By MARY ANN CROSBY

Posted on my bedroom wall is a sign portraying Pigpen of "Peanuts" comic strip, walking amidst clouds of dust, and calmly proclaiming "If you're going to be an ecologist, you've got to stir things up a little!" That statement applies not only to ecology, but subtly shows our modern society's dilemma people's unwillingness to listen to their fellow man unless that man threatens their life‑style and frightens them into consciousness.

In most cases it is impossible to make individual viewpoints known to our elected officials or those people who have enough social power and prestige to do something about changes which the minority requests. They are usually beyond common people's reach, and seldom have any contact with those they supposedly represent, except when election time rolls around.

In this age of mass media and speedy communications, people with important messages and ideas for world benefit are seldom heard. Groups and organizations wanting to make ideas known to public officials are lost among the remaining populace. They become discouraged, disheartened, and embittered over their inability to have their ideas known and established systems changed. T hey wonder how their government representatives can truly represent them when their wants are not even known to those representatives.

When people feel that law abiding, peaceful change is impossible, they are lead to believe that their one remaining alternative for recognition of their cause is "shock treatment." Finally, their last alternative is violence. Believing that change can come only through violence and disorder is sometimes bred into people at an early age. Children are lead to believe that they will not be noticed

until they make sufficient noises and commotion. Their parents are too busy to be bothered with their children's needs, whether they be basic wants or outlandish requests. Children then can become prone to temper tantrums or acts of defiance in order to achieve recognition from adults.

Receiving recognition only through "shock treatment" also exists here at Maine West. Several weeks ago approximately 30 students attended one Student Council meeting in order to present and discuss lists of suggestions compiled by a student group. All students who voluntarily attended that meeting were there to show unified support for those suggestions brought before Council on that day. None of them were Council members; some had even cut classes in order to attend this particular meeting.

After having the suggestions read before Council, several students began to discuss them, but were immediately informed that, except for certain open discussion days, no one could speak before Council except Council members themselves. All visiting students were infuriated. They thought their visit to Council had been useless and that they had been robbed of an opportunity to show true interest in working within our school's system. Many students walked out. Alter they had, Council continued their meeting and decided that students outside of Council could attend and participate in meetings.

Many people agreed that if those students had not walked out, Council rules would not have been changed. This is just another example of change coming through "shock treatment." If people do not become increasingly willing to listen to their fellow man's ideas, violence will soon become very prevalent when change is desired.