bubbe

There are several choices to be made during a lifetime, and one of the main choices is how to relate to life and to society. You may choose to have a social outlook based on the view that you are an active part of what’s happening or you may to choose to be reactive and be a victim of what happens to you. The choice between these two views is decisive for how you live your life.

Many people are active, influencing the development of society and they take responsibility for the way their own lives are evolving. They see the world around as an arena for interaction and they see themselves as an active part of that arena. They get influences from the world outside and try to adapt to what is happening in the surroundings. They also try to be in the front line of what’s happening or preferably one step ahead.

Others are reactive, see the world around as a threat to their own existence and feel that they are the target for a conspiracy. They think that everyone is trying to hurt them and that every change is bad. The world outside does not influence their actions as it is seen as a threatening and cruel opponent that has to be fought in order to avoid disruption of the values they hold high.

The main feature of a reactive person is their need to complain. Complaints are more important than constructive suggestions. The reactive person has a need to complain. However, it is also necessary to see that reactive people are important for a society since they provide a lot of stability to the society but they cannot be allowed to govern the development.

The implication is obvious. Arjeplog has to be mainly active in its actions if we want to be a part of the new and creative society. We cannot look upon ourselves as victims of decisions made by others around us. The implication is furthermore that we have to strengthen values and attitudes connected to action and to active persons such as the entrepreneurial power of initiative and business activities. We have to strengthen the active and creative people in Arjeplog and give them space to develop their actions.

As a politician my main task is to be of service to these active persons and be willing to help them avoid being restrained by obstacles in the society. As many people have said before: "I have to rake the circus arena for them".

My urgent request to all citizens of Arjeplog is: "Be active and support active people around you. Don’t ask what others can do for you, ask what you can do for your fellow citizens. Act, don’t react."

Mayor of Arjeplog