12 September 2007 09:58 (eighteen years ago)

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