Upon perusal, I found an entertaining movement dubbed as “Critical Mass”. In such a seemingly unorganized event, a cluster of bike riders gather and ride an almost random bike route through a city to clog traffic and “reclaim” the road. I suppose this might result when riding a bike to work or school becomes too mundane, but perhaps the action of bicycle commuting is not speaking loud enough to the single loaded motor vehicles with capacities of five to seven people. So, more drastic and entertaining measures are taken. A variant of this movement, so charmingly named “Critical Ass”, is carried through in a similar manner, but with only underwear on each biker’s body. Ah, the shock factor to attract attention only makes the uproar better and more effective. You can read more about these happenings at www.criticalmass.wikia.com
There is some possibility that events of this nature may turn people off to bike riders and cause anger, but this is exactly why these sort of “protests” occur. The point is to attract attention to problems that we can fix by taking individual action. Deciding to take time to commute on a bicycle means better planned commutes. Or perhaps not taking our privilege of motor vehicles for granted we would ride with friends instead of having five passenger cars with one individual transported in each.
In a more general sense, extreme movements by mostly younger adults may disgust and appall others in their community and country. But, more activity will spark the change so desired by the so called protestors. Without uproar, there is no change.
Trouble comes in when trying to decide is the change for the better. What is good? How do we define and decide good? Well, having common ethic, principles and values to reflect off of would bring more consensus. Now, being in a state of constant change is more than unhealthy. We cannot try to uproot what makes us human. I am under the impression that such gatherings exhibiting a common idea is attempting to bond those individuals involved and return others to a realization. As we become more transfixed in our technology, we forget we have legs and arms. As Christianity becomes more huddled in a corner so do the ethics we were once founded upon. We cannot blindly shoo away ethic without replacing it.
Actions such as the Critical Mass event speak louder than words. They suggest that we are an ever-changing species. Changes often happen without thought of the repercussions. The gatherings are attempting to gather those of common ethic and strong opinion. These movements create a trend, a feeling of bonding. More of us should be willing to act individually and combine efforts with those like-minded for the common good.
Here we loop back to the question, “What is common good?” This is the point where we should all consider this question very seriously and enlighten ourselves in myths, values, religions, history and self inspection, especially if our education ignores these things as the American education system often does.
And what can we, as college students, teachers, and workers do for the common good? Can we set aside the idea that we are only in a school system to get a degree and make money? There is excellent opportunity in any university or college setting to put forth efforts to enlighten ourselves and others. We have opportunity to try and make the world a better place, one person, one community at a time.