A Thank You Letter to a Villain
Written for Curate Labs & Magazine Annual Digest 2018
Dear Villain,
Like magnetic poles, good and bad were once regarded as opposing forces. Some people had enterprising visions, however collective impatience, hungry egos and clouded perception have a way of taking our eye off the prize — to make this world a better place than we inherited.
For decades we operated somewhere in-between… humdrum, tolerable, uninspired. We thought to ourselves it could be worse, it’s not bad, we can work with this. There was an air of dissatisfaction but no particular source. We were dealt an average hand and served room temperature indifference.
For generations we played at working together, at least a handful of people did. There were criteria:
- You must come from the right background
- You need a certain skin colour and gender (unless your required as a token representative)
- Your decisions must align with a group of undisclosed beneficiaries
This much remains the same today. I may not like the truth but I am unafraid to be honest. The only change nowadays is that we need sign off from you, the Villain. You see in the West we have confused narcissism, self-serving and intransigency as essential qualities for a strong leader — blind sighted by your power act. Good show, well done.
In fact some things started moving rather quickly, only in the wrong direction. We are experiencing widespread dismantling, divisions, cuts, inequality and blame. Today we can say with confidence that we’ve mastered quick wins, futile news and profits at the expense of others and our home, Earth.
Like many great Villains that came before, you showed us that emotions are a powerful source to exploit. Thank you for masterfully demonstrating how shared emotions bring us together. We are complex people and we deserve complex resolutions. Resolutions that can only be reached together. Your methods are passé.
Once working together meant working towards a common good, we’re bringing it back. The dawn of the Villain sees the rise of an international, united community. Each day we step towards a common good. For too many people the world says no! But the truth is not yet, we must keep stepping forward. Toward empowerment, curiosity, education, tolerance, open-mindedness, giving those around us a hand up along the journey.
Thanks to your stern and severe attitudes we have become ingenious. We are designing a future outside of the parameters we have been given. You can’t break boundaries if you operate inside a box. People may look back on this period in time befuddled by our mass of misinformation — the challenge is to seek the truth. Popular and common beliefs are not necessarily right, they’re just right now. Let us recognise ignorance and inequality by speaking our truths, own our stories and demystify shame. When we own our truths we remove your weapons.
I am a drop in the ocean of humanity but positive energy is contagious. Your intolerance has shown me the beauty of being open-minded. Your anger has brought peace to centre stage. Your misogyny has driven me to discover the wonders of feminism. Your recklessness has taught me thriftiness and your egocentric tendencies have opened my eyes to the benefits of cooperation and selflessness.
Many friends, lovers, families, communities and business’ have not lost sight. When you create good for others, you create good for yourself. Thank you for demonstrating a nasty, dishonourable and loathsome way of life. You are truly a model Villain. And thank you for opening our eyes to the alternative.
Written for the Curate Labs & Magazine Annual Digest 2018
An annual report that focuses not on statistics and performance, but rather experience, lessons and perspective.
