David Suzuki: An Effective Leader

David Suzuki was born on March 24, 1934, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Working as a geneticist, broadcaster, and environmental activist, Suzuki has made an impression on people all across Canada, and all across the world. He works to combat global warming, protect endangered animals, and promote a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle, and has succeeded in inspiring many Canadians. Suzuki demonstrates leadership, determination, and boldness, and these are the qualities that make him an ideal democratic citizen.

One of the most important aspects of being an active citizen who contributes to a community is leadership. As a citizen, if you see something that you think that something needs to change, and you do not see someone working towards
Once a person has an idea or plan, whatever it may be, the only way they are going to make any difference is if they stand by that idea. David Suzuki believed when he started the David Suzuki Foundation that he could change the world, and he still does today. Because of his determination, he has the capability to change society, to change the world. Part of this quality is truly believing in what you are campaigning for, living by those standards you set, and avoiding hypocrisy. Suzuki does this by not only educating others on how to live environmentally-friendly; he does it himself, by, for example, reducing his carbon footprint by no longer travelling overseas and reducing his travelling cross-country among other things. Again, as in the case of leadership, the amount of people that idea affects is not really of importance. No matter the amount of people an idea might affect, the ideal citizen will stand by it, because change cannot happen without
By boldness, I do not mean in any respect using fear, force, threat, or authoritarianism to promote ideas, nor I do not mean conjuring up insane, illegal, immoral, or nonsense plans. Boldness, in the context of ideal citizenship, means to be strong with statements and ideas, and to not be coerced or bullied into backing down. David Suzuki is very bold, blunt and upfront with his ideas towards climate change, what has caused it, and what we can do about it. With every person in society who makes a difference, there will be backlash against them, because in a democratic system –since everyone has a freedom of thought, and everyone can express their ideas– not everyone is going to agree. Boldness also means questioning policies and procedures put in place, if they seem unjust or unfair. Just because it is a rule does not necessarily make it right. Finally, boldness means to not be afraid of what others might think. Suzuki has made some controversial comments on social issues, such as immigration and the justice system, which many people do not agree with. While he may not have quite the right idea, he was bold enough to use his freedom of expression, without fear of what society might think. To be a citizen who will make a difference in any society, a certain amount of boldness is required to spread your ideas, change current ideas, and to combat the negative backlash of