Today’s society has the habit to judge people based on their profession alone, and their value as a person is equal to the level of their degree. We often think that we’re worthless, our words are empty, and that our opinion doesn’t matter because we don’t have the power to make an immediate change. But every individual’s thoughts can gain results in a proper way if they’re used in the right and quality sense. Step by step, even through the small ones, you can participate in making something bigger. In most communities, including Rusyn ones, people often think that if you’re not part of some bigger project, or you don’t have one of the higher positions in the field you’re trying to contribute, it’s just a fact that you can’t do much. But that’s not true, and that’s when people with strong potential give up.
How can people outside the bigger communities even contribute?
Every single one of us can contribute in our own way, and we don’t need huge power for it. When I say “people outside of the bigger communities”, by that I mostly mean the people who are not connected to some of the communities I’ve been writing about in my past two articles. Inside this group, I would mostly put young and not-so-experienced people or people who are working in some other fields that are not focusing on the problems based on national questions. I would put myself in this group too, both as an example of not so influential person and from the other side, exactly as the influential one. Let me remind you how I ended my previous article: Those who do not have the ability to think, can’t speak. Those who don’t speak will never reach the step of action. Those who can’t take action, do they even exist? Institutions do not create people, but people create institutions, and we can’t allow them to control us.” I believe that every abstract or physically touchable thing was created by humans. Everything humans have ever created, can be destroyed by that humans too. Who sets the borders, and who ruins them? People put their own limits and break them too. So… how can we contribute to making something new? To specify, I would talk about contributing to new ideas inside of the Rusyn community as working on sovereignty.
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Alice Walker
One of the first thoughts that popped inside of my mind was my disappointed expression when I and a few more authors held a promotion about our poetry collection book that was just released. At that event, there were only a few people present, and most of them just had to be there because it was their obligation. The cruel truth is that, no matter how our book is good (or bad), its success will still depend on the interest and size of the audience. So, the first very important thing I want to state as “being influential” is actually being present. To be present at the events, to give your own opinion, to speak up, and to be in the progress are some basics to start with. What would be the second and at the same time the opposite way of contributing? It is to be the author.
People don’t have to write academic works to be accepted and noticed, but to be impressive and passionate lends itself to influencing the common person. People need to see that you are standing strongly behind your opinions and serious intentions. And no matter what, the reality is that even if you influence one person, even if you make one person think about what you write or tell, it is a success. They say that “Sharing is caring”, and it truly is. By speaking and making our thoughts we are shaping the intellect. By writing essays or songs we are changing the way Rusyn’s literature and art are progressing. By singing old folk Rusyn songs we save our history and identity. With these few small examples, we can prove that people actually do have a big influence even if they are not aware of that in the everyday moment. We can influence people, but we can influence the ways which are art, literature, ethnicity, history, etc. take in our lives. We can change the way other people see these things. We, as a human, can change the whole meaning of the word “Rusyn”. And despite that possible success, we still think we don’t have much power.