In a recent study by the Sloot Institute (and by institute I mean me and some friends…and by that I mean me and John) a potential correlation between passion and social change was discovered.  But it’s not what you think.

Most of us, especially those at the Sloot Institute, believe that in order to make change you must have some semblance of passion, a fire in your stomach that pushes you through the dull obstacles between you and changing the world.  But in the study we realized that sometimes the most passionate weren’t the greatest agents of change.  They were the biggest jerks (to use Sloot Institute technical terminology).

Can passion be paralytic?  Yes.

Think of someone you know, maybe even yourself, working on their passion-laced, world-altering project.  They (you) could be working to reduce poverty, stopping climate change, or slamming the BC Liberals.  Now think of them getting up into someone’s grill when the issue is pulled.  Imagine them willing their audience to change, to be better humans in this faltering globe.  And now picture them when the group of people shrug them off or storm off angered.  Envision still that passionate person in the wake of another failed attempt to change a bunch of douchebags.

How does that person feel?  How many people has Ms. or Mr. Passion alienated through their lengthy diatribes and discourse of status quo derision?  Maybe their enthusiasm has pushed the fence-sitters away.  Perhaps they can’t seem to pick their battles.

So what’s the Passionate Person of Principle (or PPP at the Sloot Institute) to do?  Just stop?  Well now that’d be silly.  It takes a lifetime to change a generation and a generation to change the world.  But in the face of global peril is it not better for the impassioned person to fade away and keep from burning out?  Pacing oneself, ceasing the brow-beating and random tantrums of passion, and focusing your attentions to changing who you can and building on it…now that’s forward motion.  And as we all know, forward motion is not backwards.  If you can stay passionate without being locked or blocked by it, then you’re onto changing your community…without being a jerk.

Passion can break an inflexible person.  But backbone is the backbone of change.  We can’t change everyone.  But we can change the people who will change those other people and eventually they’ll beat down those final people who just won’t change.  Right?  Change will happen. Come hell or high water!  We won’t back down!  Who’s with me!? VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!