Do good
The
world is what we make it. Look around, what do you see: is it a dark
and cruel place filled with people with no compassion or is it a world
with potential and people who care? It’s important that you answer this
question, because what you see isn’t really a reflection of the world
but one of you.
There is an argument that we as human beings are not really wired up to be good. That we are not really designed to play by the rules and at our core we are driven by greed and aggression and only the possible consequences of our actions that stop us from going berserk. As alluring as the idea is, writing it all off to our violent nature isn’t going to cut it, either. A recent study showed that if this was really the case, if we were designed to be self-serving and competitive, it wouldn’t really take that long for us to die out as a species. We’re still here so my guess is we’re softwired to long for good, to look for good and essentially choose good. That’s what separates us as intelligent beings from animals whose prime objective is to survive. Ours, on the other hand, is to live a good life and that, sometimes, overwhelms the instinct to stay alive at all costs.
There is such thing as mob-rule, of course. The moment we are joined in the hive mind of a large group the rules of engagement change and we are capable of doing horrid things not short of murder. The same thing happens with the hate-parades and bullying – it catches on like a wild fire and it’s nearly impossible to extinguish once it gets going. And yet, despite all this the good catches on, too. When the current changes and others begin to do good it very soon becomes obvious that it makes others join in the action. It takes one voice to change it.
What is the point of doing good when no one else around you bothers? What is the point of doing good when you don’t see it so often in the world anymore? The good starts with you, it’s not just a soapy quote on the internet, it really does. If you want to see more good in the world start with your own actions – and you will add that “good” to the world. What others do is really none of your concern unless you want to be part of the mob and have no responsibility for your own actions hiding behind “Everyone else does it” or “Everyone else does not”. What you do should make a difference for you, personally, first. It has to matter to you. After all, that’s how we shape the world around us – with every single action we take. Make it a good one next time.
There is an argument that we as human beings are not really wired up to be good. That we are not really designed to play by the rules and at our core we are driven by greed and aggression and only the possible consequences of our actions that stop us from going berserk. As alluring as the idea is, writing it all off to our violent nature isn’t going to cut it, either. A recent study showed that if this was really the case, if we were designed to be self-serving and competitive, it wouldn’t really take that long for us to die out as a species. We’re still here so my guess is we’re softwired to long for good, to look for good and essentially choose good. That’s what separates us as intelligent beings from animals whose prime objective is to survive. Ours, on the other hand, is to live a good life and that, sometimes, overwhelms the instinct to stay alive at all costs.
There is such thing as mob-rule, of course. The moment we are joined in the hive mind of a large group the rules of engagement change and we are capable of doing horrid things not short of murder. The same thing happens with the hate-parades and bullying – it catches on like a wild fire and it’s nearly impossible to extinguish once it gets going. And yet, despite all this the good catches on, too. When the current changes and others begin to do good it very soon becomes obvious that it makes others join in the action. It takes one voice to change it.
What is the point of doing good when no one else around you bothers? What is the point of doing good when you don’t see it so often in the world anymore? The good starts with you, it’s not just a soapy quote on the internet, it really does. If you want to see more good in the world start with your own actions – and you will add that “good” to the world. What others do is really none of your concern unless you want to be part of the mob and have no responsibility for your own actions hiding behind “Everyone else does it” or “Everyone else does not”. What you do should make a difference for you, personally, first. It has to matter to you. After all, that’s how we shape the world around us – with every single action we take. Make it a good one next time.
