I pose you this question: is it really that difficult?
To help people in need.
To act in spite of selfish inclination for a greater good.
Be it an elder with shopping bags or a pregnant lady in need of a seat on a rocky bus.
Be it sacrificing a bagel and a few minutes of satisfaction so that a beggar can get a few hours from his.
Be it offering sincere condolences or a gift at a stranger's wake, or buying a cup of coffee for that receptionist, or that small-shop cashier, or that worker at the movie ticket gantry you may have unintentionally offended with your demeanor.
Simple, easy acts of kindness that go a long way. That could make someone's day. That could make the world a much better place.
Why, then, aren't we doing them? It's not that difficult.
~
First and foremost, I raise the lack of proper enlightenment in modern society, resulting in vastly different sequences of prioritisation, as one of the main causes of human apathy. When we are first plunged into the world, we know not which idol to worship; the importance and relevance of various areas of attention are subsequently ingrained into us.
Our children are taught that money is important, and its possession is responsible for every convenience and every pleasure perceivable (as a child). Our children are taught that race and religion are divisive factors, be it by the intolerant teacher or by peer discrimination. Our children are taught that, to paraphrase Orwell, some people are "more equal than others", and that they thus need to be treated differently.
They are not reminded that, despite differences in language, nationality, race or religion, we are a single Mankind, battling against the forces of Nature and the unknown. They are not reminded that we remain human by simple, small acts of humility and kindness each day, the willingness of one to humble or sacrifice him/herself for the comparatively great benefit of another. They are not reminded that, unlike money, charity and consideration and understanding can multiply, and spread, and expand, making everyone richer and the world happier by a disproportionate degree. As they should be.
And they will grow up to be parents one day, too. They will fight and strive for money, and power, and dominance, just so they can bring their children up in their image. We, the teachers, the parents are not absolved of guilt. In our hectic daily lives, it's easy to pass up a beggar's plea, or drive by a helpless hitchhiker. We do not realise that our children recognise every small act of heartlessness, and, in associating it with the parent figure, will resolve to emulate and magnify it.
"It is not the young people that degenerate; they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption."
~
Another reason, I postulate, would be the disbelief in the concept of reciprocity prevalent in many societies, an attitude which is also becoming increasingly rewarding in the highly competitive world. In other words, people don't believe in karmic retribution. Good guys finish last. A word of thanks is insignificant recompense when weighed against the inconvenience of generosity. After all, we do live in a society which exalts the successful thief and hoarder.
Corruption spawns where there is an unwillingness to give. Where personal interest outweighs public benefit, there will be corruption. Where one thinks of bankbook numbers as a score instead of equating them to societal contribution, there will be corruption. Where one takes from the needy under the guise of legislative requirement, there is corruption. Familiar? All-too.
From where did this culture arise? How have we fallen so far?
Fear.
Fear of helplessness. Fear of misplaced dependence. Fear of betrayal. The coward cannot trust. He can only rely on himself. And when everyone relies on him/herself, the culture is propagated. It becomes a necessity. It becomes a way of living. It becomes unquestioned, unquestionable.
~
That is what scares me, and that is what prompts me to take action in writing: our apathy to the degenerate state we are in. Who are we if we lose our humanity? What would have been had we, in the name of self-preservation, abandoned our comrades in the heat of prehistoric battle? What is to come if we completely ceased to prioritise the advancement of humanity over our petty, selfish games?
"The accomplice to the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference."
Yet, there is hope for humanity. The little acts of kindness you see every day, be it around the corner or across the world, are testament to that. The seemingly tiny, distinctly human acts that extract us from our dark and lonely shells. The small bits of altruism that keep us afloat.
A neighbourly smile and wave.
A kind gesture to a stranger.
A "thank you".
The small things that remind us that we are, together, human.
And that to be human is an honour we must fight for each and every day.
~
