I usually don’t broadcast my political views (unless they are against Donald Trump, but I mean, who doesn’t these days). I have strong views, but I also know that in my personal context, sharing them extensively will not get me as far as trying to actively listen and be empathetic to other peoples’ points of view.

But staying quiet on the subject of the General Election which is coming up on June 8th isn’t something I want to do. I don’t want to disguise my feelings about the current political state of the UK and the world.

We are on the brink of insanity. Our weapons capability is increasing, our population is spiraling, the global economy is a game of chess waged by corporate giants, we’re dissolving into a digital universe we don’t entirely understand, and inflammatory politics is infecting every corner of our lives.

Through all that, we in this country are lucky to still have a system which allows us a voice. It’s not the best system, agreed, but it is something which millions of people around the world don’t have access to. And through our collective voice, we influence the national voice – and ours is still a powerful national voice (thanks colonialism!)

The question next Thursday is, what do we want our national voice to be saying? This isn’t a question of personalities, or individuals. This is about the message that we as a collective want to share with each other, and the world. The message will be strong, it will resonate, and it will carry influence. It is a voice we should all be proud to be a part of, and which everyone registered to vote should invest in being part of.

I’m not going to tell anyone who to vote for. But I do hope that everyone who reads this takes a second to remember that we’re powerful right now, and we choose the message. There are several parties who only support a message of hate, intolerance, and prejudice. Don’t vote for them. Be the good in the world. Think in terms of need and not want.

A quote used a lot in the last few weeks is “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping”. Our lives are brimming over with people who need help, and it’s something each of us can give. In a small way or a big one, on an individual level or as a collective, we can choose to help. Think of other people who are less fortunate than you.

If you don’t care about those people, you are selfish, and we’re ashamed of you.

On the 8th, do not vote for parties who support a world divided. We’re past that. Vote for a better message, and force our collective voice to be one which shouts at the top of it’s lungs:

“We are the good in the world”