prompt: can the daily actions of average people have a significant impact on the course of history?
An average person would be defined as someone who is incapable of implementing change and not known by many. However, in our history, it is the average people that have changed the world the most.
Going back to colonial times reveals an enrichment of average people, if not below average. Those who ventured to America were met with a wilderness never seen before. Fast forward 100 years and the descendants of these very average people were fighting for independence. People like John Hancock and Paul Revere actually heightened tension through the Sons of Liberty. And eventually independence was won due to the fast and keen decisions of the so-called “average”. Although some may say that this country was founded on elites, the very men who fought and defied British tyranny were average.
In the epic fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien tells of a story to stop the spread of evil in the land of Middle- Earth. In the story there are many races, and among them are Hobbits. Hobbits often dwell at home and have no concern for worldly events, in other words, they were average. One of these Hobbits, Frodo Baggins, is appointed to be the Ring Bearer and to destroy the evil Saurons ring in his very realm. Along with his company come three other Hobbits. Throughout the journey Frodo becomes ill and experienced, but eventually destroys the Ring through tough hardship. Tolkien wants the reader to know that even average people like Frodo BAggins, can have a lasting effect on the world.
In a pluralist democracy theory, it states that contending groups compete equally for their message to be heard on the policy agenda. Daily actions of these average participants include protests, advertising, voting, and campaigning. Being a pluralist theorist, it's easy to say that if an issue is vital to the country and that through massive contending, it will become heard. For example, if a group was looking to heighten gun control, they would contend with similar groups for their message to be heard. And if suppose an event were to occur that goes against guns, it might be taken seriously on the policy agenda. A cause and effect of average people wanting their message heard.
Simply put, it has been proven through history, messaged in literature, and shown in politics that actions of average people do have a lasting and significant impact on the course of history.