Hello!
(to OP- That's one BIG question!)
I think partly the solution is perhaps related to what I have written in the thread "safest place in the world"...
I also feel that in order to change the world, we first maybe need to
* change ourselves... (as I think Ghandi said?).. change our own behaviours/actions, individually first, then collectively;
*really improve our willingness to REALLY listen (internally to our intuition/conscience etc., to really start to listen to each other, and to any genuine higher guidance we might be lucky enough to get, etc.);
*our ability to detach from the material/illusory society that is now endemic across the bulk of the planet (the so-called 'Developed' parts of the planet anyway!) and discover/rediscover what is TRULY of value/importance in life;
*our determination to let go of ALL fears (including the fear of "death"...folks, truth is, we will ALL leave this body/life/planet one day, be it 2012 or tomorrow or 100 years from now!!) ... fear is at the root of all that is dark, divisive, controlling and damaging in this world.. to the planet and to us as individuals (in my humble opinion!);
*the ability to truly understand that absolutely everyone and everything in this world is inter-connected... everyone and everything affects everyone and everything.
You know, sometimes I really do feel so totally overwhelmed by sadness and helplessness at how this world is.. how it 'operates'.. how humans behave to each other/the planet ... and all the needless suffering... greed ... violence... (not just by the ones in power, either!)... but I never give up hope that as individuals, we can create a change, no matter how small, in someone's life as well as the wider community/world.
It is true, that all the tiny little everyday words/actions we put out into life/the world (good or bad) lead up to an effect, cumulatively building up to an end result...
I'm not sure there is any one, single solution.. but there are things we can do to bring about improvements...
so.. maybe some ideas are:
1. never allow ourselves to feel helpless/worried/overwhelmed/powerless.. no matter how dark/insane things look/seem... and to try to help others to stop feeling scared/powerless etc.
2. not to waste time/energy thinking up ways we can overthrow/change the ones in Power.. there have always been the "few" with power over the majority (whether politically/financially/intellectually/physically.. whatever else.. and usually not with 'the highest good of all' as their intention!).... and there probably always will be the "few" in power... at least until there is a true awakening and revolution of understanding in each and every soul.
3. for each of us to keep positive.. . not a smile on a stick false positive, but to keep our hope alive inside.. and keep our lights switched on for ourselves and others!
4. to cleanse our souls/consciences/lives of as much accumulated junk as possible.. all the things we've built up/accumulated which we think we wanted, but DON'T in fact need (!) to live.. whether internally/externally/ materially/physically/ mentally/emotionally/spiritually.
5. to lighten up !! ... sometimes the power of HUMOUR is one of the most forgotten about and most incredibly powerful ways to dispel darkness in an instant !! ... to be able to laugh in the face of adversity..(or help another to see the funny side!).. what a wonderful way to dispell any darkness/negativity and deal with any C**P coming your way!
6. start to DO small things (daily) to help others... wherever/however we can.
7. Pray! (seriously!) That's not to be read as religious prayer necessarily, that's totally up to the individual based on their beliefs etc., but a positive prayer/meditation/visualisation, or whatever each person feels comfortable with, is always a good thing to send out into the ethers/cosmos/airwaves!
8. Remember that famous prayer/quote about change?? My paraphrase is.. Folks, we might not like the shape of the world we are in, but we can make some changes as individuals/groups, and at least learn some level of grace/acceptance for the things we cannot change directly!
9. I think sometimes we forget.. sometimes life DOES throw us something (an event/experience etc) that initially appears to us as "bad" or terrible.... and we feel all the associated emotions and reactions (anger/hurt/sadness/etc) .... then, later in time, maybe days, maybe years, (or maybe even lifetimes!!).. we discover/learn that there was indeed a REAL and GOOD purpose for that earlier "negative" event to have happened.... and sometimes, if we're lucky, we can look back and smile (or even have a damn good belly laugh!) about that "bad" thing that happened to us 'back then'!!
From my own life experiences to date, my view is very much that
Everything happens for a reason... REALLY it does!! .... even if we can't see it at the time! So... REALLY.. try and keep your head, your heart, your sense of faith and trust, and your humour (!) in place whenever things go 'pear-shaped' or get scary/"bad"... as these might just help more and get you further than 100 tins of beans, a camping stove, a few gold coins and a Life-Raft!!
There are very few things in life we can control, and many more things we just can't. Maybe some things are NOT meant to be controlled? or changed...? Even some seemingly hard things? ... perhaps they exist or are put in place (for us) because they are meant to be experienced by us..?? Maybe it's all part of this learning process called Life here on Earth!! And in that learning process/Life, we each have an individual path and purpose to find/follow... and also a collective one, as humanity. I don't really know .. just a thought!
It's been my own learning/understanding so far in life to realise that the ONLY thing I can truly change is my own behaviour/perceptions (how I think / speak / act / respond / react ) to things.. whether to myself, to others, to whatever happens in my life or the world in general (whether created by me or someone else!).. and to try to stay aware of my behaviour.. my actions, words, thoughts as much as posssible! I'm responsible for how I respond... nobody else, whether to life, events, people I meet (online or off!). No matter what's happening.
I choose to either respond from my heart/peace/love/understanding/humility/sharing/caring place .. or from my head/Ego/wants/selfishness/blaming place etc....... and hey.. we do all have both .. none is any different... we all have some light in us, AND we all have some dark in us... but MOST importantly, we ALL have the potential to grow more in one direction than the other...to move as far as we wish... whichever way we choose, towards light or dark... it is a constant choice...
It might not be our choice how this world is right now, but we are here at this time, for a reason ... and we DO still have power to change some things... including (perhaps the most important?) ourselves!
.. it IS our choice and individual FREE WILL how we act/react in this world.. to everything and everyone... and maybe fully realising that in itself could hopefully change the world we live in??
Love & Light
p.s. Small positive acts, little and often, can lead to BIG end results !!