LEARN
Something Worth SharingWhere You Stand In the UK this week we’ve seen our news headlines dominated by a former professional soccer player and current sports broadcaster on the BBC - Gary Lineker. Now, my learn isn’t about him as such, but with his ‘stand’ and then the consequent stand that his colleagues took by boycotting the BBC show - leaving it without commentators or presenters on Saturday. [For those that didn’t know about this, Gary was suspended by the BBC last week after he criticised the government's new asylum policy.] The idea of ‘taking a stand’ goes back to the Greek philosophers (one of the most well known was Socrates), when individuals took action in defence of an important principle. Rather than accepting the current state of affairs and prevailing opinion, they would stand against a view or situation. Throughout history we have seen amazing ‘stands’ including those of Ghandi, Mandela, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and more recently, Malala. Taking a stand isn’t the popular thing to do, it takes courage and conviction. But one person taking a stand isn’t where it ends, it’s where it begins - those that then stand beside and strengthen the belief are incredibly important, as this is where a movement starts and change is possible. The main stands that seem to occur are: Stand initiators: It is a rare and vital few that are the first to take a stand Stand believers: Then we have the immediate followers and supporters of a stand - incredibly important to add momentum Stand followers: There are the masses that attach themselves once there is an impetus - and it’s an established stand Stand objectors: Of course all stands also have those that work against the movement and dismiss it Stand avoiders: Finally, in this simplistic outline, there are those that sit on the fence, not wishing to have an opinion or participate for or against
Where do you tend to stand, and what makes you want to take a stand?
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