What If? (Our Collective Good)
(posting in its entirety as I am the author of this piece)
A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
WHAT IF?
What if youre someone who disagrees with governmental social safety nets and instead believes only charity should help those in need; are you confident the majority (and there are MANY in the US and around the world today who are suffering, more and more each day) would be helped by Good Samaritans in an unconditional way, or would only those deemed worthy find the assistance they need?
What if you consider yourself a kind, compassionate person inclined to be charitable; when you see someone asking for help in the form of panhandling, for example are you likely to assess that person before helping, to judge if they are deserving of your assistance? If they dont look a certain way or answer your questions a certain way, are you likely to help?
What if you prefer to instead instruct and impart wisdom, so that people can help themselves rather than provide assistance directly, yet the people you see are not those who you feel would take advantage of the wisdom and advice you offer? Maybe theyre too young, too old, too infirm, too something
What if, without even realizing it, you have a habit of judging others to be something they arent, and you pass them by, but they would have indeed been worthy of your help even by your estimation yet you didnt give them a chance?
What if you stop to consider that you may not be the best judge of what others need? After all, we each have our own opinions and perceptions based on our individual life experiences.
What if one day you have no one to help you when you most desperately need it because life has taken a turn never anticipated? And what if youre in the exact same position one day at the mercy of strangers and others judge you as something youre not?
What if one day when youre no longer here, your loved ones have fallen on hard times? They are at the mercy of strangers and are often judged to be something theyre not, so they are left to struggle alone.
What if there are so many in need that they outnumber Good Samaritans, because not everyone will act as an unconditionally compassionate Good Samaritan?
What if we decided to work together as a compassionate, productive community, creating a society that doesnt reward greedy, selfish behavior but instead works to create systems and institutions which truly reflect something beneficial for the masses?
What if we made choices that led our descendents to view us as kind, benevolent, wise stewards of the environment and one another
guardians of their future? (See Judith Richs Are We Being Good Ancestors?)
What if we were able to embrace phrases like The Common Good as something admirable to work toward, rather than a reflection of weakness and some elusive ism that others have said are bad?
What if we at least talk about it, with an open mind and open heart?
What if you try to believe this is possible, in our lifetime?
Thats a choice that is within your power to make and act upon.
[center]
Our Collective Good is where we Manifest Wisdom. Wishadoo! is where we put it into Action.[/center]
yurbud
(39,405 posts)they way they treated their family, employees, and neighbors, there would be little need for charity or those government programs conservatives hate.
Unfortunately, morality is seen as optional, especially when money is involved.
OneGrassRoot
(22,916 posts)not charity and condescension and destruction.
northoftheborder
(7,565 posts)Unfortunately, too many people are not charitable. If everyone, or even a large majority of people professing to be moral, acted upon their beliefs, there would be no, or little, need for government assistance.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)and I'm not feeling the fluttering of wings.
Bluerthanblue
(13,669 posts)thank you!!
OneGrassRoot
(22,916 posts)marmar
(76,946 posts)Tsiyu
(18,186 posts)What a grand idea and you are actually implementing it.
I will be going to a friend's this weekend where I can use the wireless and I will check it out. (It's hard to do much outside of DU on this dialup, unfortunately.)
You are an inspiration, OGR.
Celebration
(15,812 posts)Beautiful thoughts..................