Sometimes I feel guilty for being happy. Not because I don't think I deserve it, but because of the state of the world. How can I just sit here in my happy, safe, little Canadian bubble while the world turns to shit? It is the responsibility of the fortunate to help the unfortunate, so why are we sitting on our fat asses, getting fatter and doing nothing? We're totally ignoring that people are being murdered because of their religion/race/country of origin, that half the population of Africa will die of AIDS, and that Bushie-pants is reeking havoc everywhere he goes. Maybe we're not ignoring it all, but we're not doing anything significant about it. Are you personally doing something other than raising awareness?
Me neither.
I am a passionate person, and the state of the world right now gets me all worked up and huffy. This is mostly because I feel helpless. I feel like I'm behind a 6 inch thick, Plexiglas wall and no matter how hard I yell, scream and try to break through the glass I wont even make a scratch. After a while I just get frustrated, and give up. Learned helplessness, it's called. I've learned that getting angry just gets me angry; it doesn't get me through the wall.
So what am I left with? Feeling guilty. Wanting to be happy conflicts with the learned helplessness effect and leaves me with the guilt of knowing I'm happy while the rest of the world is not.
But really, what can we do? We're humans, we're selfish, we want to stay in our comfortable, soft and plushy existence. The rest of the world is oh so far away, and it's pretty easy to forget about. Is it really in our nature to remove ourselves from comfort in order to help others? I'd like to think yes. We'll help our neighbours, friends and family but we really aren't global thinkers yet. A global family. And we are the rich, fat Uncle who hoards his money while he watches his family starve in the street.
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4 comments:
There is one thing you can do.... be the exception to the rule. If the majority of everyone and everything out there is so horrible just do the best you can and consequently be proof that there are positive things out there. Don't expect to be able to cure aids or solve world hunger - just be nice and help out whenever you get the chance (which you do). If more people were like that maybe the world wouldnt seem like such a tough place...
PS sorry for bailing this weekend. When it seemed that my options involved doing nothing this weekend, i figured i might as well do nothing and get a tan while i was at it (plus i had 3 friends with birhtdays at home). Lets reschedule.
I think you said something really important about the world, but I was distracted by the rhino erection. Sorry.
GREAT post Em.
And congrats on posting your 100th!
We think a lot alike.
I've taken a slight interest in the Darfur situation but I'm afraid to get too entrenched. It might completely swallow me.
But all we can do is make the conscious effort to help those we can, when we can - even in the slightest. I think if you are aware and manage to do this, you're doing your part.
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