The Value of Stable Change

The Theory of Stable Change is both a Hallmark and a Cornerstone of a Progressed Society.

Everyone close to me knows that I live by one motto: "I am going to get it done, but you need to let me complain about it first." Whether it's being under pressure from college assignments, working a difficult job, or simply finding the motivation to have a productive day, I usually have to take time to complain before I find a way through. However, the same friends and family who dutifully listen to me also know that when I make a commitment, no one is more dependable. 

Why? The answer is that when I vent those problems, I also make the solution a reality. Saying, "I hate how difficult it is going to be to complete this assignment," implies that I am going to get it done. Talking about the problem makes me feel better, while at the same time ingraining in my brain that I will find a way through it. This is the principal concept of Stable Change and captures why it is useful for society.

Benedict de Spinoza

Stable Change, more colloquially known as the Safety Valve Theory, was a concept first published by Benedict de Spinoza in a work entitled Tractatus Theologico-Politicus. The main idea, which has continued to evolve over time, is that citizens should be free to express discontent with the state in order to better society as a whole, assuming that the speech does not disrupt the state. History has not only shown how accurate Spinoza was, but also the detriment of a lack of Stable Change.

Charlie Kirk

No event in recent history has exemplified this more than the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie famously said, "When talking stops, violence starts," an idea very similar to the Theory of Stable Change. While he himself was a polarizing figure, his mission was to bring what he felt were important conversations surrounding American politics to places of higher learning on college campuses. 

He vehemently believed that talking about problems within the government could become a solution to those problems. Ultimately, even his death sparked thousands of conversations about political violence and the unacceptable nature of it in our society. In my opinion, Charlie Kirk and his motto are the perfect example of why successful Stable Change is essential to a modern society. He was killed because someone believed that their opinion was not being heard, and that they did not have a right to speak their mind. They resorted to violence because they felt their opinion was being drowned out.

BLM Protest, Los Angelos, CA

Another modern example where this theory can be applied is the Black Lives Matter movement. Not only was it a political movement centered around police brutality against the African-American community, but it was an extension of the Civil Rights movement. It was not uncommon for many of the protests following the death of George Floyd to turn violent because activists felt that their voices were not being heard, and that the work done by the Civil Rights movement had been unsuccessful in creating lasting change.

My contention is that history seeks to teach us the value of Stable Change through instances of political and social violence. More specifically, that it is the duty of the government to create a space where citizens can not only voice their discontent but to have it heard, and in doing so aid the solution to that discontent becoming a reality. It is why the First Amendment is so essential to the democracy of the United States. There is nothing more important that the ability of citizens to use their voices to enact change and reform.