About Survival is Insufficient
A repository for articles written by Jersey-based writer, Ryan O’Connell. Ryan is a Corporate Governance Professional in the finance industry, and is also an Ambassador for the Jersey Employment Trust.
Why “Survival is Insufficient?” The phrase was initially inspired by an episode of the television show Star Trek: Voyager. The meaning was that it is not enough to just survive, and that we should strive to thrive. After a difficult illness in his 20s, Ryan adopted the phrase as his personal mantra, having it tattooed as a permanent reminder.
Just being alive, working, eating, sleeping, is not living, and yet this is the life on offer for those that are trapped in poverty. In 2026, following significant outside election interference that raises the very real question of are we still living in a democracy at all, this has taken on new relevance. Only around 32% of the Jersey population even voted at all, which means that at all levels, a minority of the population decided who should be in government. That’s frightening, and shows how disconnected the average person is from the forces that govern their lives.
This website will hold articles in relation to local politics, events and issues, in hope that it will be part of a wider movement to make Jersey a place of thriving, not just surviving. That includes encouraging people to be politically active, unionised, and engaged with community movements.
https://flow.je/elections/2026
