Among all the creatures in the world, we have the ability to change our universe. I don't mean in the way say we can change the laws of physics (Gravity be gone!) but in the way we can modify our personal environment. As a basic example, we can decorate our room any way we like, take it a step further and we can build the room or the building that contains the room or the city that the building is in.
Today I was on the train commuting home and there were these newspaper sheets torn, crumpled and scattered all over the carriage. I stared at it for most of my trip, feeling annoyed. No, indignant even! There were maybe about a dozen people in the cabin and we all just sat there. Tolerating the mess some inconsiderate moron had left behind for god knows what reason. Maybe it was some kid, having fun shredding it and throwing it on the floor knowing someone else could fucking clean it up. It was that person's idea of modifying his/her immediate universe. Whoever they were, they were long gone, leaving the rest of us to suffer. In my SIMS(TM) universe, I'd have my mood indicator in dull yellow twirling about my head because I'm in a messy room. Nobody did anything, because, well I imagine they were all saying to themselves that "It's not my job."
As I quietly seethed, another thought occurred to me. I can change my environment by A) moving to a cleaner carriage; or B) cleaning it up myself. I went for option B and gathered up what I could of the mess. People stared, some with approving looks. However, I could feel the energy in the cabin relax a few degrees. I held on to the rubbish until I got to my station and deposited it in the bin.
I like to think that I was in a position of power. All the magic I needed to accomplish was achieved by simply changing my environment to make it nicer for me to stay in. As a byproduct, I have made it nicer for everyone else in that carriage. Perhaps their SIMS(TM) mood indicators are now slowly shifting towards a pale green.
It wasn't my job either, but that doesn't mean I have to suffer as a victim. I took control and right now I feel really good about my personal universe as designed by me.
