Today is the last day of the tax year 2016-2017 in the UK, and at the moment you can find me surrounded by receipts and invoices trying to put all my previous year finances in order. It is a bit early, I know, but like most self-employed people I do my accounting on my own and I would rather do it now than wait until the very last minute. And also, knowing how much tax I am paying gives me a sense of how much I am contributing to my host country. Specially these days when immigrants seem to be considered a burden. But while doing this I cannot help but wonder if this is my real contribution. Can a human being's value be measured by how much they pay in taxes?
We are all just a number. It is a fact. And it kind of makes sense that it is this way otherwise it would be unmanageable for governments to create policy. But that is from the top down. From the bottom up, however, it is a completely different matter. We are all individuals, and the sum of our individualities creates communities. And the strength of a community cannot be measured by numbers; it can only be measured by its impact in society. So if we want to live in a loving, open and accepting society, we need to contribute individually to creating positive impacting communities.
Our contribution as individuals lies in the consequences of our everyday actions. If we are good to others, if we treat known and strangers with respect, if we support those who do good and condemn those who do bad, if we spread a message of love and acceptance instead of rage and hatred, in our homes, to our loved ones, to our neighbours, in our workplaces, we are contributing to creating the kind of society that we want to live in.
We all have in us the power to change our communities. The ones who do good but also the ones who do evil. So if we want to live in a loving and accepting society we must outnumber those who don't. It all starts with one: You. And if you count me, that makes us two. Enough to start a revolution. Because our real value, our real contribution is bigger than what the revenue services will ever be able to measure.
Photo credit: Dan Clarke.
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